Gas insert purchase help

10 years ago

Looking to install a gas insert into our zero clearance fireplace to use as a zone heater and reduce our heating costs. The main room is about 28-18 with 10 foot ceilings and is the location of the fireplace. We would like to keep this room warm with a little bit of heat transfered into the master bedroom and kitchen/dining room which are attached (see floor plan). The opening height if our existing fireplace is only 19 inches so we have limited options. We meet with the fireplace store today and they recommended the archgard 22-dv124n. It's output is 17-24k btu per hour. Will this be sufficient to meet our needs?

Our quote was 450 for install and 3000 for the insert, liner, surround, required adapters and a thermostat remote. Is this a good price?

Comments (3)

christopherh
10 years ago
What is the brand of the unit? And will the place where you purchase it honor the warranty?
southerncanuck
10 years ago
The question " will it be sufficient enough to meet our needs?". For that answer you will need to do a heat loss calculation to determine that. There are some free calculators on line. You will need to know the R values of your walls, square footage of windows, type of windows etc. to do the calculation. It might be, it might not be. You say you want to use gas to save on heating costs. What are you using as the main fuel source now?

Without knowing exactly what you have there I would say no. I see there is a stairway at the end of the room, if it comes up from the basement cold air may effect the heating of that room, as well an exterior entrance directly in line with that room, that's not good either, every time that door is opened precious heat will draught out that door or cold air will blow into the room, again not a good design to save on fuel costs. Sorry but that design of the room being directly in line with an exterior door is not good. I might look at isolating the foyer by building a second entrance to isolate the front door from the exterior like they did years ago and still do.
Related Professionals
Channelview Fireplaces · Columbine Fireplaces · Elk Grove Village Fireplaces · Ridgefield Interior Designers & Decorators · Anchorage General Contractors · Coffeyville General Contractors · Coronado General Contractors · Erie General Contractors · Fargo General Contractors · Forest Grove General Contractors · Hamilton Square General Contractors · Lewisburg General Contractors · Rocky Point General Contractors · Westchester General Contractors · Wright General Contractors
joshuaace
Original Author
10 years ago
We currently have a heat pump with electric resistance backup up heat only which runs a lot when the temp is under 30 (which is quite often). The whole house is about 2400 sf but we pretty much don't use the upstairs during the winter.

The idea with the gas fireplace would be to hear the living room where we spent 95% of waking hours. I would think this would be cheaper than heating the whole house with electric.

The unit itself was 2050. Another 450 for the direct vent pipe system, plus extras to upgrade to 4 sided surround, lp conversion, and remote with thermostat

The house is tight with high quality casement windows, well insulated walls, and well insulated with blown in insulation in attic. The stairs go upstairs where we will be keeping the bedroom doors closed. The front door is directly across but almost never gets used. we use the entry from the garage.