Fire Place Issues

[The Architect]

My fireplace always has the cold hearth problem in the winter, where a reverse draft happens on cold days.  I need to get options to correct it though, since it makes our room pretty cold w/o a fire.

A top mount damper will help.

http://www.gascoals.net/Accessories/Dampers/TopMountDampers/tabid/527/Default.aspx

[ducatiz]

Ours is sort of an old school insert - very crude and no doors.  I will get some estimates on a modern one this winter.  What did you find for costs?

mitt

the one we are getting runs about $1600 plus install.  we found it for $1300 at a local shop on sale.  it is the heatilator model SC60.. it is rated at 70,000 btu (max) but in practice you'll see about 30-40 coming out. 

there are MANY different designs.  we wanted one that didn't look like it came from Little House on the Prairie.  Our house is moving towards an industrial/modern look and this one is perfect because it is inset to the fireplace and you can build around it.  we are putting a slate wall around it.

install will be $800 for us.  it requires a permit, they sleeve your chimney so it doesn't matter the condition of the chimney as long as it's not falling down. 

our inset will be downstairs (and sub-level) so it's gonna heat up the upstairs floor like crazy. 

[mitt]

A top mount damper will help.

http://www.gascoals.net/Accessories/Dampers/TopMountDampers/tabid/527/Default.aspx

Ours has a round pipe.

mitt

[ducatiz]

Ours has a round pipe.

mitt

http://www.chimneydampers.com/

[ducpainter]

buy a wood stove.
a fire place has got to be the single least efficient way to heat with wood. on top of that, when your flu is drawing properly, not only is it sucking all the hot gasses out of the room, but all of the warmth as well.

+11ty billion

[Popeye the Sailor]

+11ty billion

Don't you mean a pellet stove? I hear they're less work.

[ducpainter]

Don't you mean a pellet stove? I hear they're less work.

They're hard to burn those paper logs in.

[Oldfisti]

They're hard to burn those paper logs in.

They are paper logs.


Little tiny ones.

[ducpainter]

They are paper logs.


Little tiny ones.

...and the tiny ones suck in a wood stove.

[VisceralReaction]

This advice comes from a North Idaho wood burner
I usually cut and burn about 7-10 cords per year and had a friend that was a
chimney sweep as well.
Lack of draw can be a number of things and I'll list them.
Technically you should have your chimney inspected every two years.
it may or may not need to be swept. I have a Vermont Castings stove with a catalytic converter
and only have needed mine swept once in 10 years.
The lack of draw when initially starting the stove is due to a cold flu. Once you get some heat moving
up the flu it will start to draw. Another problem is when your chimney doesn't extend above your roof line.
You can get wind that will roll over the top of your roof line and blow back down the chimney.
As mentioned if your flu is plugged that will mess with your draft.
If your house is really air tight then you'll have a problem with draw.
If you are burning cool fires you'll plug up your chimney alot faster too, more smoke equals more particulate matter
that will condense on the cool chimney before it gets hot.
I find that when I first start my fires I let that bastard get really hot and cookin before I shut it down
to where I want it.

[cyrus buelton]

I have a call into a professional group locally 

Taking all advice here into consideration.


Thank you all.


Now to get the make the beast with two backsing stench out of my house