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Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Transform your old masonry fireplace into a high-efficient heat source! Easy to install and easy to light. Requires a fireplace opening of 29in.W x 14in.D x 21.5in.H. BTU Output: 60,000, Heating Capability (sq. ft.): 1,600, Blower Included: Yes, Blower (CFM): 130, Full Load Run Time (Hours): 5 - 8, Fuel Type: Wood, Igniter: Manual, Thermostat Included: No, Flue Collar Size (in.): 6, Max. Log Size Accepted (L in.): 18, EPA Exempt: No, Dimensions W x D x H (in.): 27 x 23 1/2 x 20 Masonry wood insert features an ultra-quiet blower Heavy 1/4in. plate steel top 75% efficiency Airwash keeps glass clean Adjustable door handle and single air control Requires faceplate Item# 1589720 (sold separately)
Average Customer Rating:
out of
5
54 of 56(96%)would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
Stop looking and buy this one,
November 12, 2009
By GirlsToysToo
from Virginia
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"This is a fantastic unit. I sold my old insert and checked with my chimney man and he confirmed what I already knew. That this unit could be priced much higher for the quality and efficiency. He installed a stainless steel 5' flue in my chimney, put the unit in, and insulated around the inside of my fireplace. All of which adds more to the already 75% efficiency this has. I checked out other units to compare with this for over a year and nothing comes close to the efficiency, blower quality, and price.
The backsplash is pretty easy to put together even though some of the instruction is vague, just takes a few minutes, and it has a good fit on the insert and looks great once it's put together with the insert.
I'm still trying to figure out the unit's preference with using the draft control perfectly in conjunction with the wood I'm burning, but that will come with time. Not the unit's fault
Surprisingly enough the glass does stay pretty much clean. I read another review suggestion about cleaning the glass when it gets dirty and it works perfectly. When the unit is cooler, take a slightly wet rag and dip it into cooled ashes and wipe the inside of the glass and it comes perfectly clean again.
Excellent unit, incredible value, just buy it, nuff said."
The backsplash is pretty easy to put together even though some of the instruction is vague, just takes a few minutes, and it has a good fit on the insert and looks great once it's put together with the insert.
I'm still trying to figure out the unit's preference with using the draft control perfectly in conjunction with the wood I'm burning, but that will come with time. Not the unit's fault
Surprisingly enough the glass does stay pretty much clean. I read another review suggestion about cleaning the glass when it gets dirty and it works perfectly. When the unit is cooler, take a slightly wet rag and dip it into cooled ashes and wipe the inside of the glass and it comes perfectly clean again.
Excellent unit, incredible value, just buy it, nuff said."
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Review 2 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
Drolet wbfp insert,
November 8, 2009
By spanky51
from Independence, Ohio
"For the money and ease of use you can't beat this product. It has worked well for me for the past two heating seasons. The only complaints that I have are that it requires a double wall flexible stainless steel chimney liner which Northern does not carry. This product is available elsewhere online, but the cost is in the $600.00 range in addition to the cost of the stove plus the shipping. Also, it is very hard to get replacement parts for the stove as Northern doesn't carry them and the factory requires you do deal with only certified dealers and not them.And the factory is in Montreal Canada and anyone you talk to there only speaks French. Dealers are hard to find and even they have trouble dealing with the factory. My son broke the window on the stove and it was nearly impossible to get another one through Drolet or their dealers. It is special ceramic glass. Fortunately I was able to get one through a local glass shop which I found in the good old yellow pages. The cost however was about $175.00. That was cheap compared to the at least $250.00 plus shipping I was quoted by a supposed Drolet dealer who thought they could get one. It is a great product though and has paid for itself in gas savings."
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Review 3 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
Not what I expected,
November 2, 2009
By mrtomc
from Weston, CT
"This is my second woodstove. The first one was not airtight and used huge amounts of wood. I bought this one 3 years ago. Install was easy and the stove seemed great. The amount of heat it puts out is not what I expected and I would like considerably more heat from a stove this size. The damper is almost worthless. You can't lower the amount of air intake to slow the fire and make it last longer. It IS adjustable but only slightly. It will not last overnight no matter how you adjust it. My friends have similar size stoves by other mfgr and work great. Too late for me to spend money on a replacement for this one."
