Osburn 1700 Wood Burning Fireplace Insert
65,000 BTU/hr of wood heat from the masonry fireplace you already have. The Osburn 1700 is an EPA 2020 certified non-catalytic wood insert rated for 500 to 1,800 square feet at 76% optimum efficiency, with a 1.86 cu ft firebox for 16" logs, a 144 CFM blower already installed, a 21-1/2" x 27-1/2" x 12-7/8" minimum fireplace opening and a 6" flue outlet, from $2,789 for the insert alone — the door overlay and faceplate you choose above are required to complete it and are priced on top — and a limited lifetime warranty on the firebox welds and door frame.
Choose the 1700 if you have a working masonry fireplace that loses more heat than it gives and you want a real wood fire that heats a mid-size home — burns of up to 7 hours on 16" to 18" logs behind a closed ceramic-glass door, with the blower moving warm air into the room. It is the mid-size Osburn insert: a step up from the Matrix 1900 and a step down from the 2000, and it takes a smaller opening than the 2000.
It is not for a factory-built (prefab metal) fireplace — it goes only into a masonry fireplace and chimney built for wood, and that fireplace has to pass a Level II inspection first. It is not approved for a mobile or manufactured home or a bedroom, it cannot connect straight into the clay tile of a masonry chimney, and it needs a 6" stainless liner running all the way to the top of the chimney. In the United States it burns with the door closed, so if you want an open fire this is not the insert.
Specifications
The masonry fireplace opening must be at least 21-1/2" high, 27-1/2" wide and 12-7/8" deep (Osburn recommends at least 4" more width with a fresh air intake); the insert itself is 21-1/4" high, 27-1/8" wide and 22-3/8" deep. Keep 16" to an adjacent side wall, 9" to a combustible side surround, and 27" to a combustible top surround or mantel shelf. In the United States, floor protection reaches at least 16" in front of the insert when the masonry hearth is raised more than 4", or rates R 1.00 and reaches 22" when the hearth is raised 4" or less — see Table 1 on page 14 of the installation manual for the full footprint. Venting is a listed 6" stainless steel liner running from the insert to the top of the chimney, at least 12 ft of liner and 15 ft of total system height. The blower plugs into a 115 V outlet.
How the 1700 compares to the Osburn 2000 and Matrix 1900 inserts
The Osburn 2000 insert is the next size up — 75,000 BTU/hr, 500 to 2,100 sq ft and a 2.4 cu ft firebox for logs up to 20" — and needs a larger 23-3/8" x 28-7/8" x 15-3/4" opening; it starts from $3,129. The Matrix 1900 tapered insert is the smaller choice at 45,000 BTU/hr for 250 to 1,200 sq ft with a 1.1 cu ft firebox, from $3,239. The 1700 sits between them at 65,000 BTU/hr and 500 to 1,800 sq ft, from $2,789.
Features
- EPA 2020 certified non-catalytic wood insert — 65,000 BTU/hr maximum on dry cordwood, 76% optimum efficiency and 2.4 g/h particulates, rated for 500 to 1,800 sq ft
- 144 CFM blower already installed, with a variable-speed control and a heat sensor that starts and stops it on its own
- Fits a masonry fireplace opening as small as 21-1/2" high x 27-1/2" wide x 12-7/8" deep, with the faceplate extension already fitted and a regular or large faceplate to cover the opening
- 1.86 cu ft firebox that takes 16" logs east-west (18" maximum), for burns of up to 7 hours
- Cast-iron door frame with ceramic glass, finished with a black or brushed nickel door overlay and matching faceplate trim
Answers to common questions
What venting does the 1700 insert need, and is any of it included?
It needs a listed 6" stainless steel chimney liner for solid fuel — UL 1777 in the United States — running continuously from the insert's flue collar to the top of the chimney, and the liner itself is not included. What ships with the insert are the three liner fixation brackets that secure the liner's starter adapter to the flue outlet; the optional liner hook-up system and offset liner adapter are sold below. The liner must be at least 12 ft long, the whole system at least 15 ft from the floor to the top of the chimney, and the chimney must rise 3 ft above the roof and 2 ft above anything within 10 ft; a 12" length of rigid liner above the masonry to the rain cap is strongly recommended. The insert cannot connect straight into the clay tile of a masonry chimney, and the flue can serve no other appliance. Our team can build the liner package for your chimney.
