Old arched fireplace in house...need insert advice!

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rockguitar2000

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Oct 28, 2014
5
Connecticut
Hello all, first post here. My house has an old fireplace that is arched, making it difficult to determine what can fit in there. My goal is not to heat the whole house but primarily for supplemental first floor heat in cold weather (~800 sq/ft)

I want to try to find a decent free standing wood stove to put in there and vent up the chimney, (so I can still see the arched surround that's there) but with the arched opening I can't find many options for models that will fit nicely unless they are really narrow/small. I like to see the fire nicely, so good glass in front is desirable. I'm open to a wood burning insert fireplace as well but I'm thinking any of those would have the arch covered seal off the fireplace around it.

Any models you would recommend looking at? Or personal experience with this style fireplace? Not sure why the photo uploaded upside down!

IMG_3932.jpg
 
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There's something with posting from a smartphone that flips the pic, I think. How tall is the arch in the center, and how wide is the opening? Maybe you could hearth-mount a wide, shallow stove and rear-vent it, but it looks like you don't have much room to work with.
 
That looks like it's going to be a challenge. A lot of inserts are about 27-28" wide, but a few are smaller. What is the width of the fireplace opening at the base? What is the height of the opening?
 
begreen said:
That looks like it's going to be a challenge. A lot of inserts are about 27-28" wide, but a few are smaller. What is the width of the fireplace opening at the base? What is the height of the opening?
Click to expand...

Width at the base is 35", height at arch center is 30". Depth is 21" from brick face, and the hearth in front sticks out 12".
 
OK, that is better than I thought. Let me take a look. At what height does the arch start?

PS: fixed the picture by saving it to the desktop, preview then save.
 
begreen said:
OK, that is better than I thought. Let me take a look. At what height does the arch start?

PS: fixed the picture by saving it to the desktop, preview then save.
Click to expand...

One foot from the base is where the arch starts. I've seen two stoves that may fit in there, Jotul makes a TINY stove, and also a model from another manufacturer called the Aspen.
 
I was just looking at the Jotul F3CB and F100 dimensions to see if they could fit in there. The F100 looks like it will work, the F3CB is tight. The F602CB certainly could fit too. It's the Jotul equivalent of the Aspen which is Vermont Castings answer to the F602CB. The 602 is one of the best selling stoves in the world. I have it's non-EPA predecessor.
 
I'd go as big as possible. You may be bitten by the wood-heating bug, and want to heat as much space as possible. That would depend on the layout of your house, though...
 
How about an insert with a custom surround that is cut to fit the arch? Your fireplace itself is big enough to fit a good-size insert in there. Your narrow hearth will make a freestanding stove difficult.
 
Grisu said:
How about an insert with a custom surround that is cut to fit the arch? Your fireplace itself is big enough to fit a good-size insert in there. Your narrow hearth will make a freestanding stove difficult.
Click to expand...

Id be ok with this, however I'm on a budget of around $2500 for stove and install. Would any hearth dealer have custom options available for arched fireplace installs?
 
rockguitar2000 said:
Id be ok with this, however I'm on a budget of around $2500 for stove and install. Would any hearth dealer have custom options available for arched fireplace installs?
Click to expand...

That would be rare. You would most likely need to go to a metalworks/welding shop to have one fitted for you. Nevertheless, $2500 is a very tight budget for insert, liner and install even without a custom surround. Roughly speaking, the insert/stove cannot cost more than $1000 unless you would consider doing the install yourself. The Englander 13-NCI would be an option or a Drolet Escape 1800 in that price range. Maybe get an insert and install it with the stock surround and then change it once you have the cash?
 
How about one of the Buck stoves? Most of their stoves are both free standing and inserts so you could just leave the surround off, that way you can get more btu power.
 
rockguitar2000 said:
Id be ok with this, however I'm on a budget of around $2500 for stove and install. Would any hearth dealer have custom options available for arched fireplace installs?
Click to expand...
Can you install the liner yourself? I did mine and I'm not Mr handyman, cost under $600 for everything doing it myself, that could leave you quite a bit for a stove.
 
That's not a bad idea, though I'd probably run it without the surround in the interim, Having a custom surround cut should only be a couple hundred. Or do it yourself with a sheet of 22 ga and some black paint. For a stove install or insert without the surround a block off plate would be needed to keep most of the heat in the room.
 
I have a fieldstone set-up that I put a used osburn 2200 in. It came with a trim piece that you are supposed to put on, but I just left it off, and I think it looks good. If you are buying new, you might consider doing something like that, the trim is usually sold separate, so you could opt out of buying it and save some cash. That arch will also make it easier to install yourself if you are able to do a top vent stove(you can get your mitts up above the stove easier). I second weatherguy with the install, if you are looking to save some cash, do it your self and spend what you got on the stove. The 2200 might actually be in your price-range new and your dimensions are pretty close to mine-
 
A free stander would look great in there. See my avatar. I just managed to fit an Oslo in mine. Maybe an f400 would fit? I was drawn to the jotuls because of the arched glass window. Fortunately for me their great stoves too!
 
weatherguy said:
Can you install the liner yourself? I did mine and I'm not Mr handyman, cost under $600 for everything doing it myself, that could leave you quite a bit for a stove.
Click to expand...

I'd like to install the liner myself. I just need to know the proper way to get it through my damper in the fireplace. I am guessing it needs to be removed entirely to fit a liner pipe through. Here is a photo of the damper:
 

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rockguitar2000 said:
I'd like to install the liner myself. I just need to know the proper way to get it through my damper in the fireplace. I am guessing it needs to be removed entirely to fit a liner pipe through.
Click to expand...
I can't tell exactly what you've got there, but I've cut pieces out with an angle grinder, sawzall and hack saw. Hack saw was the least dusty and easiest...
 
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rockguitar2000 said:
I'd like to install the liner myself. I just need to know the proper way to get it through my damper in the fireplace. I am guessing it needs to be removed entirely to fit a liner pipe through. Here is a photo of the damper:
Click to expand...

I just used an angle grinder to cut out a notch in the middle where the flex pipe will come through, make sure to leave about an inch more space than the diameter of the stainless tube(example- 6"pipe, cut the hole to allow 7" of clearance). If you just notch a wedge out of it, you won't be effecting the structural integrety of your setup. Feel arround above the damper, the place where you need to cut might be more flimsy than you thought. There are other ways, but that was my best solution. Just an idea-
 
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Arch looks like non-structural facing. You may have more options if you modify the white brick into a typical rectangular opening with steel lintel above.
 
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