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Review 4 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
DROLET WOOD INSERT,
October 26, 2009
By GILTY1
"Unit was installed in October 2009 but ran into some hurdles. Instructions were very limited. Assembly of metal trim was interesting. Two angle clips are used to secure the corners together. The blank angle clip lies under the one with screws so that it will clamp the two sections together. Once assembled then slide the aluminum trim over the surround and use the spring clips to secure them together. You may have to adjust the spring dimension to properly set the clamping force. Then inner part of the assembly is screwed to the surround keeping the nuts on the inside of the surround. Now, slide the entier assembly into the wood insert box. Apparently, there is no requirement to screw it into the firebox. In my case, my fireplace opening was 2 inch higher than the surround. Consequently, I had to place bricks under the box in order for it to cover the opening. By the way, I could not find anything that states what the max opening dimensions should be or what the length of the over all high of the surround. Also, the sticker on the door glass read that this unit is rated at 30,000 BTU not 60,000 as the specs read.
After starting the first fire I realized that the blower doesn't kick in for about an hour. As other owners suggested, I wired a toggle switch in parrallel with the thermal sensor. You can switch in the off position when the thermal kicks in. Once the unit is producing heat it does heat up the basement. I am hopeful it will help to keep the furnance off."
After starting the first fire I realized that the blower doesn't kick in for about an hour. As other owners suggested, I wired a toggle switch in parrallel with the thermal sensor. You can switch in the off position when the thermal kicks in. Once the unit is producing heat it does heat up the basement. I am hopeful it will help to keep the furnance off."
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Review 5 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
WANTED TO SAVE SOME $$$$$$,
October 19, 2009
By SAVEDSUMDO
from Tennessee
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"Purchased this insert after checking here in Tennessee at the local shops and reviewed the prices. I purchased this unit because of the price. After reading the other reviews I also purchase the six inch stainless liner from a seller on that big auction website saved some serious $$$$ there too. The stainless liner was very easy to install. The insert arrived only a few days after it was ordered and was in great shape considering it's weight. Only few of the brick liners were loose but none were broken. My wife and I lifted the unit into place in the fireplace and I placed the surround onto the insert and it fits perfectly. It doesn't keep the house toasty warm but certainly makes a difference in the amount of time my other heat sources are in use (heat pump and propane). The house is a 2700 sq ft log home in the woods so the sun doesn't offer much as far as supplemental heat goes. The blower on this unit seemed like it took forever to start so I by passed the thermostat since the fan has an on-off switch. The suggestion that a paste made from the ashes works well when I want to clean the glass. I use the ash paste and a soft scouring pad to get it clean. If you are a do-it-your-selfer this the insert for you. The only negative is the thermostat so far and it will not keep the total house warm but it certainly helps. Wife also added that an ash pan would be very helpful."
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Review 6 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
Great Little Insert,
March 29, 2009
By CheapHeat
from SE Michigan
"This was my first winter using the Drolet, I and heated my house about 50% of the time with it -- was limited by the amount of seasoned wood on hand. It works great, except the long time interval before the blower comes on. I solved that problem by wiring a bypass switch in parallel with the temperature switch.
To the user who has problems with the door hinge pins coming out: I too had this problem. Solved it by lubricating the pins with some "anti-seize" compound. It is normally used to lubricate the threads on spark-plugs, and you can get it at any automotive supply store. Anyways, my hinge pins haven't crept up at all since doing this.
Have started cutting next winter's supply of wood, and am looking forward to many years of heat from this unit."
