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Battenkiller

Minister of Fire
Nov 26, 2009
3,741
Just Outside the Blue Line
We are making an offer (finally) on a house tomorrow. I want to continue to heat with wood (property has a 4-acre woodlot), so I was excited to see by the photos that it already came with a stove. Then I was equally unexcited to walk in and see it was a pellet stove. More measurements and such will come if the offer is accepted, but I thought I'd throw up this photo of the hearth area for now, just to get some impressions.

The house has a two-flue exterior masonry chimney with what looks to be 8x12" tile liners. The pellet stove is exhausting into one of the flues, and the fireplace has the other flue. I 'd like to put the stove where the existing fireplace is, but the top of the frame is only 28" tall. Then I'd have to build up the hearth for proper clearances, so the height would be even lower. What would I need to do to get a real stove in this spot?
 

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I have a Buck Stove model 74 (medium/large stove) and it is only 22" tall. Why would you have to build anything up?
 
Oops... forgot the photo.

That hearth can't be more than 1" thick, with no insulation under the stones. Not sure what I'll end up needing, but that one won't work for a wood stove.
 
weezer4117 said:
I have a Buck Stove model 74 (medium/large stove) and it is only 22" tall. Why would you have to build anything up?


I'm thinking a Buck would be pretty easy as well. No idea the size of the house, but they have three models that work as free standing and inserts. One of those should work in this case.
 
Makes more sense now with a pic!!! Sorry... You are rite, that wont be enough for a solid fuel appliance to set on. Another option is to build up a hearth and put a freestanding stove in front of the fireplace. This will limit your selection because it would have to be a rear venting stove. Just things to think about.....
 
weezer4117 said:
Makes more sense now with a pic!!! Sorry... You are rite, that wont be enough for a solid fuel appliance to set on. Another option is to build up a hearth and put a freestanding stove in front of the fireplace. This will limit your selection because it would have to be a rear venting stove. Just things to think about.....

Now that I think about it more, this may not be possible either with a 28" opening.....
 
BrowningBAR said:
weezer4117 said:
I have a Buck Stove model 74 (medium/large stove) and it is only 22" tall. Why would you have to build anything up?


I'm thinking a Buck would be pretty easy as well. No idea the size of the house, but they have three models that work as free standing and inserts. One of those should work in this case.

The house is small and well-insulated, with new windows. As you can see, the main floor has a very open floor plan (about 800 sq.ft.) The old guy has been heating it entirely with that pellet stove. Fireplace is just for show. I'd think a modern 40,000 BTU stove would do the job nicely. What rear venting small stoves are out there?

I'm afraid to even try the pellet stove. I just might get used to it, and then I'd be a pellet burner with 8 chainsaws. :p
 
Battenkiller said:
BrowningBAR said:
weezer4117 said:
I have a Buck Stove model 74 (medium/large stove) and it is only 22" tall. Why would you have to build anything up?


I'm thinking a Buck would be pretty easy as well. No idea the size of the house, but they have three models that work as free standing and inserts. One of those should work in this case.

The house is small and well-insulated, with new windows. As you can see, the main floor has a very open floor plan (about 800 sq.ft.) The old guy has been heating it entirely with that pellet stove. Fireplace is just for show. I'd think a modern 40,000 BTU stove would do the job nicely. What rear venting small stoves are out there?

I'm afraid to even try the pellet stove. I just might get used to it, and then I'd be a pellet burner with 8 chainsaws. :p


A Keystone needs very little in the way of front clearances and it can rear vent. And if you get on it, you can get it for about $1500. If it's truly well insulated and tight, I would think the Keystone would work well.
 
HELLO, PLEASE STOP AND WAIT TILL YOU GET IN THE HOUSE.The set up that I see will get you though the winter. Get fire place tubes to use in the fireplace with or without a blower and you will heating with wood and pellets.If you do that you can burn all wood in fireplace and learn how house breaths and what may be a better place for a wood stove.I started with a heatalor in afire place and it heated 800 ft fine. Best of luck getting house.
 
This is what I'd do. Punch a hole above the fireplace to access the flue and brick up both the fireplace and pellet stove holes. Then I'd install a Woodstock while they still have the sale going. You only need 8" in front clearance and basically ember portection underneath. Hope you get the house, looks nice.
 
Hey BK, premature congratulations if it goes through. I can see in your writing that you are very interested. I hope it works out. About your stove thoughts , we all know your a true wood burner and with the wood lot that's just another reason to want the property. Considering the time of year its getting to be and that there is a working appliance there, I'd go with that until you can properly plan out your woodstove ideas. Is there SS liner considerations? Hearth changes? Woodstove considerations? How tight is this home?,.maybe OAK considerations? At the least, if things go your way in short time burn the pellets.
 
Looks like a nice setup!

With double wall stove pipes, you wouldn't need to worry about ceiling height clearances.

I think with minimal work you're gonna get this turned into a wood burner (non pellet) before you know it!

