Fireplace to Stove - advice needed, photos/measurements inside

[super_kev]

Hello folks,
I've been watching this forum for a year or so, and have finally gotten to the point where I need to do something to my house. I have a downstairs fireplace, with a opening about 36" wide by 24" high, by about 25" deep. It has a Heatilator so I'm sure I can remove that. I've been to the top of the chimney and it appears to be about 9-10" square, lined with some firebrick or whatever that stuff is called. I would like to do a Quadrafire insert (5100 series will fit) but have been thinking and would really like a stove as I think the radiant heat would be better. I also need to remove some of the brick to the left of the current fireplace to allow for clearance, and will place brick on the right side as the wall is about 12" from the fireplace, as well as extend the hearth. House was built in the 60s.

Would it be possible or beneficial to have a Quadrafire stove (4300 Millenium or 3100 Millenium, or 3100 limited edition which looks great) with a pipe going into the wall above the Heatilator vent system, punching into the chimney with a insert/liner? I'm not worried about cost to remodel this as I'm doing the rest of the room and want it done right. I just want to make sure that this will work well. If their inserts are as efficient heat-wise, then I'll stick with that as it means I only need to move some brick around vs. punching holes through the brick (which I'll later cover with stone to look better). The room in question is about 900 sq feet (downstairs playroom), with central heat intake that I'll enlarge on the left side room in the photos to help bring in and circulate the warm air to the rest of the house (about 3000 sq ft, tri level).

Any thoughts about stove vs. insert here? I realize Quadrafires are convection vs. old-school radiant heat, but I just want my wood to go the longest when it's burned and if a stove would be best, I'd welcome any thoughts as to what to do to get the stove pipe (several 90 degree angles needed) through the wall into the chimney efficiently.

Thanks again.

 

[bholler]

You need to have a sweep out to look at what you have and give you options. And by the way it is no where near as simple as just moving some bricks. You may be able to go through above the firebox but it may also not be an option someone really needs to be there to investigate. As far as insert versus stove a stove will be a little better but if the insert is installed properly it wont be that big of a difference.

 

[begreen]

A freestanding stove will naturally convect and radiate more heat into the room due to the much greater surface exposure. That said an insert would look more trim and if you get one that projects a bit more out onto the hearth it will convect reasonably. You could put a screen of black painted expanded metal on the rear side opening to vent more heat from the insert.

Is this a basement install? How large an area will stove/insert be heating.

 

[super_kev]

Yes it's a basement install, about 16x20' in size, with a few attached rooms off of it. Then there's the story above it w/bedrooms, then a living room/kitchen off to the side (tri-level). There's furnace intake just to the left of the fireplace so when the insert/stove is on, I'll turn on the central fan and push warm air through the house.

 

[begreen]

Is there a large open stairway in the stove room to the next level? If yes that may work well for convecting heat. I'm trying to figure how large a stove/insert is needed. Where are you located and at what altitude? What is the total house sq ftg.?

 

[prezes13]

I believe he said 3000sf. That is a lot to heat especially by heating from basement. If I was you I would look for a free standing rear vented stove with as big of a fire box I could fit/afford.

 

[begreen]

3000 sq ft in Alabama or California is going to need less heat in general than 3000 sq ft in Maine.

 

[prezes13]

You are right I just never invision people in California burning wood. Maine, Vermont usually come to mind.

 

[begreen]

Northern Californians burn wood. Whether living on the cool foggy coast or up in the mountains at 4000 ft, it gets chilly enough to burn in winter.

 

[BrotherBart]

We honeymooned in San Francisco in the middle of March and I thought we were going to balmy California. Had to have the taxi stop on the way from the airport to the hotel so I could buy a couple of coats. And was thankful the boiler in the hotel was fired up.