Great review! I'm sure everyone can appreciate the time you invested in this . We are looking at the 2450 and couldn't ask for a better review! Very grateful, thanks
been using my 2400 for about 10 years now, and it performs well. The optional electric blower slides into the base, and at high fan speed, it can rattle. Shimmed it with a wafer of firewood to fix this. The interior firebreak is very easy to replace, and the two baffles can be easily removed when sweeping the chimney. Emmanuel says that you have to remove the air tubes to do this, but I find that's not necessary. Good, durable unit.
I’ve had mine for decades now in 3rd house absolutely love it. This is and has been my primary source of heat and I live in the northern Poconos today it’s 3 degrees outside and about 75 inside the house no other heat source house is about 2000 sq ft
Just had a i2100 put in, the older version of this and restored it. I love it although its a a little small for the space. Went in for backup heat or if I just want a fire. More of a wood heat enthusiast then a 24/7er. Still love it. Thing is a beast.
We have had the I-2450 for 10 months, and, it is really worth it. I have a 2200 ft house, and it will heat the house - if it is super cold the furnace will occasionally kick in in the early morning. The blower is a MUST. We also occasionally use the house fan which helps to circulate air on really cold days, but, a ceiling fan will do the trick as well. We thought we would miss the ambiance of the open fire; however, I like this even better as the rolling of the flames during the secondary burn is equally nice as the smoke and gasses dancing on the logs are very nice! The glass can be cleaned by wetting a paper towel (cold glass) and dipping a corner in the ash - it will remove any really stubborn haze on the glass. Then, wipe again with another clean wetted paper towel. No chemicals are needed, just a "finger" of cold ash. Make sure the glass is COOL to cold! My only issue has been a "low frequency whistling" when at half/quarter air intake. It usually goes away after 10/15 minutes, but if you restock the firebox, it will come back. Overall, this thing is awesome. Have a qualified chimney sweep install this, especially if you have an older chimney - they will put the liner in. Good video. If you have experienced/found a solution to the whistling, please post. BTW, when we have lost power to the furnace, etc, the blower on low takes 30w and high 60w, so, the small portable battery packs, like a Jackery, can actually power the blower. GOD Bless
I had the whistling too. When the stove is warm it stops. There is also a solution I implemented that I learned on hearth.com; if you search this issue in their forums, you will find it is common. It turns out there is a minimum air inlet that whistles like blowing across a bottle top when conditions are right. To address it, you just need to disrupt the airflow a little around the inlet hole. To access the inlet, remove the blower (see my video about that), and the inlet hole is about the size of a pencil on the right side, opposite the air control rod. I covered the hole with metal tape, and then punched it out so that it is open and air can flow through unimpeded. The rough tape edges adjust the air flow just enough to stop the whistling. You can also find posts on hearth.com where folks have covered the hole with a magnet. I do not recommend that as it will void warranty as it is a modification of the designed function of the stove. I don't see any issue with using tape (or a donut shape magnet) around the hole as air will still be able to enter as designed.
Get a blower. You will love this model. A wood burning insert is the way to go. We love ours. Never be without an insert again. Heats our house just fine.
I got a 4 cu.ft box on my buck 94nc with secondary burn. It required 8” liner and fit like a glove. I can put a 22-24 in. Log in it. The box takes a lot of wood and has a beautiful view. So far so good. It’s the second buck stove I’ve owned with the first one being about 45 years old and not very efficient.
I love wood burning fireplaces. I heath home with a regency ci2600. I always cut, split. And stack my own firewood. Every year i say I’m going to buy wood next time, then i look at firewood prices and just eve up processing my own. I love my stove.
I believe normal stoves is the best. Because usually you have 2 meters of single walled pipe in the room, heating the room. There are versions with water heating with pump. And then you can build an isolated chimney with air intake and out to heat your upper floors
I have a regency too, a bit smaller. My opinion is because of that shield that surrounds the stove and closes the gaps around the fireplace, it keeps the heat in there, without the blower, you don't get a lot of the heat at all. An insert won't heat all the brick or surrounding stone even, the blower moves that heat out of the fireplace area. I think the only way to really get heat without the blower is with an open door and a screen, just my opinion. I have not bought a screen yet to try that out. I have a stand alone in the basement for when power goes out.
Personally, I would not burn with the door open and a screen unless the screen was an accessory that the manufacturer offered for the model. Even then, I don't think I'd ever use it and I don't know that it would provide any benefit with respect to heat. With the door open, you lose draft control as air enters through the door rather than the design pathways for primary and secondary combustion air. As a result, it wouldn't be a clean or controllable burn like it is with the door closed. With an insert, the farther into the room it comes, the more warm metal surface there is for heat. There is also more natural convection on these units than you might think. Nothing like what the blower does, but you still get some heat circulation. When I burn 24/7, the bricks and hearth of the fireplace do get a little warm. It takes a long time for that though, so you wouldn't benefit from it if lighting the fire once the power goes out.
@@ProductiveRecreation I understand all of that and I would not burn with a screen either unless it was a dire situation where you needed to keep from freezing. I recognize none of the benefits of how inserts work are activated but again, that's kind of my point, burning without the blower is useless mostly, if you needed a fire indoors to stay alive it works and there are no immediate safety concerns as long as the screen is designed for the stove of which they are available. "don't know that it would provide any benefit with respect to heat", of course it would and does, I have used them on my old stand alone, it's basically just a fireplace.
