Coal Wood Insert

epd1088 · Post by **epd1088** » Fri. Dec. 30, 2016 9:14 pm

I am looking at a Russo coal wood fireplace insert. The seller says it is a CL-55 and generates enough heat to heat his 2500 sq. foot home. Anybody know anything about these things and what it entails to install one in place of an inefficient fireplace? I am looking at switching over to all coal and already have an Alaska kast console that I am planning on installing in the basement and hoping to go with a coal stoker boiler and under floor radiant pex tubing in the near future so that all of my heat sources will be the same fuel and I will not have to rely on expensive electric baseboards. Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

davidmcbeth3 · Post by **davidmcbeth3** » Sat. Dec. 31, 2016 12:29 am

They don't make them anymore .. so you'll have to see if anyone with one can testify to its ability to heat up a full 2500 sq ft house ...

Likely take a 100-120 BTU unit for that .. not sure if your stove has this high level of BTU-ness.

My Hitzer 503 fireplace insert is 80K BTU (2400 sq ft house with relatively easy paths for heat to move about)

And the Hitzer 983 is 100K
http://www.hitzer.com/documents/product/983_Brochure_2011.pdf

So the Russo might be up to the task....if you can get the heat about.

joeq · Post by **joeq** » Sat. Dec. 31, 2016 12:59 am

With an under floor boiler, Kast console, and fireplace insert, you should be pretty toasty. Do you live in Alaska? It sure would be nice to be rid of them electric heaters.

lowfog01 · Post by **lowfog01** » Sat. Dec. 31, 2016 1:09 am

epd1088 wrote:I am looking at a Russo coal wood fireplace insert. ... Anybody know anything about these things and what it entails to install one in place of an inefficient fireplace?

I don't know anything about this specific brand but generally a stove designed to burn both fuels burns neither one well; one will burn much better. I'd try to figure out which fuel this stove burns better.

If your fireplace is already "inefficient" trying to burn coal in any stove installed there could become frustrating real fast. I'd look at why the fireplace is not performing well before using it for a stove of any kind. Good luck, Lisa

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Sat. Dec. 31, 2016 7:24 am

The specs and manuals are already posted here.

Very heavily built stove, you'll need a couple strong assistants.

epd1088 · Post by **epd1088** » Sat. Dec. 31, 2016 7:54 am

Lisa, most of the heat a fireplace generates goes right up the chimney. Mine puts heat out into the room but I would like to get the house warmer as the electric heat still kicks on. I'd also like to be rid of the chance of a chimney fire by switching over to coal.

epd1088 · Post by **epd1088** » Sat. Dec. 31, 2016 7:56 am

McGiever, do you know where that info is posted?

epd1088 · Post by **epd1088** » Sat. Dec. 31, 2016 8:01 am

Joeq, the basement is not yet finished and I am hoping that the Alaska will heat that space when it is. The boiler will be for the rest of the house once it's put in and the insert will hopefully only need to be used to take any chill off that may be left.

MikeP2009 · Post by **MikeP2009** » Sun. Jan. 01, 2017 12:59 am

Most any of the larger inserts for any fuel type like these fireplace inserts
Fireplace Inserts
will heat up 2500 sq ft OK, but only under optimal burning conditions. When the fire dies down a bit, or its not really stoked, you lose a ton of the top BTU output. I'd say you'll only be happy with the heat output for that fireplace insert for that size room when its roaring.

davidmcbeth3 · Post by **davidmcbeth3** » Sun. Jan. 01, 2017 3:19 am

MikeP2009 wrote:Most any of the larger inserts for any fuel type like these fireplace inserts
Fireplace Inserts
will heat up 2500 sq ft OK, but only under optimal burning conditions. When the fire dies down a bit, or its not really stoked, you lose a ton of the top BTU output. I'd say you'll only be happy with the heat output for that fireplace insert for that size room when its roaring.

Welcome to the forum Mike ! You might be the first new member of 2017....I don't think you win anything tho.

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Sun. Jan. 01, 2017 7:59 am

epd1088 wrote:McGiever, do you know where that info is posted?

Sorry, should of also added that Russo Insert models are similar to the Gibraltar Insert models...search them as well.

RUSSO MANUAL

GIBRALTAR MANUAL

epd1088 · Post by **epd1088** » Sun. Jan. 01, 2017 8:57 am

Mike, I have a 1600 square foot ranch, open living area, hallway to three bedrooms and a 1600 square foot unfinished basement that I am hoping to finish in the next two years once I determine thst it will stay dry. Know nothing about heating with coal except that I am intrigued with the low cost and heat output as compared to wood and electric. I had contemplated wood pellets but coal seems to give the best of all worlds. Looking to go with a coal boiler and underfloor pex radiant within the year and have an Alaska kast console in the basement that I am hoping to heat that with once it is finished. Figured I'd get an insert for the fireplace so that I am using one fuel source and there would be less chance of a chimney fire.

epd1088 · Post by **epd1088** » Sun. Jan. 01, 2017 9:16 am

Are they any good McGiever?

joeq · Post by **joeq** » Sun. Jan. 01, 2017 12:04 pm

Just curious ep, where are you located? PA area, midway, or a Northern state?

epd1088 · Post by **epd1088** » Sun. Jan. 01, 2017 1:01 pm

In PA, joeq... just outside the Poconos...