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Review 7 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
Drolet Fireplace Insert,
March 23, 2009
By jacksmad1
from Jackson, TN
"I bought this unit about 3 seasons ago and have been well pleased. The first year I installed the insert directly into my fireplace opening without attaching the 6 inch flue. The insert would burn and heat okay but never to the level I had expected. The next season, as I had more time and money, I installed the 6 inch flue all the way out of the top of my chimney and WOW, what a difference. The fire was easier to light and it was easier to get a longer burn because I could close down the damper and it would still burn because the draft was so much better. The only possible downside in my opinion on this insert is that I find it is hard for it to heat much more than about 1200 square feet. It keeps my living room and kitchen pretty comfortable, but I find it doesn't go much past that. We have an open floor plan with the bedrooms off the kitchen and living room. Other than that I have enjoyed the heater. I do wish that Northern would stock replacement parts such as the ceramic glass. Unfortunately, my own fault, both my wife and I have broken the glass."
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Review 8 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
Great Warmth,
March 23, 2009
By bonedoc
from Litchfield, CT
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"I purchaced this insert stove after looking at other inserts at twice the price without the door, and trim. I had it installed professionally (a metel insert had to be cut out) and was using the next night. It is heating a 15 x 40 kitchen and an adjacent 15 x 30 sunroom to 73 degrees on low. I live in New England where this winter has been colder than usual. This is a great buy at a great price and recommend highly. I have another fireplace and would purchase another if this unit was larger. The only drawback is size of firebox. It will not hold enough wood at bedtime to have embers in AM."
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Review 9 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120,
March 23, 2009
By KBOH
from OH
"Installed by myself in an afternoon. Great little wood burner for the money. More than paid for itself the first season. Furnace seldom runs when burner is lit."
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Review 10 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
Drolet Fireplace Insert,
March 19, 2009
By Diditmyself
from San Jose,CA
"Pro's:
Product is built very well and solid.
Arrived quickly after it was ordered.
It warms up room quickly.
Efficent wood burning. Using the side dampner I can control the temperature and rate the wood burns without excess heat going up chimney.
Price was right.
Product is built very well and solid.
Arrived quickly after it was ordered.
It warms up room quickly.
Efficent wood burning. Using the side dampner I can control the temperature and rate the wood burns without excess heat going up chimney.
Price was right.
Installation Tips:
There is an 6" offset piece sold that allowed the insert to be properly positioned in the fireplace and clear the top of my fireplace. Made installation easy.
Order the stainless exhaust at same time as the insert. I did not know it was required so had to wait a week before installing insert.
There is an 6" offset piece sold that allowed the insert to be properly positioned in the fireplace and clear the top of my fireplace. Made installation easy.
Order the stainless exhaust at same time as the insert. I did not know it was required so had to wait a week before installing insert.
Con's
Instructions were not laidout in the method in which to install the insert. Could be better detailed for the self-installer.
Paint on top did not adhere and was flaking, but behind front shroud so not visible after installed.
Shipping process bent some sheetmetal but was able to straighten w/o issue.
I have a 20' fireplace and it tends to get a little smoky duirng starting a fire."
Instructions were not laidout in the method in which to install the insert. Could be better detailed for the self-installer.
Paint on top did not adhere and was flaking, but behind front shroud so not visible after installed.
Shipping process bent some sheetmetal but was able to straighten w/o issue.
I have a 20' fireplace and it tends to get a little smoky duirng starting a fire."
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Review 11 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
Best Value,
March 16, 2009
By kbystrak
from Salisbury, MD
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"We purchased this insert because we were looking for the lowest price. This stove is well built but without a lot of frills. We installed it ourselves in one afternoon. In combination with a flexible 6" stainless steel chimney liner and insulation kit, it drafts very well, and we never have any problems with smoke or odor backing into our home. It even drafts well when lighting on very cold days. The variable speed electric blower is quieter than we anticipated however, sometimes it seems like it takes too long to power on. It is controlled by a thermostat and will not come on until the stove is hot. Often we have found that we have achieved 500-600 degrees long before the blower is hot enough to come on. When this happens, we have to cut back on the vent and wait for the blower to heat up and turn on.