Thanks for the insightful review. My wife and I are considering a fireplace insert for heating especially for power outages in winter. You mention the necessity of the blower option; could you comment on how effective the unit heats an area without it?
Mileage will vary without a blower depending on the home and the setup. This insert is right next to the staircase, so the heat just rises straight upstairs without the blower. With the blower, it circulates through the room and around the house. Essentially, without the blower you heat the room, with it, you heat more of the house. The blower doesn't take much power to run. We have a generator that we use in longer power outages, but barring that, a battery unit like this could give the blower some runtime in an outage: www.amazon.com/Powkey-Portable-42000Mah-External-Smartphones/dp/B0713XJBG2 I can't comment on how well this works though, as I do not own one and have never used one.
You mentioned an insert for heat for power outages. I made 6 great choices in life. 1. Divorced my 2 ex wives 2. Purchased a home on a large wooded lot 3. Installed a Regency for back up heat 4. Installed a Generac whole house generator for back up power 5. ordered a 2nd 500 gallon propane tank for back up propane on my Generac and furnace 6. Married an older southern woman with old values who had a hysterectomy (kids grown), who loves my Regency, my Generac my wooded lot, loves to cook and loves my wood, 😆
Please note, a power outage, and your Regency (blower) will not work. Although you will have plenty of localized heat, it may be more difficult to heat far back bedrooms, around corners, etc. I also run my furnace fan on, (lower voltage) and it helps circulate the heat throughout the house. Cheers!
Consider an Ecofan. Runs on the heat generated by the stove. The hotter the stove gets, the faster the fan spins. They last for years. They're anywhere from $70-$100 depending where you get it.
Thank you for making this video, it was very helpful. We moved into our home three years ago and haven't used our firebox. I had a nice seasoned cord of wood delivered, and had a couple of questions. I've used open fireplaces and gas inserts, not a firebox since I was a kid. The chimney is in really good shape w/ a newer looking chimney cap. Our firebox is a little bit older Regency with a brass outline around the door. The gasket looks good around the door, and the air control valve on the left pulls out and goes back in smoothly. Is there anything else that I should do before starting a fire, I'm assuming the Regency firebox inserts don't have a flue that I would open and close between use and the air control to the left, and the door would prevent any cold air, etc. from coming back into the home? Thank you for your time.
@@Serge0329 It's a non-catalytic stove, so it only has a single air control for controlling the flow of air into and through the stove. Venting is through a 6" diameter stainless steel chimney liner from the outlet on the unit all the way up. There is no bypass damper like there is for a catalytic unit. Smoke burns due to high temperatures and the introduction of superheated air via the secondary air tubes in the top of the firebox.
Leaving the door closed and the air control on the unit shut down will prevent warm air from escaping up the chimney, even when the fire isn't burning. Up is generally the direction of airflow, rather than the other way around. These units vent like a wood stove, not like a fireplace - in fact, this is basically a wood stove that sits on the floor of the fireplace rather than legs or a pedestal. They perform best with a 6" stainless steel chimney liner (pipe) from the unit, running the full height of the chimney. There is no "back-puff" of smoke unless the draft is insufficient. I've never had an issue. Regarding using your unit, if it hasn't been fired in years, I highly recommend having the flue checked by a qualified chimney sweep to ensure everything is clear and ready to go. They will be able to confirm how the unit is vented too. These can be installed to vent into a larger clay tile liner, but draft performance tends to suffer in that case.
I have an 1800 sq ft raised ranch. Fireplace in the basement level and that’s where I plan to spend the most time, what size stove do I choose that won’t get the lower level too hot to be comfortable? Heating the entire house is not priority but would like to be able to
Great video, would you be concerned mounting a TV above this unit? Is there a lot of heat put off from the top plate? Our current setup has a mantle and tv above the fireplace.
You need to meet all clearances to combustibles. Regency has relatively tight clearances to combustibles because the insert is basically a steel firebox inside of another steel box convection chamber. That being said, heat rises so the warm spot in the room will be above the unit. A TV should be OK if all clearances are met. I'm not sure how the life of the TV may be impacted by warmer temperatures.
Hi, did you use block off plate and/or insulated liner? What is your chimney height? Seemed to get good burns with 2450? Would you purchase again? I kind of like the simplicity of non cat but the versatility of cat seems nice too. Thanks.
@@daviddelahanty5088 It’s an insulated 6” stainless steel liner all the way up, about 20ft from the top of the unit to chimney top. A non-catalytic Regency I would buy again. We now have the i1500 Cascades series insert in our current house, which is smaller and uses hybrid non-catalytic/catalytic technology, and I would not buy that again. I have several videos on it. The only perk to it is getting the tax credit. There is really no comparison with the Regency hybrid to the quality and performance of the hybrid non-catalytic/catalytic system in my freestanding Woodstock Soapstone Ideal Steel stove. I made a video about some of the design and performance differences between them as well. Hybrid stoves aren’t all created equal… Pure catalytic is a little bit of a different design. If you go the hybrid or catalytic route, just make sure you are comfortable with access and how to service the catalytic combustor, and you might want to find out how much a new combustor costs because they don’t last forever! The non-catalytic units are definitely less maintenance, but a little less efficient.
