Today, more than ever, consumers are serious about saving our precious energy resources. Whether in their existing home or that future dream home, you are looking for the best and most efficient method of heating your home but still want the romance of the fire without a lot of fuss and mess. This opens a series of questions on how to get there even though your home already came equipped with a gas or possibly a dirty burning older wood appliance. What are my options and the first question is “what is a fireplace insert”?
What’s a Fireplace Insert?
In layman terms, a fireplace insert is any appliance, wood, pellet, corn or gas that fits inside of an approved existing appliance. In most cases, you can turn a dirty burning older wood fireplace or a inefficient gas appliance into a modern high efficiency renewable energy appliance by inserting an approved renewable energy appliance into the existing product or cavity.
A leading question is “I have a gas fireplace in my home, can it be replaced with a wood or corn appliance”. The answer is a big YES you can. There are many options available and depending on your appliance, the installation and local building codes you can either insert a new appliance into your existing product or take out the existing gas fireplace and use the fireplace cavity to install your new appliance. It is best to solicit the services of an expert Hearth retailer to take a look at your appliance and give you the best options available.
Keeping Your Hearth
Yes, but I love the décor, the brick and the nice hearth on my existing fireplace. Do I have to give it all up? The answer is probably not. Depending on your selection of renewable energy appliance you should be able to keep most or all of the existing materials and reuse them. Most fireplace inserts will fit into the existing cavity and still allow you to keep that nice brick front and Hearth to sit on. Sometimes it is best to change things a little for a better fit or function. Your installer will be able to guide you on the best plan. In most cases, replacing an existing fireplace is not hard and American Energy Systems has numerous product models to choose from that will fit any décor. Be sure to check out the best in renewable energy products for your home.
Ensuring Safety
An important question to be answered when inserting a renewable energy biomass product into your existing fireplace setting is “will my new fireplace be safe”. The answer comes in careful planning when selecting your new appliance and checking to see that everything meets local, state and federal building codes. The manufacturer of the existing fireplace and the new unit are required to label their products for certain installation configurations. Be sure that it is allowed to install the new appliance as you wish. Be sure that a professional installs your product and checks to be sure that all clearances to combustibles’ standards are met.
The real benefits come when you are enjoying safe affordable heating while still enjoying the romance and warmth of a fireplace setting. No more drafty and inefficient fires and is it ever fun watching your fuel man stomp down the street when he comes by and your fuel tank is still full. Kind of like winning the lottery.
I have a Country Flame fireplace insert. The left blower is noisy compared to the right blower. My Zip Code is 71961, and I live near Oden, Arkansas, west of Hot Springs. My phone number is 281-703-5849. My E-mail address is [email protected] How can I get repairs made to the blower. The house was built in 1997.
Mr. Bev Edwards
Mr. Edwards, American Energy Systems has some replacement parts for that old of a unit. Your unit was built in Mt. Vernon Missouri by another company but we might have the blower. Please email a picture of your unit, the blower and dimensions to [email protected] and they will be able to assist you.
We have a Country Flame Fireplace Insert that is at least 15 years old (Serial #: 15964). It was in the house when we bought it 15 years ago. The blower has never worked since we have been here. Can it still be repaired? And, I have actually had a chimney repair fellow offer to buy it from us when he comes to replace our flue insert, etc. We are selling the house and the buyers want the stove insert removed and the chimney needs repair. Can you please give me some idea what it may be worth at this point? Our new house doesn’t have a fireplace, so it will be of no further use to us. Thank you very much!
I am sure that you can find a motor replacement at a Graingers electrical store. We would not have a blower for this old of unit. It should not be hard to repair at all. As far as the value, that is whatever the contractor will pay. New they are about $3500.00 so he should pay maybe 1/4 to 1/2 that price if it is in perfect shape. He might want to charge you to take it out though so might be an even trade for him taking it out unless the new buyer will pay for it. See what he is willing to pay.
I have a Country Flame O2 and I have noticed smoke coming from the two small vent holes on both the left and right side of the stove. I have had the stove for 13 years and never had that happen before. Any suggestions?
Typically smoke leakage on an Insert would be coming from the chimney connection to the top of the unit coming loose. You might need to pull the unit, clean it really well and then reconnect the liner to the top of the unit. Then make sure that the liner is cleaned and not leaking all the way up and out of the chimney. If all is good, then check the inner firebox of the unit to be sure that there are no stress cracks in the inner firebox.
Hi. I’m hoping someone can give me info on getting the installation/operating manual for a Country Flame 02 wood burning unit, serial no. 1209. It was installed by previous homeowner. We are doing a remodel on the fireplace surround & realized the unit has not been installed correctly! Also the blower switch needs replaced & we now know there should be a thermal switch that kicks on…but it has never worked. Probably need that replaced as well. Any help would be greatly appreciated! It’s not as cold here in Northern California as it is back in Minnesota, but we still like to use our wood burning stove to keep warm! Thanks, so much.
The Country Flame model O2 manual can be downloaded right off of the factory website. Go to the technical section and click on the manuals section and the look for the O2. Parts can be ordered right from the factory on the ECOM store. If you are not sure about the part just email a picture of the unit and the part to [email protected]. They will be able to help you identify the part.
Thank you for the info. I have the manual now & have learned that there is a whole lot of things involved with installing a wood burning insert into a zero clearance fireplace. Finally, I think we have all the components figured out. I can’t seem to find out if a prefab chimney with a 12″ outer & an 8″ inner with a 6″ z-flex rigid liner needs to be insulated…and if so, what is recommended? It is not a masonry chimney, but that is all I can seem to find info about. Any ideas where I can look for that? I know the part we need for the Model 02 & I’m contacting them tomorrow to get that ordered. Again, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.
On all wood stoves it is required to use a Type HT-2100 deg. chimney system. Best to check with a Fireplace company or Chimney Sweep on what you have so that you are up to code.