Highly recommend purchasing a magnetic burn thermometer to monitor the temperature of the stove while burning fires. It is also essential when curing the paint while the stove is new during the first few fires.
The glass really does stay clean if you burn hot fires. If it does get dirty, wait til it cools down and dip a moist paper towel in the ashes and rub it on the glass. It will come clean instantly.
Any logs longer than 18.5 inches in length are too difficult to fit into the stove.
Instruction manual and directions were adequate.
We are heating over 2500 square feet to 65 degrees in coastal Maryland.
With a full load of seasoned wood and the vent closed we are able to burn 8-10 hours and still have hot coals to re-light for the next fire."
Highly recommend purchasing a magnetic burn thermometer to monitor the temperature of the stove while burning fires. It is also essential when curing the paint while the stove is new during the first few fires.
The glass really does stay clean if you burn hot fires. If it does get dirty, wait til it cools down and dip a moist paper towel in the ashes and rub it on the glass. It will come clean instantly.
Any logs longer than 18.5 inches in length are too difficult to fit into the stove.
Instruction manual and directions were adequate.
We are heating over 2500 square feet to 65 degrees in coastal Maryland.
With a full load of seasoned wood and the vent closed we are able to burn 8-10 hours and still have hot coals to re-light for the next fire."
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Review 12 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
better than expected,
March 16, 2009
By John
from Long Island, N.Y.
"this insert is better than expected. The installation took a little time but was definitely worth it. the insert has saved us quite a bit of money and has probably paid for itself already. The look of the unit has only improved our living room. We don't have drafts in the house anymore due to a open chimney flue. The fan is adjustable and controlled by a thermostat. I have wired mine to be controlled either way. This way I can get faster heat if I want to. The burn is so efficient that there is only ashes left after a night of burning. There is never unburned wood inside. My local oil co. left a note on our oil tank to indicate that no one is to put fuel in the tank other than them since we have a contract. Due to our dramatic reduction in fuel consumption, they thought we were buying fuel from someone else. Sorry guys, it's the fireplace insert. I should have bought this years ago Thank you Drolet"
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Review 13 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
Best Heat I've had,
March 16, 2009
By GTF1
from Cincinnati Ohio
"We purchased the Drolet fireplace insert in Oct, of 2008. Started a fire the first day it was installed and but for a couple days over the last 5 months it has never been out. We saved about 2000 dollars in heating oil cost over the winter and never had a single cold spot in a 1900 sq foot house.. this little baby does the trick. Even on the sub zero days it took very littlle furnace time to keep the house more comfortable than we have been able to keep it in years.
Smoke roll out is kept at a minimum if you open slowly and turn off the blower when stoking..
Good fire wood burns for hours even without choking the air intake.
Great product, paid for itself the first season of operation.
Good fire wood burns for hours even without choking the air intake.
Great product, paid for itself the first season of operation.
After careful inspection of the fire box after this first season in use, it requires no maint. other than the usual cleaning..
Thanks Drolet
Greg F"
Greg F"
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Review 14 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
Nice little insert,
February 17, 2009
By McSouth
from Atlanta, GA
"I installed this insert about a month ago in a downstairs fireplace and it really puts out the heat. While not sufficient to heat my entire 3000sq. ft. home, it really helps offset our forced air heating bill. The downside: 1) The blower takes a long time to kick in. Owner's manual says expect about and hour but it usually takes about two as the thermostat is located at the bottom of the unit. 2) There are no cotter pins holding the hinge pins in the door down. Consequently they tend to work their way out. The hot door actually came off in my hands before I was accustomed to monitoring their position and pushing them back in periodically. This is a serious flaw that should be addressed by the manufacturer but it would not keep me from buying another unit in the future. Great insert for the money."