Thanks, I live in the northeast and it seems these installers all say you don’t need insulated liner or block off plate on top of unit. So trying to find an installer to accommodate. My wife likes the Lopi next gen flush mount which is now hybrid but not sure if that has a similar design to i2500 where it is just installed to meet the epa rebate standard. The 2450 just seems to be a beast.
@@daviddelahanty5088 It may not be required by fire code, but stainless liners have been the standard for many years now. A Regency dealer would probably quote you a liner kit with the insert by default. Good dealers do installs too, although my chimney company is unimpressed with the installs from one of our local stove dealers… I’m not impressed with Lopi. Before the Regency there was a Lopi Answer insert in the fireplace when we moved in. It was junk. The door latch was chinsy, and no matter what I did with the door gasket and latch adjustment, I couldn’t get the door to seal. It was warped or something. Perhaps that was from prior user error before we bought the house, but the door latch was just a cheap junk system from the manufacturer. The Regency door latch is like 3x as stout as the Lopi was. It was one of the big selling points for me. Lopi has since redesigned the Answer and all their stoves for the 2020 emissions requirement, so maybe they’re better now… but I’m wary of them given that experience.
I was leaning regency with the non cat, based on your burns you were getting 6-8 hours which to me seems great. Plus it’s a cheaper install. I just got an all in quote on Lopi large flush for 10k. Regency will be around 6k. Your points pushed me over the top. Thanks.
Thanks for this. Question about the blower. Does it circulate air around the entire unit (ie, between the back of the unit and the fireplace opening itself and back out) or does it have closed air channels as part of the unit that circulates the air around the stove and into the room in a self-contained way?
Self contained. The insert firebox has an enclosed convection chamber all around it. Air is blown in the bottom, goes up around the back and comes out the top above the door.
I have this insert in its previous generation. It simply doesn’t heat the room let alone the house. I have to leave the damper all the way open for the fire not to go out. The air that comes out of the blower is lukewarm, certainly not hot. Can you think of a reason why this insert heats so poorly? Could it be installed incorrectly, be wrong for my house, or could something be wrong with the blower? I’ve had it for about 15 years and I’m ready to throw it out!
During a typical burn the blower should blow air that feels like the warm air from a hair dryer. The blower air temperature will cool down as the stove cools over the burn cycle. With respect to the fire, you should see better performance than it sounds like you are getting. Usually poor performance is due to poor draft in the chimney, or wet firewood. Is your chimney lined with a 6-inch diameter stainless steel pipe from the unit all the way to the top? If not, that would help increase draft. With wet (green) wood, the fire has to heat and evaporate the moisture, which takes energy away from heating the house. Firewood should have 20% moisture or less. In general, I cut my wood and let it dry for at least a year before burning it.
Hi great video, I’m looking in ironstrike 230 Montlake or the regency 2450. This video is helpful. Did you consider the 2500 version for rebate purposes and cat option. Just wondering if noncat will burn to hot fora single room and to short of a burn vs lower temp and longer. I have a colonial style house with fireplace on one end…having said all that I don’t think I’ll burn24/7 maybe3-4 days a week.
The i2400 was purchased in 2018. It is a pre-2020 emissions certified unit. the 2450 and 2500 hadn't come out yet. That being said, the i2450 is basically the same thing as the i2400. The i2500 has the catalyst. There is a guy on UA-cam with some videos on the i2500. I'm in a different house now and have the Regency i1500 hybrid in a 15x15 room. It can make that room too hot. Check out my videos on that unit. It seems to me like the Regency hybrids run like non-catalytic stoves with a catalyst to scrub some emissions.
@@ProductiveRecreation thanks for the response. Would you get the i2400/2450 again? Trying to decide between that, Kuma cascade(hybrid) or blaze king princess (catalytic). I like ease of non cat though my concern is the heat being to concentrated in the main room where fireplace is and not dissipating to other rooms. I have a colonial style house with compartmented rooms. Fire place on one side of house.
@@daved1658 Absolutely. The i2400 was/is a great unit. We got the i1500 for our new house because of clearances and the fact that it is secondary to a large wood stove. I’d rather have the bigger insert for burn times. The i1500 easily makes a 15’x15’ room with 30” wide doorways on opposite corners 76F when it’s in the 20s outside. With a stove in a small room you need to circulate air in the house to move heat. Having a blower on the unit is step 1.
Do you remember the size logs this can take or the firebox size NS vs EW? I know it’s advertised as taking an 18” log but I’d love to hear it from an owner not a brochure
The firebox is 18”x18”. You can just get an 18” log in there front to back or side to side. 16”-17” long is optimum. If you load above the inside bottom lip of the firebox at the door you could get about a 19” piece in front to back, but it would be right up at the glass.
I actually wanted a Regency 2400 insert. Unfortunately the "HELP" I received from their agents was so underwhelming I decided to order a Drolet from My Fireplace Products in ontario. Free shipping, half the price and better advice.
Just received my drolet 1500i insert. Beautiful unit. $2600 Canadian all inclusive of everything I need to install it including blower, flue liner, and cap. Contrast this to the $8,000 Regency 2400 I was quoted.
Yes I would if it fit the fireplace and space. Right now I might be tempted to get the i2500 hybrid catalytic insert instead because of the 26% tax credit for units with greater than 75% efficiency. 30’ flue is tall, but the insert will restrict/control the air flow. Talk to the dealer or a chimney pro about it. You could get the draft measured if it really concerns you.
