What are wood inserts and why should you consider them for your home?

Currently, there are a multitude of heating systems on the market. For this reason, the choice should always depend on the characteristics and conditions of your home. But when would it be a good idea to opt for an insert wood insert?

Undoubtedly, if you have come this far, this is the question on your mind. Well, don’t worry. In ParaTuReforma we are going to tell you what wood inserts are, their main advantages and how and when you should choose them to heat your home.

What is the firewood insert

A woodinsert is a heating system for the home. Specifically, it is a device that transforms a fireplace with an open hearth (the place where the fuel is deposited and burned) into a closed fireplace. To do this, it is not necessary to modify its structure or carry out a major renovation.

Advantages of wood inserts

Having said that, it is clear that the inserts the traditional disadvantages of open fireplaces, in fact, they practically turn them into stoves, with all the advantages this entails. In fact, it practically turns them into stoves, with all the advantages that entails. Let’s take a look at them:

• The efficiency of the chimney is multiplied by a factor of five. In other words, it is able to make five times better use of the fuel when transforming it into heat energy. This is mainly due to the fact that the wood burns in a closed chamber and then distributes the heat evenly through a series of turbines.
• They save money. This benefit is directly linked to the previous one. Since the performance is much higher, the amount of fuel needed to heat the home is reduced, so the investment is amortized in a very short period of time.
• They significantly reduce safety risks. The fire risk involved with open wood-burning fireplaces is very high, since they have no screen to separate the fire from the rest of the house. In addition, with them there is a greater chance of suffering carbon monoxide poisoning.
• They are much cleaner than wood-burning fireplaces. Wood inserts have ash deposits. This means that, when cleaning them, it is only necessary to extract this element and deposit it in the garbage can. It is impossible for them to get out of the fireplace where combustion takes place.

As if that weren’t enough, with a single insert you can heat several rooms of the house. You just need to have the right ducts to distribute the heat.

Do you have any inconvenience?

Wood inserts, of course, have some disadvantages. However, they are almost negligible considering the advantages mentioned above. For example, they are more expensive than conventional open fireplaces and, in addition, have a less intense flame. However, the latter is a purely aesthetic issue.

Tips for purchasing wood inserts

To make sure you buy the best firewoodinsert for your home, you need to consider all of these aspects:

• Dimensions. The insert has to fit in the fireplace hearth to avoid having to make a large additional reform.
• Heat output. It will depend on how good the insulation of your house is. If it is good, 100 W/m² will suffice. If it is excellent and has been recently reinforced, you can get by with 60-80 W/m². On the other hand, if it is very poor, look for a model that exceeds 120 W/m².
• Performance. The best inserts wood inserts on the market offer a heating efficiency of around 80 %. The most economical models are around 40-50%. We do not advise you to buy one that does not reach at least 70%.
• Autonomy. This is the time the system remains on for each load of firewood. Our advice is to look for a model that offers between 10 and 12 hours. Think that an open fireplace requires a new load every 2 or 3 hours.
• Single or double chamber? If you can afford it, opt for a double chamber model, as it will be much more economical than a single chamber model. The reason? It will not only burn the wood, but also the gases derived from the first combustion.

Which is better cassette or insert

They may look the same, but they are not. Earlier we said that a woodinsert is a device designed to close the hearth of an existing open fireplace. Well, cassettes are heating elements that allow you to enjoy a fireplace quickly and almost without the need for construction work. This is the first difference between the two.

However, there are many others that you should know about:

• Fabrication. Both inserts and cassettes are made of steel or cast iron. However, it is common for wood inserts to be made from several metal parts, while cassettes always consist of only one.
• Smoke evacuation. In the case of cassettes, it is carried out naturally through the chimney flue. The inserts, on the other hand, have an adjustable valve that opens and closes automatically, which increases combustion efficiency.
• Convection system. The cassettes perform it in a natural way. That is to say, they distribute the heat through the tubes without exerting any action on it. On the other hand, wood inserts work by forced convection, i.e. their fans push the air outwards.

Generally speaking, it is almost always preferable to opt for a wood-fired insert rather than a cassette. They are more efficient and offer better performance. However, their rival is cheaper and requires a much quicker and simpler installation process.

Have you already decided to buy a wood insert for your home? Then, take a look at the ParaTuReforma catalog and, if you have any questions, please contact our customer service team. We will be happy to help you.