Some questions from a new guy

So I have been lurking on here for a few months researching and trying to figure out what stove to buy and how to install it. I have a plan together and will put some pictures up, please let me know if there are any issues with my plan you may see in pics or my plan.

We bought our first house in central CT this summer and I would like to install a wood stove insert. House is 1900 ft not including the basement, the downstairs is pretty open with basicly three rooms.

The fireplace currently has a gas log insert in it now, will be removing that shortly. My fireplace dimensions can be seen in one of the pictures.

I would like to fit in an osburn 2400 but I think it is just a smige to big. I am now looking at the century CW2900 as it seems like a good bang for buck, and a large insert that will fit. I would like to go bigger but I haven't found a bigger stove that will fit my insert.

1. Do you have any opinions on the CW2900?, I havent found many reviews of it on here
2. is there another insert with a larger capacity that will fit in my fireplace, I would like an insert I can load up before work or bed and not have to light again when I get home or wake up.

I am planning on doing the install myself to save money, local wood stove store said 650 for install (not including hardware). I also think I could insulate it a bit better than they would if they just throw it in.

I am thinking I will be getting the duraflex single wall 35' liner kit from northern tool for 400. In the instructions it says that you need to verify that the existing masonry chimney has at least 1” clearance from exterior of the chimney to combustibles. I am confused by this statement, the chimney runs right up along side my house, which technically is combustible, am I missing something, does there need to be a gap? Also does this type of chimney liner need to be insulated?

I am thinking installation generally goes from top down. I plan on insulating right under the cap of the chimney with some roxul insulation. Then at the bottom of the chimney having a blocker plate with again some roxul behind it and hi temp silicon around the liner and blocker plate. Since the chimeny is external, I am also planning on insulating the fireplace before I put the insert in with roxul. What is a good way to attach the roxul?

So from what I understand, next I pull the liner down into the fireplace. Are the liners flexible enough to squeeze through the damper or do I need to remove/grind a hole in the damper?

Next I would slide the insert in and attach the liner, do I silicon this joint as well to seal it? The rest of the installation looks pretty straight forward, blower and faceplate.
Are there any key things I am missing?

anything to be sure to do/not to do?

Any difficulties that you think I may run into based on the pictures of my fireplace?

As far as saftey, what are things to be sure to do/check?

begreen said:

Welcome. Measure up the liner first. It looks like a 25 or 30ft might work. You will want an insulated liner for an exterior chimney. For safety, check and double check clearances to the mantel.

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Thanks, northern tool had either a 20 or 35ft, so i assumed I would get more than i need then cut it. I'll see if i can find a closer length

Grisu said:

I second the recommendation to go with an insulated liner. The insert will draft better, accumulate less creosote, and you won't need to worry about clearances on the outside anymore. There are plenty other places on the internet where you can order a liner with insulation.

The CW2900 has about 2.4 cu ft of firebox. That's not bad but if you want to go larger you can check the Regency I3100. That may fit based on the scheme you posted. Please be also aware that the depth of the Osburn 2400 can be adjusted. Should you have 30" width at a depth of 16.5" it could also fit. Some other large inserts are: Pacific Energy Summit, Quadrafire 5100i, and Lopi Freedom.

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thanks for the info, im literlly at 29.5 width at 16.5" depth, would it be a terrible idea to take an angle grinder to open it up a bit where the corner of the stove would be? Also looking over that list some of those stoves go well over 3k, compared to the century which is just over 1k, are those stoves that much better than the century?

Another question, how about buying a used wood stove? Lookin on CL i found a couple of deals in my area, or is this not a good idea for a first time purchase?
http://hartford.craigslist.org/fuo/4802022713.html