@@ProductiveRecreation that’s funny u say that, I’ve been trying to find more info on the 2500 to see how people like it. It’s taking me months but I think I’m bn the 2450 and 2500
@@jon3296 I think the i2500 is basically the i2450 with a catalytic combustor (and associated mechanisms) installed by the flue exit. I think if the combustor failed (or was in bypass mode), the i2500 would perform very much like the i2450. My only concern with the design and placement of the combustor is heat from the combustor stressing the flue exit and pipe. I'm more used to combustors being in their own chamber, not right up at the flue exit. On the other hand, the combustor could slow the draft and the burn rate in the firebox, increasing burn time and possibly reducing firebox temps compared to pure secondary combustion.
@@ProductiveRecreation I just got a great deal on a 2500 and ordered it this morning so hopefully it’s at least as good as the 2450. The tax credit made me do it, plus the nerd in me is excited to play with a catalyst and see what kind of performance I can get
First consider the space and what you want (small vs. large, ambiance vs. significant heater). Then take measurements of the height, width, depth, and taper of the fireplace, height from hearth to mantle, and distances to combustible facing or trim at the sides. From there, look for inserts with dimensions that fit the fireplace AND meet clearances to combustibles. Lopi, Regency, and Pacific Energy are top wood insert brands. You can check them out online, or find a local dealer. A reputable dealer will also help you select the right insert for your fireplace and goals.
Have your insert professionally installed, a must. There are many things about installation that you need to know that only a professional installer can spot and fix. Safety is a must. Professional installation. Get your chimney cleaned once per year. Have professionals explain the kind of ash/creosote built up in your flue and why. You need to know color, and consistency of flue debri.
Get a blower. Use tools for inside hot box. Never use any kind of gloves to handle burning logs. Putting in logs is fine with gloves, but not hot burning logs. Get gloves that go up your arms. Get quality gloves. They are only $20.
@@andreiklimov6044 Many factors can influence the performance of a wood burning stove or insert. Two big ones include the strength of the draft through the flue and the type and moisture content of the wood. Aside from that, the Regency wouldn't heat the whole house without the blower - moving the air is a must for distributing the heat. The level of insulation in the home will also make a big difference in how well a unit heats the space. We lived in a poorly insulated old house when I was a kid and the free standing wood stove would be 600F + and you could feel cold in the far corner of the room.
4.5-5.5 full cords of mixed hardwood per season, going 24/7 from sometime in November until sometime in April, with overnight and cool day fires from late September until mid-to-late May. My rule of thumb for 24/7 burning in a medium to large stove is 1/4 cord per week.
@@kaskadesmoney It sounds like a lot of wood, but it’s almost fully heating the house all winter. The BTUs need to come from somewhere, so if not the wood, then oil or gas.
@@kaskadesmoney That house is a 2000 sq. ft, 3 bedroom cape with dormer on the back. Central chimney, fireplace in the living room next to the staircase. Downstairs rooms were all connected so you could walk a loop around the central chimney and stairs.
A catalytic stove uses a catalytic combustor (like the catalytic converter in a car) to facilitate a combustion reaction of exhaust gases from the fire, thus cleaning the emissions. Non-catalytic stoves inject hot combustion air into the top of the firebox, where high temperatures ignite combustion gases (smoke) and burn them for cleaner emissions. This is known as secondary combustion (primary combustion is the flame on the wood). Higher temperatures are required to ignite the smoke without a catalyst, and efficiency is slightly less. In catalytic units, the catalyst eventually wears out and is a replaceable component. There are also hybrid stoves that combine catalytic and non-catalytic technologies for high efficiency and clean burning. There are some other videos out there about this, but perhaps it is a good topic for a future video.
We bought it during a Regency promotional sale in 2018. The insert, blower and installation came in around $3000. That does not include a chimney liner, as the unit we replaced had a nearly new 6" stainless steel liner that did not need to be replaced. I would guess with a new liner the total would have been closer to $6,000. I'm not sure where prices are today with steel and the supply chain issues, but certainly higher!
Great review!
I'm sure everyone can appreciate the time you invested in this . We are looking at the 2450 and couldn't ask for a better review!
Very grateful, thanks
been using my 2400 for about 10 years now, and it performs well. The optional electric blower slides into the base, and at high fan speed, it can rattle. Shimmed it with a wafer of firewood to fix this. The interior firebreak is very easy to replace, and the two baffles can be easily removed when sweeping the chimney. Emmanuel says that you have to remove the air tubes to do this, but I find that's not necessary. Good, durable unit.
I’ve had mine for decades now in 3rd house absolutely love it. This is and has been my primary source of heat and I live in the northern Poconos today it’s 3 degrees outside and about 75 inside the house no other heat source house is about 2000 sq ft
Excellent Video.
You did your homework and you are organized and Well Spoken.
Respect.
Just had a i2100 put in, the older version of this and restored it. I love it although its a a little small for the space. Went in for backup heat or if I just want a fire. More of a wood heat enthusiast then a 24/7er. Still love it. Thing is a beast.
