Can Two Tiny Coal Fireplaces Take Woodstoves?

[Bbear]

Two Tiny Coal Ironwork Fireplaces, 22"Wx18"Hx7"Deep, Cast Iron Coal Gratings Inside: (How) Can I Install Wood Stoves?

Swamp Yankee transplant in the Carolinas seeks "you-hyphen-all's" sage advice:

Circa 1929 house, single flue chimney for living room coal fireplace, other coal fireplace on one flue of two flue chimney(other flue modified for basement natural gas pack-ac central air duct system.

1. Is there any reasonably efficient wood stove I can retrofit for these, using the existing fireplace openings?

2. Am I stuck punching-drilling a hole over both fireplaces to reach the flues laterally and higher up?
(I'm assuming the only wood fireplace insert for these would be "for a doll house", right?)

3. Am I correct assuming that if I burn either wood or anthracite coal in the fireplaces as they are, that I am
merely creating a draft to suck up all of the heated air from the forced air system?

4. Is the cheapest and best solution in the long run, just to leave the insulation in place in these, and simply not use them?

5. Is #4 also the only safe solution? (I forgot to mention that the living room fireplace has an open gas jet, which, for the reasons above, I hesitate using.)

I appreciate any suggestions.

 

[tickbitty]

There's a place called victorian fireplace shop that offers all kinds of gas or electric inserts for those little coal fireplaces. They look nice, and probably do offer some heat. http://www.gascoals.net/Products/GasProducts/GasInserts/tabid/331/Default.aspx
They aren't woodstoves though!
http://www.gascoals.net/Products/GasProducts/tabid/308/Default.aspx
http://www.gascoals.net/Products/ElectricFires/tabid/616/Default.aspx

Somebody on here used one of those little fireplaces to burn wood and it didn't look terribly safe, they were searching out wood stoves that might fit and I think saw some rather tiny ones, pretty cute ones that are used on boats?
Like this one, the "little cod!"
http://www.marinestove.com/newspaper.htm

 

[begreen]

First you need to have the flues assessed for their integrity and size. I think the chances of finding a stove with that low a vent to tie into this opening is unlikely. Though perhaps there is a small coal stove? I don't know much at all about coal. This is a better question to ask at www.nepacrossroads.com.
Option #2 looks like the best route to go, assuming that the flue is serviceable and hopefully can accommodate a liner.
For question #3, you are correct. The heat giveth and the heat taketh as the fireplace cools down.
Question #4 - What is the current heating system? What condition is it in? For NC, a good heat pump or mini-split system could be more cost effective. But if you are a firebug, then nevermind. Electrons don't glow in a heatpump. No fire view here.
Question #5 - see question #4.

 

[Bbear]

There's a place called victorian fireplace shop that offers all kinds of gas or electric inserts for those little coal fireplaces. They look nice, and probably do offer some heat. http://www.gascoals.net/Products/GasProducts/GasInserts/tabid/331/Default.aspx
They aren't woodstoves though!

Somebody on here used one of those little fireplaces to burn wood and it didn't look terribly safe, they were searching out wood stoves that might fit and I think saw some rather tiny ones, pretty cute ones that are used on boats?
Like this one, the "little cod!"
http://www.marinestove.com/newspaper.htm

Two great and viable options, thank you!

1. Victorian gas inserts would apparently fit in openings, and even possibly with the coal gratings in place....and provide for sealed outside air source and separate smoke interior stovepipe....so there's a chance of at least some of that heat radiating into the room without venting tons of warm air right up the chimney, and the natural gas line is already there. This would still be more of a cosmetic choice, and not reduce much the natural gas bill for the entire 2400 ft. sq. house....

2. The Nova Scotia shipboard woodburners are amazing....hardly ever expected to find something so small that it actually fit INSIDE these openings, and with space to spare....and if I do my homework, I can picture getting enough of one of those stoves inside the 7" deep fireplace opening to run the stovepipe up the flue, yet enough outside to still be able to feed the fireboxes on the side.

Hey, you've gotten me started, and that's tons more than I've been able to do on my own for over 8 years now. Thanks again.

 

[geoxman]

wow those little things are awesome looking!

 

[spirilis]

I keep forgetting about those little things. They're rather expensive for what they are but probably worth it for someone on a boat

Woodstock stove company has a tiny pint-sized gas stove too with some soapstone panelling on it-- http://www.woodstove.com/index.php/mini-franklin

 

[oconnor]

The Jotul F100 Nordic QT measure 18.5" to the center of the rear exit, so it may fit with minor modification of the hearth lintel. It was the sencond choice stove when I put our Kennebec in.

 

[logger]

I keep forgetting about those little things. They're rather expensive for what they are but probably worth it for someone on a boat

Yah, they're real freakin expensive. I guess if you can afford a nice yacht, you can afford the sardine to heat it.