I put the OEM one in storage and put these grates in instead. Will improve trim around them but I wanted more airflow since most of the firebox is in there. What to you guys/gals do? PS I can't wait to take the baby gate down!!! Next year we graduate!
I pull my surround during the cold months (mid-Dec to mid-Mar.) Not as attractive but I want more heat. Every year I wish I bought a freestanding stove, one year I'll bite the bullet. Also, each kid burned themselves once, no baby gates but I'm cruel like that... Every wee one that visits gets the "hot, ouch" lesson and then I let instincts take over.
I am thinking about removing my surround for the next couple months also. Do you notice a big enough increase in heat without it to make it worth while ?
Not really but every bit helps. I went 2 seasons without the squirrel cage blower because mine died and didn't want to pony up 3 bills for factory replacement. The generic one I killed by running at lower voltage, apparently most shaded pole motors are on/off. Well, I found a close replacement for the motor so for $25 I tried it and it works, just noisy running full throttle. The heat output is night and day. We only watch about an hour of TV a day unless there is a game on, so I use a little fan for that hour. Otherwise it is unbearable. So... keep your blowers running and your surrounds experiment with. One day I will get a real stove, one day.
That will look nice if you can trim it out to fit like the factory one does. I was thinking of taking mine off and replacing it with something like this. Spray it flat black to match and it should look pretty good and maybe let out just a bit more heat. Shop Steelworks 24-in x 3-ft Aluminum Sheet Metal at Lowes.com
I don't use a surround or a blower with my insert and it works great and doesn't look too bad. I have the area above the stove stuffed with Roxul and that seems to help as well. Once all the brick is warmed up I can use very minimal wood and keep the whole house warm.
I leave my surround on. I have a blower on the front and a blower on each side of the fireplace. The fireplace brick gets nice and hot so the side blowers work great to distribute more air.
I had a small free standing stove in my fireplace but I wanted a larger one. I found an insert style stove that fit the bill but I didn't want the firebox any lower than it was already. So I built a platform/legs to set it on to make it look like a free standing stove. (pics here...Fire in the hole!) I like the look of the stone arch top fireplace opening as is so I left the surround off. It looks fine as is but I plan to measure up and have someone water jet cut a metal panel to fit between the stove and the stone up top. Thinking something in a design kinda like one of these... As for the baby gate issue. I took the free standing tri-fold metal fireplace screen and welded brackets to it so that it can be engaged with brackets that are attached to a plate that the front legs of the stove sit on...keeps jr from knocking it over. He is now tall enough to reach over it and touch the stove if he chose to, but he is almost 2 now and seems to understand "hot".