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Review 15 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
drolet woodburning insert,
January 4, 2009
By MARKIES
from MONROE, MICHIGAN
"I AM VERY HAPPY WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS UNIT, ALTHOUGH I LIVE IN A OLD 2000 SQ. FOOT FARMHOUSE AND THE INSERT IS IN THE BACK OF THE HOUSE THE UNIT IS NOT ABLE TO KEEP THE WHOLE HOUSE WARM IT DOES WHAT IT IS SUPPOSE TO DO, WHICH IS TO HEAT 1,500 SQ. FOOT. THE TEMP. IN THE ROOM WHERE IT IS LOCATED IS 68-70 THE REST OF THE HOUSE IS 60-62 WHICH IS WHERE WE KEPT IT BEFORE THE INSERT. THE REASON WE PURCHASED IT WAS BECAUSE OUR GAS BILL LAST MONTH WAS $286.00, SO I'M SURE IT WILL PAY ITSELF OFF WITHIN TWO YEARS. THE FURNACE ALMOST NEVER RUNS, I FILL IT WITH WOOD AT 10:00PM. AND AT 6:00AM THERE ARE STILL LOTS OF HOT COALS. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS UNIT TO EVERYONE."
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1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 16 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
this thing really works,
January 3, 2009
By toolmanou812
from new hampshire
"I just purchased this insert and I can't believe how well it works. up here in New Hampshire it get a bit chilly this past week highs in the teens but this stove works wonders. the fan is quiet and pushes the heat in to the room well. the installation was strait forward. I just wish northern tool carried the pipe and all accessories. when I was just using the fire place a roaring fire got the room to mid 60's with the outside temp in the 20's, with the insert a mild fire get the room to the 70's with the outside temp in the zero to teens."
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Review 17 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
A Great Insert! Works as advertized!,
December 30, 2008
By BWells
from Eau Claire, WI
"I bought this Insert as couple of months ago and have been heating my home with it since mid October.
The Unit is construction is very sturdy. The fit and finish is flawless. The door and firebox is strait forward design and very functional. We enjoy the large viewing window (which stays clean for the most part). The draft works exceptionally well; once the fire is started I can control the burn with the draft. I usually cut the draft all the way back so the burn is very slow, this cuts the air to the firebox and the fire slows down but does not go out.
The blower works very well and blows around the firebox and out above the door. It is reasonably quite and can be adjusted.
I have one complaint – the fan housing looks a little cheap! The front grill slots are too large and one can see the fan motor though the openings. I plan on adding a mesh screen and painting the fan motor black to hide this oversight.
Overall a great Fireplace!"
The Unit is construction is very sturdy. The fit and finish is flawless. The door and firebox is strait forward design and very functional. We enjoy the large viewing window (which stays clean for the most part). The draft works exceptionally well; once the fire is started I can control the burn with the draft. I usually cut the draft all the way back so the burn is very slow, this cuts the air to the firebox and the fire slows down but does not go out.
The blower works very well and blows around the firebox and out above the door. It is reasonably quite and can be adjusted.
I have one complaint – the fan housing looks a little cheap! The front grill slots are too large and one can see the fan motor though the openings. I plan on adding a mesh screen and painting the fan motor black to hide this oversight.
Overall a great Fireplace!"
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Review 18 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
Great little insert!,
December 16, 2008
By Dave535
from Virginia Beach, VA
"Believe it or not, it really does get cold in Virginia Beach from time to time and we've had an exceptionally cold fall season this year. I installed this unit about 2 months ago and we have only run our oil furnace for a few hours since. This little unit really works well. I could only fit 5" stainless steel flue liner in our chimney and with almost 25' of it there is no problem at all with the draft. The glass door stays amazingly clean and with a well placed doorway fan to divert the heat we're essentially keeping a two story house heated with this unit.
Like others have said, the firebox is just a tad too small, but tolerable. The thermostat on the fan is a small irritant - I might just bypass it like another reviewer did. The "required" faceplate kit should come with it or at least Northern should stock it in their stores along with the insert! Oh, and one of the Drolet welders thought he or she would be cute and spot weld the faceplate fastener screw to the unit so I have to grind it out."
