Wood Stove vs. Fireplace

[ParanoiA]

Not entirely sure how well a thread like this is to be received on a science site, but here goes nothing...

 

It's winter time again and I absolutely love burning wood in my fireplace. Starting it, tending it, everything, I don't know why but I really enjoy a warm fire like that, and I don't mind the cleanup at all.

 

But fireplaces are horribly inefficient, like 10% of the heat generated is utilized, while the rest goes up in smoke. I've read about airtight fireplaces, inserts, increasing the efficiency to 40%. But nothing touches the efficiency of an airtight wood stove achieving up to 55% efficiency - again, from what I've read.

 

Anyway, I'd like to get some value out of this heat and have been considering a wood stove. My biggest issue is the aesthetic loss of an open fireplace and the radiant warmth of sitting next to it on a cold evening. I've even read that leaving a wood stove door open can start a chimney fire from getting too much air.

 

I guess what I'm really wanting is a fireplace and wood stove rolled into one, or something that can play both roles.

 

So, does anyone here have any practical experience with different types of fireplaces, wood stoves? Any advice?

[YT2095]

you can get a special glass (it comes in stips rather than one single sheet) that you can use in the "door" of some wood stoves to get some Light and also check-up on the fire without having to open it, there`s also the sheet Mica option as well, but it`s not as nice IMO.

I used to have a coal fire/stove on my boat and I used to use the glass, it was great in winter

[Flashman]

Something like these???

 

http://www.firesidereflections.com/osburn_w.html

[ParanoiA]

Oh yeah, see I've looked at those and some others. Definitely nice. But can you use it like a fireplace and leave the door open if you want? Or do you have to keep it shut?

 

See I'm wondering if there's something out there designed to work like an open fireplace, but then be able to shut it and use it more efficiently when I want. I'd like to be able to warm up to a nice open fire, and then close it for utility heating, which would probably be its main job.

[Flashman]

Ah, I was reading you as just wanting to see the flame.. the problem I believe is that the stoves will tend to overheat when run open. Maybe you can enjoy a period of running it open, with careful adjustment of a damper and keeping an eye on a chimney thermometer, but I doubt there's any makers that would actually recommend this.

[iNow]

Another idea... Get some large pots, fill them with water, set them on top of and beside the stove as it burns. Then, bring those pots with heated water into the rooms with you later. It's like prehistoric space heating. Just an idea that came to me as I read your post. I have no idea if it would actually work or not.

[ParanoiA]

That's interesting you should mention that. I was reading about the newer water based systems for distributing heat, some of which talk about using a wood stove solution for heating the water. I want to visit a home with one of these systems, in the middle of december.

[Flashman]

Personally I'd try the super-saturated salt solution idea, you use the heat of solution to soak up more heat in a given size container. As recommended for thermal ballast in some passive solar systems.

[Mr Skeptic]

I too like fires

 

I think that the main deal with inefficiency of a fireplace is the chimney, not the open nature of the fire itself. All you should need is a decent heat exchanger in the chimney, and the fireplace should become as efficient as the stove (minus any difference in efficiency of material burnt, if any).

[ParanoiA]

Hmm, that's an interesting idea Skeptic. I'm gonna to have to do some readin'...

[iNow]

At my girlfriends parents house, they have a little fan inside the fireplace which draws heat from the bottom and out these vents on the side and into the room. We can get heat from the fireplace even with the glass closed. It's quite nice.

 

It seems to be called a "fireplace blower."

http://www.fireplaceguys.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=32_56

[Moontanman]

I grew up living in houses that used coal fire places. We would adjust the damper in the chimney to keep the fire from burning too fast and throw more heat into the room. I do miss a fire place, we cooked on a wood stove as well, always burned sycamore wood in the cook stove, it burns the cleanest. Oh yeah, we also had fire places that were made of thick blocks of stone, the stone would get hot and radiate heat all night long, way after the fire had gone out.

[Sisyphus]

My parent's house has exactly what it sounds like you're looking for. It's a wood stove in the fireplace with glass doors that can be left open if you want. Pretty much heats the whole house when it's going (not nearly as well as the radiators, but you won't freeze), relatively efficient, finely adjustable with air flow controls, and has most of the charm of a traditional fireplace. It's been there my whole life, and I have no idea who made it originally, but such things do exist.

 

EDIT: Ah, it's something like these:

http://www.jotul.com/en-us/wwwjotulus/

[ParanoiA]

My parent's house has exactly what it sounds like you're looking for. It's a wood stove in the fireplace with glass doors that can be left open if you want. Pretty much heats the whole house when it's going (not nearly as well as the radiators, but you won't freeze), relatively efficient, finely adjustable with air flow controls, and has most of the charm of a traditional fireplace. It's been there my whole life, and I have no idea who made it originally, but such things do exist.

 

EDIT: Ah, it's something like these:

http://www.jotul.com/en-us/wwwjotulus/

 

You know, those appear to be "inserts". Inserts, from what I've read, are basically wood stoves built-in to the fireplace cavity rather than free standing. I love the look of them, however I thought you couldn't leave the doors open. I haven't actually read that though. I concluded that based on the literature about wood stoves causing a chimney fire if you left the door open because of too much air.

 

Now you have me wondering if these inserts would work for me after all.

 

Thanks. I'm going to look further into these. Jotul has some nice ones.

[JohnB]

Don't forget a coffee pot to go on top.