We have had the I-2450 for 10 months, and, it is really worth it. I have a 2200 ft house, and it will heat the house - if it is super cold the furnace will occasionally kick in in the early morning. The blower is a MUST. We also occasionally use the house fan which helps to circulate air on really cold days, but, a ceiling fan will do the trick as well.
We thought we would miss the ambiance of the open fire; however, I like this even better as the rolling of the flames during the secondary burn is equally nice as the smoke and gasses dancing on the logs are very nice!
The glass can be cleaned by wetting a paper towel (cold glass) and dipping a corner in the ash - it will remove any really stubborn haze on the glass. Then, wipe again with another clean wetted paper towel. No chemicals are needed, just a "finger" of cold ash. Make sure the glass is COOL to cold!
My only issue has been a "low frequency whistling" when at half/quarter air intake. It usually goes away after 10/15 minutes, but if you restock the firebox, it will come back.
Overall, this thing is awesome. Have a qualified chimney sweep install this, especially if you have an older chimney - they will put the liner in. Good video. If you have experienced/found a solution to the whistling, please post. BTW, when we have lost power to the furnace, etc, the blower on low takes 30w and high 60w, so, the small portable battery packs, like a Jackery, can actually power the blower. GOD Bless
I had the whistling too. When the stove is warm it stops. There is also a solution I implemented that I learned on hearth.com; if you search this issue in their forums, you will find it is common. It turns out there is a minimum air inlet that whistles like blowing across a bottle top when conditions are right. To address it, you just need to disrupt the airflow a little around the inlet hole. To access the inlet, remove the blower (see my video about that), and the inlet hole is about the size of a pencil on the right side, opposite the air control rod. I covered the hole with metal tape, and then punched it out so that it is open and air can flow through unimpeded. The rough tape edges adjust the air flow just enough to stop the whistling. You can also find posts on hearth.com where folks have covered the hole with a magnet. I do not recommend that as it will void warranty as it is a modification of the designed function of the stove. I don't see any issue with using tape (or a donut shape magnet) around the hole as air will still be able to enter as designed.
Get a blower. You will love this model. A wood burning insert is the way to go. We love ours. Never be without an insert again. Heats our house just fine.
This was such a helpful video at understanding this unit. I am so excited about our consultation. Thanks!
I got a 4 cu.ft box on my buck 94nc with secondary burn. It required 8” liner and fit like a glove. I can put a 22-24 in. Log in it. The box takes a lot of wood and has a beautiful view. So far so good. It’s the second buck stove I’ve owned with the first one being about 45 years old and not very efficient.
I love wood burning fireplaces. I heath home with a regency ci2600. I always cut, split. And stack my own firewood. Every year i say I’m going to buy wood next time, then i look at firewood prices and just eve up processing my own. I love my stove.
I mounted my thermometer in the center of the door, just above the glass. Really like this insert. It throws a lot of heat with the blower.
Thank you. Bot a farm and they chose last minute to leave the wood burning stove. I have needed to learn to use and save on the propane.
THANK YOU! I'm buying a I 2450 M soon.
I’m glad you found it helpful. Enjoy the new insert when you get it!
I believe normal stoves is the best. Because usually you have 2 meters of single walled pipe in the room, heating the room. There are versions with water heating with pump. And then you can build an isolated chimney with air intake and out to heat your upper floors
I have a regency too, a bit smaller. My opinion is because of that shield that surrounds the stove and closes the gaps around the fireplace, it keeps the heat in there, without the blower, you don't get a lot of the heat at all. An insert won't heat all the brick or surrounding stone even, the blower moves that heat out of the fireplace area.
I think the only way to really get heat without the blower is with an open door and a screen, just my opinion. I have not bought a screen yet to try that out.
I have a stand alone in the basement for when power goes out.
Personally, I would not burn with the door open and a screen unless the screen was an accessory that the manufacturer offered for the model. Even then, I don't think I'd ever use it and I don't know that it would provide any benefit with respect to heat. With the door open, you lose draft control as air enters through the door rather than the design pathways for primary and secondary combustion air. As a result, it wouldn't be a clean or controllable burn like it is with the door closed. With an insert, the farther into the room it comes, the more warm metal surface there is for heat. There is also more natural convection on these units than you might think. Nothing like what the blower does, but you still get some heat circulation. When I burn 24/7, the bricks and hearth of the fireplace do get a little warm. It takes a long time for that though, so you wouldn't benefit from it if lighting the fire once the power goes out.
@@ProductiveRecreation I understand all of that and I would not burn with a screen either unless it was a dire situation where you needed to keep from freezing. I recognize none of the benefits of how inserts work are activated but again, that's kind of my point, burning without the blower is useless mostly, if you needed a fire indoors to stay alive it works and there are no immediate safety concerns as long as the screen is designed for the stove of which they are available.
"don't know that it would provide any benefit with respect to heat", of course it would and does, I have used them on my old stand alone, it's basically just a fireplace.
Great review! Thanks.
Thanks for the insightful review. My wife and I are considering a fireplace insert for heating especially for power outages in winter. You mention the necessity of the blower option; could you comment on how effective the unit heats an area without it?
Mileage will vary without a blower depending on the home and the setup. This insert is right next to the staircase, so the heat just rises straight upstairs without the blower. With the blower, it circulates through the room and around the house. Essentially, without the blower you heat the room, with it, you heat more of the house. The blower doesn't take much power to run. We have a generator that we use in longer power outages, but barring that, a battery unit like this could give the blower some runtime in an outage: www.amazon.com/Powkey-Portable-42000Mah-External-Smartphones/dp/B0713XJBG2 I can't comment on how well this works though, as I do not own one and have never used one.