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Review 19 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
Outstanding,
December 6, 2008
By klee621
from New England
"I've looked for inserts everywhere near me and within a 25 mile radius of my house, all the stores wanted $2500 and UP for similar inserts ** they were ALL back ordered until Jan, feb 2009!! SOME stores don't include the door.. They charge EXTRA for it..I immediately left..
My wife found this insert here IN STOCK and thought it was one of those deals where you say "it's too good to be true"..it's a GREAT deal..!!
My wife and I bought this to heat our 1,000 sq/ft single story ranch here in New England to try to minimize our oil consumption. We received the insert in less than 1 week after ordering it. It arrive very nicely crated and secure, the faceplate was in a box undamaged as well as the stainless chimney liner we ordered, All went very good..
After it was installed I was surprised as all this little insert had to offer. My wife likes to keep our heat on 66 through the winter, the thermostat with the insert going nice says it's 76 sometimes gets up to 78.. Thats when we open a window (too hot). It heats the main area very well, the bedrooms in the back gets very comfortable but a little cooler than the main room, not much cooler. My burner kicks on only when it calls for hot water when we run the dishwasher or take showers only..!!
We used to go around with a blanket around the shoulders, now we wear t shirt and light pajamas at night. Daily we burn about 1-2 split pieces of wood every hour or so AFTER we get a good bed of nice HOT embers..It gets HOT.. make sure you have long tools to load up the unit...make sure you load it up before going to bed so you have an ember bed when you wake up..
My wife found this insert here IN STOCK and thought it was one of those deals where you say "it's too good to be true"..it's a GREAT deal..!!
My wife and I bought this to heat our 1,000 sq/ft single story ranch here in New England to try to minimize our oil consumption. We received the insert in less than 1 week after ordering it. It arrive very nicely crated and secure, the faceplate was in a box undamaged as well as the stainless chimney liner we ordered, All went very good..
After it was installed I was surprised as all this little insert had to offer. My wife likes to keep our heat on 66 through the winter, the thermostat with the insert going nice says it's 76 sometimes gets up to 78.. Thats when we open a window (too hot). It heats the main area very well, the bedrooms in the back gets very comfortable but a little cooler than the main room, not much cooler. My burner kicks on only when it calls for hot water when we run the dishwasher or take showers only..!!
We used to go around with a blanket around the shoulders, now we wear t shirt and light pajamas at night. Daily we burn about 1-2 split pieces of wood every hour or so AFTER we get a good bed of nice HOT embers..It gets HOT.. make sure you have long tools to load up the unit...make sure you load it up before going to bed so you have an ember bed when you wake up..
Ya it's a little more work than a pellet insert and a little more of a mess but the heat and payoff...IT'S WORTH IT.!
***Tip** when you are going to move the insert inside and set it up, Take the fire bricks out, the sides and bottom.. LEAVE the top one in!! it definately makes it lighter to move by atleast 60 pounds or more..!! MAKE SURE you put them back exactly as they were..layout is in the manual.STRONGLY reccomend this unit!!!"
***Tip** when you are going to move the insert inside and set it up, Take the fire bricks out, the sides and bottom.. LEAVE the top one in!! it definately makes it lighter to move by atleast 60 pounds or more..!! MAKE SURE you put them back exactly as they were..layout is in the manual.STRONGLY reccomend this unit!!!"
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Review 20 for Drolet Fireplace Wood Insert, Model# DB03120
Overall Rating:
/
5
A very nice stove for the money,
November 27, 2008
By birdwatcherbob
from Kingston, New York
"After going to several fireplace stores and seeing similar stoves for $2500 and up my wife suggested looking at the one at Northern Tools. We bought several items from them over the years and have been very pleased with everything.
It is a great little insert. I have a 2,000 sq ft house with a 720 sq footprint; it is three stories high. It keeps the first story about 76, the second story (bedrooms) about 70 and I crack the access door to the third floor (craft rooms). I live in upstate New York and we just went through a week of temperatures in the lower 20's; the house remained very comfortable throughout the entire week and!!! The oil-fired boiler didn’t kick on once.
