NC 30 in masonry fireplace

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IndianaTech

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Jul 26, 2010
72
Southern Indiana
Hey there everyone !
I have sold my home, and since purchased a new one. Sadly I had to leave behind my old Englander, and now face a new set of challenges. My new home is of log construction, and is roughly 2600 square feet with cathedral ceilings. After spending last winter feeding the out dated Buck 27000 insert, and paying the propane man I am desperate to replace the current wood burner. I currently have a masonry fireplace with roughly a 25' chimney. I am not a huge fan of inserts, but have looked into the PE Summit to help heat my home, however I have also been pondering the idea of buying another Englander NC 30, and sticking it in the fireplace opening. This is where I am seeking advice.. After lining the chimney, and sliding the stove in there do you think it would heat well with a blower, or would it not be very effective ? Another option that I was thinking about was a stove with a rear flue output such as a Jotul oslo, but the price difference is pretty steep. With the Jotul I would be able to set it on the hearth to utilize the radiant heat of the stove. I would appreciate any help, ideas or suggestions !
 
Log construction, 2600 sq ft and cathedral ceilings are going to present a challenge to most stoves. The 30NC in the fireplace with a blower is a good start. With the savings vs a more expensive insert you might want to consider a second stove, maybe in the kitchen or a farther corner of the house. That would provide a backup source of heat for those extra cold nights.

Are there ceiling fans in the high ceiling areas to circulate the heat pocketing up high to lower areas?
 
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There are ceiling fans to help push the heat down. Unfortunately installing another stove is not something we can do. I know I have a lot of metrics working agaisnt me so I am looking to supplement my Propane bill as much as possible. I had outstanding results with my previous NC30, but it was free standing. My only concerns with buying another is having to stick it in the fireplace hole, and loosing alot of radiant heat.
 
Block off plate with insulation on top. Mount the plate at the top of the fireplace to keep the radiated heat from going up the chimney.
 
To maximize radiant heat, move the stove out on the hearth as far as possible, while still being able to connect the liner. Is this an exterior fireplace or centrally located on the interior? If exterior I would insulate the backwall of the fireplace, sides too if there's room. If interior then the heat won't be lost. It will slowly radiate back into the room.
 
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It is an exterior chimney. What kind of insulation would you recommend ?
 
If there is room for it the ceramic fiber wrap is the best way to go. Comes in kits with adhesive and a netting to secure it as the liner is pushed/pulled down the chimney. If just insulating the back wall of the fireplace then Roxul mineral wool batting is the way to go. Lowe's carries the stuff these days. Be sure it is covered with something to keep those short fibers in it from flying out into the living/breathing space. And wear a mask when installing it.
 
If there is room for it the ceramic fiber wrap is the best way to go. Comes in kits with adhesive and a netting to secure it as the liner is pushed/pulled down the chimney. If just insulating the back wall of the fireplace then Roxul mineral wool batting is the way to go. Lowe's carries the stuff these days. Be sure it is covered with something to keep those short fibers in it from flying out into the living/breathing space. And wear a mask when installing it.
And glasses, the small stuff gets in your eyes easy and drives you nuts.
 
Is fireplace interior or exterior? Assuming an Englander radiates a lot of heat off the back and sides, which will be surrounded by masonry, you might be sending a lot of your heard-earned BTUs into the back yard. This is the trouble I had with the Jotul Firelights. In this case, a highly convective stove will do best, although similar effect might be possible with heat shields on the masonry.
 
It is an exterior chimney. What kind of insulation would you recommend ?
Micore or fiberfrax or roxul board. Can be cut to fit and held in place with 4 tapcons per surface.
 
Step one is complete ! On a side note.. The old buck 2700 must have weighed 600 pounds, or at least it felt like it !
 

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Is that the new fireplace? Looks gorgeous; at some point I would look into installing a less utilitarian stove than the 30NC.

You may get problems with the mantel. Not sure if the 30NC manual says anything special about mantel clearance or the full clearance to the ceiling would apply.
 
That bad boy is gonna look right at home in there.
 
The old buck 2700 must have weighed 600 pounds, or at least it felt like it !

I know the feeling. The Sierra insert weighed 650 and I still feel every moment of hauling it out of the fireplace and out of the house.
 
Our cabin was built in 1995, and I'm confident the old buck was in there from the get go. It was stuck in there as a slammer, and I believe there was never a fire in the fireplace based on how clean the brick is. I would love to stick a jotul f500 in front of the opening, but the $2700 price tag hurts a bit right now. Maybe in the future.. In the meantime having had a 30nc in my last home for almost a decade has made my wife, and I very comfortable with its in's, and outs. It is definitely a performer, and right now we need the most bang for the buck. I'm hoping the big box stores will put it on sale soon so we can save some more cash.
 
I'm hoping the big box stores will put it on sale soon so we can save some more cash

From what I have seen here, I think you are a bit late. HD sells off their stoves in like March/April. They will soon start stocking them for next winter but you will need to be lucky to find one on sale then before the spring.
 
Step one is complete ! On a side note.. The old buck 2700 must have weighed 600 pounds, or at least it felt like it !

Having just installed a Buck Stove, yeah...they are heavy and it probably did weigh 600 pounds. Mine did according to the website.
 
the odds of finding one locally this time of year on sale will probably be slim to none. but its still marked down in homedepots Durango colorado store. type in 1534 in the search box for finding your local store. make that your store. then buy it through that store for 649 pay the 100 bucks for shipping to your house and save 150 bucks compared to buying it locally for 899.
 
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Thanks for the heads up !! Ordered it this morning :)
 
Menards has the 11% off everything sale going now and they have the Drolet Austral Onsale for $755.61 price after rebate.

Best thing its ship to store for free.

The firebox size is actually close too 3.3 cu ft but reported as 3.1 - 3.2 cu ft usable size.

Now this is the older model as they have a newer Austral 2 coming out this fall.

The newer model is more firebox insulated and uses a baffle board / tubes rather than the old version a stainless steel manifold.

What I can tell you is the new model burns cleaner but the old model really radiates the heat more like old fashioned stoves but it is EPA approved right now. Its input air control has very good control of the fire at low levels and can even snuff out the fire which is a feature I like.

I have the same stove but the Myriad Model and its a nice made stove and burns easily all night long and heats nicely and comes with a blower.

These stoves also have a bypass damper so no smoke comes into the room while loading.

You load North / South Loading 20 " splits which is nice and can load East/West with about a 18" split. I always load North South and works great and easily gets 10 hour burns on good hardwoods I have had hot coals to start a new fire at 12 hours. These stoves are called a true North South Burner as there is no Dog house air at the bottom front coming in.So you get more control of a North/South load.

https://www.menards.com/main/heatin...a-wood-stove-with-blower/p-2431485-c-6884.htm

They also have the Legend which is a fancier version with side shields. Same firebox.
https://www.menards.com/main/heatin...a-wood-stove-with-blower/p-2359270-c-6884.htm

DB03030RightAngle.jpg DB03070RightAngle.jpg
 
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oh sorry about that just noticed you order the NC-30 which you already know is also a great stove.
 
the odds of finding one locally this time of year on sale will probably be slim to none. but its still marked down in homedepots Durango colorado store. type in 1534 in the search box for finding your local store. make that your store. then buy it through that store for 649 pay the 100 bucks for shipping to your house and save 150 bucks compared to buying it locally for 899.

Just saw they still have this price. It saves me about $75 in the end over the $899 price, but I'm thinking it will be worth it to not have to go pick it up at the store...thanks!
 
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