Get a blower
You mentioned an insert for heat for power outages. I made 6 great choices in life. 1. Divorced my 2 ex wives 2. Purchased a home on a large wooded lot 3. Installed a Regency for back up heat 4. Installed a Generac whole house generator for back up power 5. ordered a 2nd 500 gallon propane tank for back up propane on my Generac and furnace 6. Married an older southern woman with old values who had a hysterectomy (kids grown), who loves my Regency, my Generac my wooded lot, loves to cook and loves my wood, 😆
Please note, a power outage, and your Regency (blower) will not work. Although you will have plenty of localized heat, it may be more difficult to heat far back bedrooms, around corners, etc. I also run my furnace fan on, (lower voltage) and it helps circulate the heat throughout the house. Cheers!
Consider an Ecofan. Runs on the heat generated by the stove. The hotter the stove gets, the faster the fan spins. They last for years. They're anywhere from $70-$100 depending where you get it.
Thank you for making this video, it was very helpful. We moved into our home three years ago and haven't used our firebox. I had a nice seasoned cord of wood delivered, and had a couple of questions. I've used open fireplaces and gas inserts, not a firebox since I was a kid. The chimney is in really good shape w/ a newer looking chimney cap. Our firebox is a little bit older Regency with a brass outline around the door. The gasket looks good around the door, and the air control valve on the left pulls out and goes back in smoothly. Is there anything else that I should do before starting a fire, I'm assuming the Regency firebox inserts don't have a flue that I would open and close between use and the air control to the left, and the door would prevent any cold air, etc. from coming back into the home? Thank you for your time.
wanted to ask the same thing, no damper on this unit?
@@Serge0329 It's a non-catalytic stove, so it only has a single air control for controlling the flow of air into and through the stove. Venting is through a 6" diameter stainless steel chimney liner from the outlet on the unit all the way up. There is no bypass damper like there is for a catalytic unit. Smoke burns due to high temperatures and the introduction of superheated air via the secondary air tubes in the top of the firebox.
Leaving the door closed and the air control on the unit shut down will prevent warm air from escaping up the chimney, even when the fire isn't burning. Up is generally the direction of airflow, rather than the other way around. These units vent like a wood stove, not like a fireplace - in fact, this is basically a wood stove that sits on the floor of the fireplace rather than legs or a pedestal. They perform best with a 6" stainless steel chimney liner (pipe) from the unit, running the full height of the chimney. There is no "back-puff" of smoke unless the draft is insufficient. I've never had an issue. Regarding using your unit, if it hasn't been fired in years, I highly recommend having the flue checked by a qualified chimney sweep to ensure everything is clear and ready to go. They will be able to confirm how the unit is vented too. These can be installed to vent into a larger clay tile liner, but draft performance tends to suffer in that case.
Thank you for the response, will do on the sweep, I'd meant damper, not flue, apologies for the mix up and thanks again for your time
I have an 1800 sq ft raised ranch. Fireplace in the basement level and that’s where I plan to spend the most time, what size stove do I choose that won’t get the lower level too hot to be comfortable? Heating the entire house is not priority but would like to be able to
@@ALEXdaG ua-cam.com/video/uK6zD_0RC0Y/v-deo.htmlsi=_n6IX0z5ih-bdpLY.
At least a medium size stove or insert, unless it’s going in a small room.
Great video, would you be concerned mounting a TV above this unit? Is there a lot of heat put off from the top plate? Our current setup has a mantle and tv above the fireplace.
You need to meet all clearances to combustibles. Regency has relatively tight clearances to combustibles because the insert is basically a steel firebox inside of another steel box convection chamber. That being said, heat rises so the warm spot in the room will be above the unit. A TV should be OK if all clearances are met. I'm not sure how the life of the TV may be impacted by warmer temperatures.
How difficult to change gasket ropes?
Easy, it’s just the door. Pull out the old, scrape away remaining cement, apply new cement and push in new gasket.
Hi, did you use block off plate and/or insulated liner? What is your chimney height? Seemed to get good burns with 2450? Would you purchase again? I kind of like the simplicity of non cat but the versatility of cat seems nice too. Thanks.
@@daviddelahanty5088 It’s an insulated 6” stainless steel liner all the way up, about 20ft from the top of the unit to chimney top. A non-catalytic Regency I would buy again. We now have the i1500 Cascades series insert in our current house, which is smaller and uses hybrid non-catalytic/catalytic technology, and I would not buy that again. I have several videos on it. The only perk to it is getting the tax credit. There is really no comparison with the Regency hybrid to the quality and performance of the hybrid non-catalytic/catalytic system in my freestanding Woodstock Soapstone Ideal Steel stove. I made a video about some of the design and performance differences between them as well. Hybrid stoves aren’t all created equal… Pure catalytic is a little bit of a different design. If you go the hybrid or catalytic route, just make sure you are comfortable with access and how to service the catalytic combustor, and you might want to find out how much a new combustor costs because they don’t last forever! The non-catalytic units are definitely less maintenance, but a little less efficient.
