I pulled the trigger - after countless hours researching different products, looking into the pros and cons of burning wood, shopping around and scounging wood, today was the big installation day. The guys got here early - and they wasted no time in unloading my chosen heater, the Jotul C450 Insert. It was going to be a challenging install since my clearances were tight. The liner was also going to be tough, with two 90 degree elbows to get from the outside chimney to the inside fireplace.
Boy did they work on that liner! Eventually, a loose tile went down and it seemed like victory was at hand, the liner would go through. But wait, a shower of vermiculite... Odd. A shining light solved the mystery - see one of the pictures - there is no masonry connecting the fireplace to the outside chimney! The only thing connecting the two were that loose tile, with the vermiculite behind it. Can you imagine! Granted this house is a bit older - 1950's - but this is ridiculous!
It sure does explain a lot though - the reason a beam was added to the floor under the fireplace (since it was added after construction and the floor began sagging) - and the extremely poor draft despite seemingly favourable conditions. This was obviously a home job from yonder years. Imagine - countless inspectors have been through this place over the years, and countless fires have burned in this "fireplace". I have had the chimney professionally cleaned and these installers were here twice to ensure everything was in order prior to installation and no one saw anything - how could they? The head installer was shocked that this place has not yet burned to the ground.
From what I understand, I now have two options, assuming that wood heating is still my goal: 1 - having a mason redo the fireplace (which means putting the fireplace down and plunking down a big chunk of change), or 2 - tearing the whole thing down and putting a wood stove in, which might be alot more cost effective and perhaps more effective as well. Of course, I have to eat the cost of the cosmetics on the fireplace. Of course, I could just sell all of my wood and go with a gas fireplace (the thought makes me cringe)...
I guess the positive in all of this is that had the liner slipped through easily, a house fire would surely have been in my future.
Boy did they work on that liner! Eventually, a loose tile went down and it seemed like victory was at hand, the liner would go through. But wait, a shower of vermiculite... Odd. A shining light solved the mystery - see one of the pictures - there is no masonry connecting the fireplace to the outside chimney! The only thing connecting the two were that loose tile, with the vermiculite behind it. Can you imagine! Granted this house is a bit older - 1950's - but this is ridiculous!
It sure does explain a lot though - the reason a beam was added to the floor under the fireplace (since it was added after construction and the floor began sagging) - and the extremely poor draft despite seemingly favourable conditions. This was obviously a home job from yonder years. Imagine - countless inspectors have been through this place over the years, and countless fires have burned in this "fireplace". I have had the chimney professionally cleaned and these installers were here twice to ensure everything was in order prior to installation and no one saw anything - how could they? The head installer was shocked that this place has not yet burned to the ground.
From what I understand, I now have two options, assuming that wood heating is still my goal: 1 - having a mason redo the fireplace (which means putting the fireplace down and plunking down a big chunk of change), or 2 - tearing the whole thing down and putting a wood stove in, which might be alot more cost effective and perhaps more effective as well. Of course, I have to eat the cost of the cosmetics on the fireplace. Of course, I could just sell all of my wood and go with a gas fireplace (the thought makes me cringe)...
I guess the positive in all of this is that had the liner slipped through easily, a house fire would surely have been in my future.