I hope it works out and keep us posted1

Andrew
 
I'd go with Todd on this one. Put a hole into flue above the the fireplace opening. I'm not sure if it would have to go in at the smoke shelf level, just above the damper opening. It looks like you have room to work with if you go this route. Top vent some big stove to cover the front of that fireplace opening. Does the left flue for the pellet stove vent another heating appliance? I guess you could always burn the pellet stove until things are sorted out. Good luck if you purchase. It looks like you have your priorities in order.
 
BK, good luck with the offer. I hope it's what you're looking for.
I like Todd's idea, but maybe do a heat loss calc first. Compare to the pellet stove output, then get your stove installed. You have options.
You could continue using the pellet stove too, for part/all of this winter to see what the house is like when it gets cold out.
Have the chimney checked.....you know the drill.
Heck, you may be able to heat the place with a candle. :coolsmile: But, what fun would THAT be? Uh, none.
 
800 sq ft looks perfect for a Buck 20 insert.
 
Todd said:
This is what I'd do. Punch a hole above the fireplace to access the flue and brick up both the fireplace and pellet stove holes. Then I'd install a Woodstock while they still have the sale going. You only need 8" in front clearance and basically ember portection underneath. Hope you get the house, looks nice.


Why put a hole in the fireplace when he has enough room to rear vent the Keystone?
 
BrowningBAR said:
Todd said:
This is what I'd do. Punch a hole above the fireplace to access the flue and brick up both the fireplace and pellet stove holes. Then I'd install a Woodstock while they still have the sale going. You only need 8" in front clearance and basically ember portection underneath. Hope you get the house, looks nice.


Why put a hole in the fireplace when he has enough room to rear vent the Keystone?

He could do that as well, I just think it would look better without the big open fireplace hole. I guess he could rear vent into the fireplace and either cover the hole up with a steel plate or brick.
 
Todd said:
BrowningBAR said:
Todd said:
This is what I'd do. Punch a hole above the fireplace to access the flue and brick up both the fireplace and pellet stove holes. Then I'd install a Woodstock while they still have the sale going. You only need 8" in front clearance and basically ember portection underneath. Hope you get the house, looks nice.


Why put a hole in the fireplace when he has enough room to rear vent the Keystone?

He could do that as well, I just think it would look better without the big open fireplace hole. I guess he could rear vent into the fireplace and either cover the hole up with a steel plate or brick.


I missed the part about bricking up the fireplace. Readin' ain't my strong point, apparently.
 
The Keystone would give you some decent heat, ability to turn it down for a clean burn too. Rear vent is nice.

Good luck,
Bill
 
Not sure what I'm missing, but why not install a wood stove where the pellet stove resides? You might be just fine with the masonry tiles (I vent my Manfield into an 11" square masonry tile chimney - does just fine.....I know, I know, most folks here DO NOT like this setup). If not, line the flue. Then you can enjoy a fireplace fire anytime (shoulder season, etc.) while the stove is burning or not. Seems the best fix to me, and likely the cheapest. Hope I didn't miss an obvious issue. Good luck BK - looks like a real nice house from the one pic - open is great - we love our open concept house. I hope you land the home if it is the place for you and Mrs. BK!
Cheers!
 
Sell those race saws and use the money to buy pellets? :-S

(The Devil made me do that.)
 
Why not just go with an insert? Buck makes a real nice insert.
 
Several stoves will rear vent into that fireplace. I had a similar problem. The stove that became available for us was a VC Encore 2550 with a lower heat shield. Requires only spark/ember protection on the floor. Three Jotul stoves, three Moroso stoves, a Quadrafire, a Hearthstone, a Hampton, and a Woodstock rear vent stove would work. Probably many others.

Funds are an issue with us, so we waited until a suitable used stove in excellent condition for a reasonable price came on the local market. In two years, two Jotuls and this one VC were all that I looked at. So we took our time, but now it looks as if we made a good choice. Time will tell.
 
That appears to be a Harman pellet stove (Might be a Breckwell?).. They are the Cadillac of Pellet stoves (per most users here). I would use it for this Winter to see your needs. Maybe there is a "Cold" spot in the house. Then next year put your Woodstove where the pellet stove resides and the Pellet stove in said "Cold" spot???

Do you know the model of the stove??


I have had pellet stoves for years now.. And I just updated and added a woodstove. Also have a Pre-Fab fireplace. I like all 3 equally. The nuclear heat of the wood, but the convienance and ease of use for a pellet stove and the ambiance of the fireplace. S
Just set the thermostat and it will keep that temp all day while you are at work... Actually pretty nice. I am going to set my thermostat on the Pellet stove to about 70 (We like the house 76, in the winter), once the fire dies down while I am at work, it will kick on until I get home and reload, to bring temp back up before bed.. I have not used my LP furnace in 3 seasons (This will be 4), I intend on never doing so again.

Our basement was our "Cold" spot. The Wife does laundry down there and I have a Man-Cave/Bar ( w/ Pool table, Foose ball table, Dart board, Card table, 12ft Bar)
So getting some heat down there this year was a huge priority. Being able to heat the upstairs pretty well was just a bonus...

I say have all 3.. Pellets are at an almost all time low on prices.. 3 yrs ago, they were around $300/ton.. Can be had at most HD's, Lowes, Menards, etc for $175-$197/ton.

Keep all 3. Wood stove, Pellet stove, and Fireplace..
 
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