Thanks, I live in the northeast and it seems these installers all say you don’t need insulated liner or block off plate on top of unit. So trying to find an installer to accommodate. My wife likes the Lopi next gen flush mount which is now hybrid but not sure if that has a similar design to i2500 where it is just installed to meet the epa rebate standard. The 2450 just seems to be a beast.
@@daviddelahanty5088 It may not be required by fire code, but stainless liners have been the standard for many years now. A Regency dealer would probably quote you a liner kit with the insert by default. Good dealers do installs too, although my chimney company is unimpressed with the installs from one of our local stove dealers… I’m not impressed with Lopi. Before the Regency there was a Lopi Answer insert in the fireplace when we moved in. It was junk. The door latch was chinsy, and no matter what I did with the door gasket and latch adjustment, I couldn’t get the door to seal. It was warped or something. Perhaps that was from prior user error before we bought the house, but the door latch was just a cheap junk system from the manufacturer. The Regency door latch is like 3x as stout as the Lopi was. It was one of the big selling points for me. Lopi has since redesigned the Answer and all their stoves for the 2020 emissions requirement, so maybe they’re better now… but I’m wary of them given that experience.
I was leaning regency with the non cat, based on your burns you were getting 6-8 hours which to me seems great. Plus it’s a cheaper install. I just got an all in quote on Lopi large flush for 10k. Regency will be around 6k. Your points pushed me over the top. Thanks.
Thanks for this. Question about the blower. Does it circulate air around the entire unit (ie, between the back of the unit and the fireplace opening itself and back out) or does it have closed air channels as part of the unit that circulates the air around the stove and into the room in a self-contained way?
Self contained. The insert firebox has an enclosed convection chamber all around it. Air is blown in the bottom, goes up around the back and comes out the top above the door.
I have this insert in its previous generation. It simply doesn’t heat the room let alone the house. I have to leave the damper all the way open for the fire not to go out. The air that comes out of the blower is lukewarm, certainly not hot. Can you think of a reason why this insert heats so poorly? Could it be installed incorrectly, be wrong for my house, or could something be wrong with the blower? I’ve had it for about 15 years and I’m ready to throw it out!
During a typical burn the blower should blow air that feels like the warm air from a hair dryer. The blower air temperature will cool down as the stove cools over the burn cycle. With respect to the fire, you should see better performance than it sounds like you are getting. Usually poor performance is due to poor draft in the chimney, or wet firewood. Is your chimney lined with a 6-inch diameter stainless steel pipe from the unit all the way to the top? If not, that would help increase draft. With wet (green) wood, the fire has to heat and evaporate the moisture, which takes energy away from heating the house. Firewood should have 20% moisture or less. In general, I cut my wood and let it dry for at least a year before burning it.
Hi great video, I’m looking in ironstrike 230 Montlake or the regency 2450. This video is helpful. Did you consider the 2500 version for rebate purposes and cat option. Just wondering if noncat will burn to hot fora single room and to short of a burn vs lower temp and longer. I have a colonial style house with fireplace on one end…having said all that I don’t think I’ll burn24/7 maybe3-4 days a week.
The i2400 was purchased in 2018. It is a pre-2020 emissions certified unit. the 2450 and 2500 hadn't come out yet. That being said, the i2450 is basically the same thing as the i2400. The i2500 has the catalyst. There is a guy on UA-cam with some videos on the i2500. I'm in a different house now and have the Regency i1500 hybrid in a 15x15 room. It can make that room too hot. Check out my videos on that unit. It seems to me like the Regency hybrids run like non-catalytic stoves with a catalyst to scrub some emissions.
@@ProductiveRecreation thanks for the response. Would you get the i2400/2450 again? Trying to decide between that, Kuma cascade(hybrid) or blaze king princess (catalytic). I like ease of non cat though my concern is the heat being to concentrated in the main room where fireplace is and not dissipating to other rooms. I have a colonial style house with compartmented rooms. Fire place on one side of house.
@@daved1658 Absolutely. The i2400 was/is a great unit. We got the i1500 for our new house because of clearances and the fact that it is secondary to a large wood stove. I’d rather have the bigger insert for burn times. The i1500 easily makes a 15’x15’ room with 30” wide doorways on opposite corners 76F when it’s in the 20s outside. With a stove in a small room you need to circulate air in the house to move heat. Having a blower on the unit is step 1.
Do you remember the size logs this can take or the firebox size NS vs EW? I know it’s advertised as taking an 18” log but I’d love to hear it from an owner not a brochure
The firebox is 18”x18”. You can just get an 18” log in there front to back or side to side. 16”-17” long is optimum. If you load above the inside bottom lip of the firebox at the door you could get about a 19” piece in front to back, but it would be right up at the glass.
I actually wanted a Regency 2400 insert. Unfortunately the "HELP" I received from their agents was so underwhelming I decided to order a Drolet from My Fireplace Products in ontario. Free shipping, half the price and better advice.
Just received my drolet 1500i insert. Beautiful unit. $2600 Canadian all inclusive of everything I need to install it including blower, flue liner, and cap. Contrast this to the $8,000 Regency 2400 I was quoted.
Air tube glowing is NOT an overfire.
Tried and true unit.
