Help needed... newbie alert

[Norphilwich]

Hi guys. I'm new to this forum and very keen on getting a woodburner before winter. We have been in our bungalow 3years this Christmas. Today I pulled out the electric fire to find these bricks behind my fire (shown in photos) I had been looking at stoves before hand thinking I had a chairback behind fire so was looking at a aarrow ecoburn plus insert. Well now I think this is out of the window. The sizes behind fire are 360(d) 570(w) 830(w). Also the two other pictures are of the chimmey stack. This looks like clay to me so would I get away with no flume? Thanks for your time...

 

[webby3650]

Have you considered extending the hearth a little and setting a freestanding stove in front of the opening? It would really expand your possibilities. Yes, you will still need a liner that goes inside your existing flue.

 

[Norphilwich]

Have you considered extending the hearth a little and setting a freestanding stove in front of the opening? It would really expand your possibilities. Yes, you will still need a liner that goes inside your existing flue.

Thanks for your time. Since I have opened the fireplace I have thought about that. So you reckon I will need a new liner? Just I thought I was told if it's clay I won't need one? Considering my wife was against this she is getting quite excited now!

 

[webby3650]

Theres a couple of issues with not using a Stainless Steel liner.
One issue is that the current flue is much too large for modern appliances. That flue was designed to vent an open fireplace, not a sealed up stove. To work properly, it needs to be the same size all the way to the top.
The other issue is safety. If the insert has no liner, all that creosote falls down on and around the stove. And has to be pulled out every season to clean it. Same issue with a freestanding stove. It's also a code violation to install an insert without a liner. It was common many years ago, but not anymore.

 

[begreen]

I'm going to take it that this is Norwich, UK and not CT. Check with the local permitting authority for what is required regarding a liner. A local professional sweep should inspect the flue for defects. If there are any, a liner will be a necessity.

 

[Norphilwich]

Cheers guys. Yeah we are in Norwich uk. I had heard that if you do have a clay flume with no defects you can get away without having a liner. I have got two different companies come out next week to advise on whats best.

 

[NitroDave]

Just remember that what you "can do" is not what's always the "best way".

 

[begreen]

Cheers guys. Yeah we are in Norwich uk. I had heard that if you do have a clay flume with no defects you can get away without having a liner. I have got two different companies come out next week to advise on whats best.

That will depend on the stove and the flue tile size. You don't want to go much more than twice the stove flue diameter. If it has a 120mm outlet and the chimney tile ID is 200 x 200mm then that is more like a 3:1 ratio and too large. If however the stove flue collar is 150 mm then the 200x200mm flue tile is acceptable as long as it is in good and safe working condition.

 

[webby3650]

But, since this is a fireplace it will need a liner. There just isn't a way to do it properly without one. If it was a thimble in a wall, things would be different.

 

[Norphilwich]

Thanks for all your advice. I'll let you know how I get on after they have been round...

 

[begreen]

Yes, webby's right. I am not sure how they do it in the UK, but if it were my chimney there would be a liner in it. What stove were you thinking of getting?

 

[Norphilwich]

I was looking at the aarrow ecoburn insert 5 at first but now I have a bigger area to play with my options are wide open.