This is my first year burning wood and so far I am impressed with the efficiency of this unit. When I go outside and look at the neighbor’s chimney there is a long dark gray cloud of smoke coming out of it; mine is barely noticeable. I keep the firebox about 350 - 400*F and damped down half way (marked with nail polish) and control the house temperature with the fan speed.
At night I make sure I have several inches of coals and load it up with bigger pieces of wood and after bringing the firebox back up to 400 degrees I dampen it down all the way. By morning the down stairs is 64 – 68 and there is usually enough coals left to restart quickly; if not I use a piece of fire starting log.
The fan itself is very quiet AND very efficient. We did however experience some annoying rattling from two sources. The first came from the fan cover and was quickly remedied by putting a stick-on door bumper under one of the corners. The other came from the faceplate, which seems to move periodically from the heating/cooling cycle of the insert. I did not tighten the nut to hold it in place because I don’t want to create problems (a heat rusted nut locked tight) when the faceplate is removed for chimney cleaning. This requires a gentle yet firm nudge on faceplate, either the upper left or upper right corner of the insert.
At night I make sure I have several inches of coals and load it up with bigger pieces of wood and after bringing the firebox back up to 400 degrees I dampen it down all the way. By morning the down stairs is 64 – 68 and there is usually enough coals left to restart quickly; if not I use a piece of fire starting log.
The fan itself is very quiet AND very efficient. We did however experience some annoying rattling from two sources. The first came from the fan cover and was quickly remedied by putting a stick-on door bumper under one of the corners. The other came from the faceplate, which seems to move periodically from the heating/cooling cycle of the insert. I did not tighten the nut to hold it in place because I don’t want to create problems (a heat rusted nut locked tight) when the faceplate is removed for chimney cleaning. This requires a gentle yet firm nudge on faceplate, either the upper left or upper right corner of the insert.
I gave this unit a 5 rating because I have been a carpenter for 25 years and know all of the things that can and do go wrong with almost anything you buy these days. This unit seems to be very well made, holds heat for a long time and extracts a lot of btu’s from wood if used properly. I have 9 full cord of wood cut, split and stacked for this winter, from all indications so far I bet I’ll use maybe 3 and not a drop of oil.
Everyone that comes to our house comments on how cozy warm it is and are amazed with how long a piece or two of wood lasts. To me the fan makes the stove!
We waited until the last minute to decide we were putting in an insert (late september). After ordering them, the insert and face plate arrived together in about a week in very good condition. Installing the stove was very easy; I cut schedule 40 pvc pipe (4 pieces) and rolled the crated insert into the house on them. Three of us lifted it into the fireplace and I rolled it into exact position on 1/4" steel rods.
On our first firing, the fan did take about an hour to kick on. Now, in the morning the firebox is usually about 150*F and it takes no more than 15-20 minutes for it to kick on again (if) it is off.
We are very happy with the performance of this insert. Having it cost around $1,000 (instead of $3,000) and getting it a week after we ordered it is just amazing. I can still say that I am very pleased with everything I have ordered from Northern Tool."
Everyone that comes to our house comments on how cozy warm it is and are amazed with how long a piece or two of wood lasts. To me the fan makes the stove!
We waited until the last minute to decide we were putting in an insert (late september). After ordering them, the insert and face plate arrived together in about a week in very good condition. Installing the stove was very easy; I cut schedule 40 pvc pipe (4 pieces) and rolled the crated insert into the house on them. Three of us lifted it into the fireplace and I rolled it into exact position on 1/4" steel rods.
On our first firing, the fan did take about an hour to kick on. Now, in the morning the firebox is usually about 150*F and it takes no more than 15-20 minutes for it to kick on again (if) it is off.
We are very happy with the performance of this insert. Having it cost around $1,000 (instead of $3,000) and getting it a week after we ordered it is just amazing. I can still say that I am very pleased with everything I have ordered from Northern Tool."
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