Would you get this insert again if u were to need another one? I have a good offer on a i2450, but I’m concerned with my 30’ liner it might overdraft
Yes I would if it fit the fireplace and space. Right now I might be tempted to get the i2500 hybrid catalytic insert instead because of the 26% tax credit for units with greater than 75% efficiency. 30’ flue is tall, but the insert will restrict/control the air flow. Talk to the dealer or a chimney pro about it. You could get the draft measured if it really concerns you.
@@ProductiveRecreation that’s funny u say that, I’ve been trying to find more info on the 2500 to see how people like it. It’s taking me months but I think I’m bn the 2450 and 2500
@@jon3296 I think the i2500 is basically the i2450 with a catalytic combustor (and associated mechanisms) installed by the flue exit. I think if the combustor failed (or was in bypass mode), the i2500 would perform very much like the i2450. My only concern with the design and placement of the combustor is heat from the combustor stressing the flue exit and pipe. I'm more used to combustors being in their own chamber, not right up at the flue exit. On the other hand, the combustor could slow the draft and the burn rate in the firebox, increasing burn time and possibly reducing firebox temps compared to pure secondary combustion.
@@ProductiveRecreation I just got a great deal on a 2500 and ordered it this morning so hopefully it’s at least as good as the 2450. The tax credit made me do it, plus the nerd in me is excited to play with a catalyst and see what kind of performance I can get
@@jon3296 Congrats on the insert purchase! I hope you enjoy it.
Thank you 😎
I'm shopping for a wood burning insert.
Further advice anyone?
First consider the space and what you want (small vs. large, ambiance vs. significant heater). Then take measurements of the height, width, depth, and taper of the fireplace, height from hearth to mantle, and distances to combustible facing or trim at the sides. From there, look for inserts with dimensions that fit the fireplace AND meet clearances to combustibles. Lopi, Regency, and Pacific Energy are top wood insert brands. You can check them out online, or find a local dealer. A reputable dealer will also help you select the right insert for your fireplace and goals.
@@ProductiveRecreation Thank you! I'm doing this now 👍
Have your insert professionally installed, a must. There are many things about installation that you need to know that only a professional installer can spot and fix. Safety is a must. Professional installation. Get your chimney cleaned once per year. Have professionals explain the kind of ash/creosote built up in your flue and why. You need to know color, and consistency of flue debri.
Get a blower. Use tools for inside hot box. Never use any kind of gloves to handle burning logs. Putting in logs is fine with gloves, but not hot burning logs. Get gloves that go up your arms. Get quality gloves. They are only $20.
@@trajan6927 thank you 👍
Wood stove insert is it for looks or is it real can heat the home?
Depending on the insert, both! This Regency heats a 2000 sq. ft house in NH by itself except for the coldest nights in Dec.-Feb.
I have one Osburn 2700 matrix. The oven is weak. I live in Massachusetts. I am so disappointed it can’t maintain the temperature.
@@andreiklimov6044 Many factors can influence the performance of a wood burning stove or insert. Two big ones include the strength of the draft through the flue and the type and moisture content of the wood. Aside from that, the Regency wouldn't heat the whole house without the blower - moving the air is a must for distributing the heat. The level of insulation in the home will also make a big difference in how well a unit heats the space. We lived in a poorly insulated old house when I was a kid and the free standing wood stove would be 600F + and you could feel cold in the far corner of the room.
How many cords of wood do you burn through per season?
4.5-5.5 full cords of mixed hardwood per season, going 24/7 from sometime in November until sometime in April, with overnight and cool day fires from late September until mid-to-late May. My rule of thumb for 24/7 burning in a medium to large stove is 1/4 cord per week.
@@ProductiveRecreation that's so crazy.
@@kaskadesmoney It sounds like a lot of wood, but it’s almost fully heating the house all winter. The BTUs need to come from somewhere, so if not the wood, then oil or gas.
What layout of home do you have? Ranch or Cape or Colonial??
@@kaskadesmoney That house is a 2000 sq. ft, 3 bedroom cape with dormer on the back. Central chimney, fireplace in the living room next to the staircase. Downstairs rooms were all connected so you could walk a loop around the central chimney and stairs.
Please excuse my innocence, but what is the difference between a catalytic and a none catalytic unit.
A catalytic stove uses a catalytic combustor (like the catalytic converter in a car) to facilitate a combustion reaction of exhaust gases from the fire, thus cleaning the emissions. Non-catalytic stoves inject hot combustion air into the top of the firebox, where high temperatures ignite combustion gases (smoke) and burn them for cleaner emissions. This is known as secondary combustion (primary combustion is the flame on the wood). Higher temperatures are required to ignite the smoke without a catalyst, and efficiency is slightly less. In catalytic units, the catalyst eventually wears out and is a replaceable component. There are also hybrid stoves that combine catalytic and non-catalytic technologies for high efficiency and clean burning. There are some other videos out there about this, but perhaps it is a good topic for a future video.
@@ProductiveRecreation you explained it so simply. thanks!
What was cost to this unit bud?
We bought it during a Regency promotional sale in 2018. The insert, blower and installation came in around $3000. That does not include a chimney liner, as the unit we replaced had a nearly new 6" stainless steel liner that did not need to be replaced. I would guess with a new liner the total would have been closer to $6,000. I'm not sure where prices are today with steel and the supply chain issues, but certainly higher!
@@ProductiveRecreation thank you sir 👍
@@ProductiveRecreation got quoted $5900 today with everything. I should have pulled the trigger two years ago.