What kind of fireplace can it go into, and how much room does it need?
A masonry fireplace and chimney built for wood, and nothing else — it is not for a factory-built (prefab metal) fireplace. Before installation the fireplace and chimney need a Level II inspection, and any damage has to be repaired first. The opening must be at least 21-1/2" high, 27-1/2" wide and 12-7/8" deep (Osburn recommends at least 4" more width with a fresh air intake). Keep 16" to an adjacent side wall, 9" to a combustible side surround and 27" to a combustible top surround or mantel shelf. In the United States, floor protection reaches at least 16" in front of the insert when the hearth is raised more than 4", or rates R 1.00 and reaches 22" when it is raised 4" or less; the full footprint is Table 1 on page 14 of the installation manual. It is not approved for a bedroom or a mobile home.
What’s included, what’s required, and what’s optional?
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Included in the box: 144 CFM blower with variable-speed control and heat sensor, installed under the ash lip, with its 96" power cord; Single door with a cast-iron frame and 5/32" ceramic glass; High-density refractory brick, C-Cast baffle and stainless secondary air tubes; Faceplate extension, fitted to the insert; Three liner fixation brackets with screws for securing a chimney liner adapter; EPA 2020 certification, UL 1482 / UL 737 safety listing, and the Osburn limited lifetime warranty.
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Required to complete the installation, purchased separately: Door Overlay - the black or brushed nickel overlay that finishes the cast-iron door (choose above); the insert does not come with one; Faceplate - the regular 29" x 44" or large 32" x 50" faceplate with its black or brushed nickel trim, which surrounds the insert at the fireplace opening (choose above); Venting - a listed 6" stainless steel chimney liner (UL 1777), continuous from the insert to the top of the masonry chimney; Masonry Fireplace - an existing masonry fireplace and chimney built for solid fuel that passes a Level II inspection before installation; it cannot go into a factory-built fireplace; Floor Protection - non-combustible floor protection in front of the insert, 16" deep (US) on a hearth raised more than 4", or R 1.00 and 22" deep when raised 4" or less (see Table 1 on page 14 of the installation manual); Electrical - a 115 V household outlet within reach of the blower's 96" power cord.
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Optional: The 5" fresh air intake kit with its register and insulated flex pipe, the offset liner adapter, the liner hook-up system and the rigid firescreen — the insert installs and heats without any of them.
Which faceplate size do I need?
The one that covers your fireplace opening — the regular faceplate is 29" x 44" and the large one is 32" x 50", and each comes with trim in black or brushed nickel sized to match it. The faceplate bolts to the extension already on the insert and seats on the floor of the hearth, so measure the face of your fireplace around the opening before you choose. If you are not sure, send us your measurements and we will help you pick.
Does it need an outside air supply?
Not by default — room air is the most reliable combustion air for a wood insert, and the fresh air intake is optional. It helps in a tight house or one with a powerful kitchen exhaust that can pull the house negative. The 5" fresh air intake kit fits either end of the insert, with the supplied plate closing the unused side, and runs through insulated HVAC flex pipe to a termination on an outside wall; plan on a fireplace opening at least 4" wider if you add it.
Can I burn it with the door open, like an open fireplace?
Not in the United States — the 1700 runs with its door fully closed and opens only to light or reload. A rigid firescreen is offered for open-door use, but in the US, and in Canadian provinces with a particulate emissions limit, burning with the door open behind a rigid firescreen is prohibited. Where it is allowed, the insert is never left unattended with the screen in use.
Does buying online affect my Osburn warranty?
No. The warranty is Osburn's and it runs from your dated purchase invoice, so keep it and register the insert online at osburn-mfg.com with the model and serial number from the certification label behind the blower. The Torch Guys will help you with any claim. Coverage is a limited lifetime on the combustion chamber welds and cast-iron door frame (5 years labour) and on the ceramic glass, 7 years on the baffle, air tubes, surrounds and trims, 5 years on the handle, glass retainers and air control, 2 years on the blower and controls, and 1 year on paint, gaskets and other options. It covers the original purchaser only and requires installation by an authorized qualified technician.
