Advice needed - alter mantle or extend hearth?

[atomichawg]

Our stove was installed by dealer and as you can see the stove is about 10 inches from combustible mantle trim. The manual calls for 16 inch clearance from combustible trim. I would have extended the hearth prior to install, but the dealer, who saw the picture of hearth and its measurements, said that the stove could sit on the edge of hearth no problem. At this point, not sure if they are going to work with me on this or not. The dealer had said they could add a 2nd mantle shield, but I am not sure if this is really going to be safe. So I'm thinking either modify mantle to remove wood, or extend hearth. If I modify mantle, would I have to just rip the whole thing out, or is it possible to take off the wooden mantle and the center trim, maybe replace the center area with cement board and replace mantle with something noncombustible? I dont want it to look like a hack job. A benefit to modifying or replacing mantle is that the stove could stay where it is, we would not have to get another stove pipe for the back, and it wouldnt take up more living room space. But my wife likes the looks of the mantle so maybe extending hearth would be better? There is no R requirement for the oslo, it just has to be non combustible, so thats an option. What would you do? My wife wants me to resolve this soon so that we can use our stove!

 

[firefighterjake]

Our stove was installed by dealer and as you can see the stove is about 10 inches from combustible mantle trim. The manual calls for 16 inch clearance from combustible trim. I would have extended the hearth prior to install, but the dealer, who saw the picture of hearth and its measurements, said that the stove could sit on the edge of hearth no problem. At this point, not sure if they are going to work with me on this or not. The dealer had said they could add a 2nd mantle shield, but I am not sure if this is really going to be safe. So I'm thinking either modify mantle to remove wood, or extend hearth. If I modify mantle, would I have to just rip the whole thing out, or is it possible to take off the wooden mantle and the center trim, maybe replace the center area with cement board and replace mantle with something noncombustible? I dont want it to look like a hack job. A benefit to modifying or replacing mantle is that the stove could stay where it is, we would not have to get another stove pipe for the back, and it wouldnt take up more living room space. But my wife likes the looks of the mantle so maybe extending hearth would be better? There is no R requirement for the oslo, it just has to be non combustible, so thats an option. What would you do? My wife wants me to resolve this soon so that we can use our stove!

I think you might have answered your own question . . . .

Personally, if you have the room and don't mind giving up a little more space to the hearth and stove I'm thinking moving it out would a) be a lot easier to do, b) would not ruin the mantle in any way for future sale of the home and c) you may gain a little more heat with more of the stove exposed in the room . . . and the price of pipe would be minimal.

 

[atomichawg]

Lol. You must be married. If momma aint happy, nobody happy!

 

[firefighterjake]

Lol. You must be married. If momma aint happy, nobody happy!

HehHeh . . . yup . . . although she doesn't like it much when she suggests something and I say "Yes Dear." Instead I have to try to be obstinate on occasion (gotta keep up the pretense) and then in the end do it the way she suggested in the first place.