Wilkening Fireplace experiences
Virginbuild
| Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on
I am looking for first hand sharing of experiences and pros/cons of the Wilkening Fireplace. I am looking to have one installed in my house. I am looking for installation experiences and also user experiences.
Thanks!
Virginbuild
Replies
bump
http://www.wilkeningfireplace.com/
I found a website. They have specialty products, masonry, and zero clearance units.
Which product are you referring to?
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where ...
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Hi Piffin,
Thank you for reply, I have their information and web site. I am interested in the "intens-a-Fyre" model. I am trying to find someone that has one installed and their satisfaction with the unit. Also for someone who has installed this model, I would like to know about any installation problems or deficiencies.
Merry Christmas
Virginbuild
I've never seen the particular brand you're looking at, but Heatilator (IIRC) made a similar product (steel firebox in a masonry fireplace) in the late 70's/early 80's. As a chimney sweep, I encountered 4 or 5 of them over the years. All were rusted/heat deteriorated so badly as to be unusable.
Seems like a bad idea to me from a maintenance point of view. http://grantlogan.net/
My mother once said to me, "Elwood" -- she always called me Elwood -- "Elwood, in this world you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." For years I tried smart. I recommend pleasant.
Elwood P. Dowde (James Stewart), "Harvey"
Thank you seeyou,
I will keep your observations in mind. I wonder what vintage the units were that you found wasted? I know of one Heatilator unit built in early 40's and it is still going strong. The unit was made of heavy iron. I don't think they make them like that anymore.
Virginbuild
LocationVirgin Islands but retiring in Upper Michigan
Holy smokes, the U.P.?
Merry Christmas.
I would direct you to a masonry heater. Substantial life, minimal fuel burned and long radiant heat.
Best of luck.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Yeah, glad you found this thread. Steer him in the right direction, Cal. Merry Christmas to you and Joyce.http://grantlogan.net/
My mother once said to me, "Elwood" -- she always called me Elwood -- "Elwood, in this world you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." For years I tried smart. I recommend pleasant.
Elwood P. Dowde (James Stewart), "Harvey"
And the yuletide............tidings right back at ya Grant.
View Image
Waiting for movement upstairs and then a match to the fire.
Enjoy your Christmas morning.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
"Holy smokes". LOL
It takes studs to build a house
friends in Minnesota have one, and luckily a neighbor was a stonemason with experience building those units. which made the installation easier, because there was no else even close to them, and the husband was not mechanically inclined
I wouldn't recommend attempting this by yourself, since there are some rather critical / elaborate steps in the construction of the opening the insert fits in IIRC,
the unit heated the house quite comfortably during the evening, when the outside temps were in the minus double digits, but they would let it die out during the day because they both worked ,........ and he was afraid the house would burn down.......but the house was still warm in the morning.
there are no moving parts and there is a definite flow of very HOT air from the vents when it is up to temp
all in all it seemed worth the several thousand dollars they forked out for the whole package.
one thing our friends did not know .......Pine is not a good choice for firewood, and they almost burned their house down the first night with their new fireplace........
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, wer ist jetzt der Idiot ?
Thank you maddog3,
Good input!
Regards,
Virginbuild
Looks like what you are interested in is a variation of this companies product.
http://www.fireplacex.com/product_guide/wood_fireplaces.aspx
They have been making them since the early 1980's that I am aware of .
Original company was bought up by one of the large stove manufactures but I can't recall which one.
Travis Industries I think.
Good units and they do work.
Here is another link to the home page... NOT FOR DIAL UP!!
http://www.fireplacex.com/
Home page has dealers etc listed or links to info .
Thank you for the web site dovetail 97128. I had visited this site once before and I don't care about the theory of the operation. Imagine pressurizing your house and forcing warm, MOIST, air out through every crack in the house on into cold walls, attics, and basements. Imagine gallons of water accumulating in the aforementioned areas and the horrendous results of mold and rot.
The Wilkening Intens-A-Fyre leaves the house in neutral pressure except for the heat energy released. The combustion air all comes from the outside through a vent pipe and none of it is bled into the house space.
The interior of the unit is lined with refractory brick and most of the unit is made with 1/4 inch steel which should last for a long time. Most of the other inserts seem to be made of much lighter gauge metals.
The Intens-A-Fyre looks like a good choice to me, however there is nothing like learning from someone who actually has one and uses it.
Virginbuild