Bought a new home, need your collective advice on fireplace...

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Hecdog

New Member
Feb 24, 2011
5
Oakland, CA
Hi, I’m new to the forum. Thanks in advance for your advice.

We just bought a home in Oakland, CA. It has a chimney which spans 2 stories, but no fireplace on either story. We just got a hold of the former owner, an architect, who said there were wood stoves in the living room (1st floor) and master bedroom (2nd floor). He said he removed them and sealed the wall because he wanted a gas fireplace on the perpendicular wall. He ran a gas line to that wall on both floors and that gas line is apparently still there, behind the drywall.

Our goal is to have a fireplace, a modern looking one since the house is contemporary. My question is, which one is easier and more cost effective: To buy a new insert for the existing chimney, or use the gas line and install a new (zero clearance?) unit? If the latter, can I opt to burn real wood in one or is it only gas?

Thank you!
 
If these were thimbles covered over that were designed to accept a wood stove pipe, you would not be looking at an insert, but a direct vent zero clearance gas fireplace. One that can be vented using a special adapter into a masonry flue. If they were actual fireplace openings that were covered, you can then use an insert.
 
There is at least one dual-fuel fireplace that I remember seeing. It can be converted between gas and wood, but not instantly. You can't for instance use the gas to light a wood fire - there is a small procedure for making the conversion. And it is an insert - needs masonry fireplace to fit into.
Sorry I can't remember the manufacture, but if you search dual-fuel fireplaces, it should get you there.
 

Attachments

  • web_pic.gif
    web_pic.gif
    76.9 KB · Views: 269
Franks said:
If these were thimbles covered over that were designed to accept a wood stove pipe, you would not be looking at an insert, but a direct vent zero clearance gas fireplace. One that can be vented using a special adapter into a masonry flue. If they were actual fireplace openings that were covered, you can then use an insert.

Thanks for the reply. According the the inspection report I just got tonight, the chimney is a zero clearance chimney. I don't know what thimbles are. Since this is a zero clearance chimney who's stove was removed, what can I expect when I open up the drywall?

Since there's a gas pipe installed on the perpendicular wall, would it be better (cheaper) to install a unit one the gas line wall? It is an outside wall.

Thanks!
 
Hecdog said:
Franks said:
If these were thimbles covered over that were designed to accept a wood stove pipe, you would not be looking at an insert, but a direct vent zero clearance gas fireplace. One that can be vented using a special adapter into a masonry flue. If they were actual fireplace openings that were covered, you can then use an insert.

Thanks for the reply. According the the inspection report I just got tonight, the chimney is a zero clearance chimney. I don't know what thimbles are. Since this is a zero clearance chimney who's stove was removed, what can I expect when I open up the drywall?

Since there's a gas pipe installed on the perpendicular wall, would it be better (cheaper) to install a unit one the gas line wall? It is an outside wall.

Thanks!

You will have to open the wall & look. A Zero Clearance chimney can be either for a ZC wood box or a ZC gas unit.
Depending on the age of the venting in there, it may not be usable, because it may not be manufactured any more...

It MAY be cheaper to connect to the existing gas line - IF - there is a tee in the line which can be utilized as a pick up point.
If there's no tee, & gas line has to be located, disassembled, cut, threaded & reassembled, the cost may be more than running new...
HTH
 
DAKSY said:
Hecdog said:
Franks said:
If these were thimbles covered over that were designed to accept a wood stove pipe, you would not be looking at an insert, but a direct vent zero clearance gas fireplace. One that can be vented using a special adapter into a masonry flue. If they were actual fireplace openings that were covered, you can then use an insert.

Thanks for the reply. According the the inspection report I just got tonight, the chimney is a zero clearance chimney. I don't know what thimbles are. Since this is a zero clearance chimney who's stove was removed, what can I expect when I open up the drywall?

Since there's a gas pipe installed on the perpendicular wall, would it be better (cheaper) to install a unit one the gas line wall? It is an outside wall.

Thanks!

You will have to open the wall & look. A Zero Clearance chimney can be either for a ZC wood box or a ZC gas unit.
Depending on the age of the venting in there, it may not be usable, because it may not be manufactured any more...

It MAY be cheaper to connect to the existing gas line - IF - there is a tee in the line which can be utilized as a pick up point.
If there's no tee, & gas line has to be located, disassembled, cut, threaded & reassembled, the cost may be more than running new...
HTH

Thanks again for your thorough answer. The gas line terminates at the wall, so I'm assuming you'd recommend installing a new one with the gas line in lieu of trying to reinstall one in the existing chimney. BTW, the house is built in 1988.

Thanks again!

Hector
 
If you have $200 in your budget and like gadgets, I was at Home Depot last night and saw that they sell a Milwaukee brand inspection camera. It's one of those with a 2 foot long fiber optic snake. You can drill a 1/4 inch hole and feed this thing through to look around. If you had one you could easily investigate what's behind both those walls.

Like this:

http://www.cpomilwaukee.com/factory...&cgid=milwaukee-cordless-test-and-measurement
 
Status
Not open for further replies.