How to use an open front wood burner as a closed stove?

[RJenkos]

Hello! First post and I'm coming out of the gate with an interesting question.

I am moving into an apartment that is fortunately equipped with a functioning open front wood burning fireplace insert. (Has a metal box with the chain mail front)

I probably won't be using it much this season since it's already going to be getting warmer and I wont have time to get the wood.

In preparation for next year, I am curious how I can modify this stove so that it can operate like a sealed wood stove (close off the air intake). It would be nice to have the heat off all winter to save some $$.

I am willing to modify the unit, but it has to look like it belongs as I will probably leave it when we move out eventually. Some of the units have wood burners with glass doors. Unfortunately our unit does not.


Any ideas, tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated.



Similar to what we have

 

[Nick Mystic]

As I understand it there probably isn't an easy way to do what you have proposed. The main problem with an open fireplace is that it sends most of the heat from the burning logs straight up the chimney. You can put glass doors on an open fireplace and make it look similar to a wood burning insert, but the change is just cosmetic as far as heat retention is concerned. Even if you were able to add some sort of outside air intake for the fireplace to stop the unit from sending your heated room air up the flue you would still be sending most of the heat up the chimney. If you were somehow able to close down the damper to slow the smoke from escaping up the flue you would have two problems to contend with. The first problem is how to keep the smoke from backing up into the house/apartment. If you solved this problem then you would have to deal with how to keep from burning down the structure since the unit isn't designed or built to handle the high temperatures generated by a real insert. Once you stop the heat from escaping up the chimney it would stay inside the pre-fab fireplace unit and more than likely cause damage to the unit or escape through the sides or top of the unit and ignite the combustible material in the framing that is usually built around these units. Since you say you are renting this apartment you aren't likely to be want to invest the thousands of dollars it would cost to remove the present unit and replace it with an appropriate wood burning unit, even if the landlord gave you the go ahead. About the only use you are likely to get from the present fireplace is some pleasant ambiance around the holidays when you burn a grocery store log in it, or real firewood if you locate some that is properly seasoned.

 

[RJenkos]

Yea, just for looks is what I wanted to avoid. To be honest, I don't know what the flue/ damper configuration is. I know there is something because the maintenance guys are supposed to be the ones to open it for us. For all I know the chimney is capped during the warm months. When our actual unit is vacated I'll be able to get in and see what the configuration is.

We strategically picked the middle floor apartment for the top and bottom insulation factor. It wouldn't need to burn super hot as we would only be heating about 500 square feet with it anyway (we plan to keep the extra rooms closed off normally).

Is there anything at all that can be done to use one of those with any sort of efficiency?

I appreciate the input so far.

 

[logger]

You're looking for a wood stove insert with blower. You have to measure the specs of your fireplace so you know what size stove will fit in there, prob something small. Also have to make sure your chimney is approved for something like that. You'll need an insulated chimney or liner to run up it. It's prob not going to be a huge project if your chimney can handle it. Lots of good brands out there once u figure out the size u need. Inserts are very efficient and many people I know heat their whole house with them. They require an electric blower (fan) to get the heat into the room but some models give off decent heat even w the blower off. I think ur making an excellent choice

 

[RJenkos]

Here is one of the units with the other style of insert if that helps any. It looks like a gas unit, but it's not.

 

[gzecc]

Yea, just for looks is what I wanted to avoid. To be honest, I don't know what the flue/ damper configuration is. I know there is something because the maintenance guys are supposed to be the ones to open it for us. For all I know the chimney is capped during the warm months. When our actual unit is vacated I'll be able to get in and see what the configuration is.

We strategically picked the middle floor apartment for the top and bottom insulation factor. It wouldn't need to burn super hot as we would only be heating about 500 square feet with it anyway (we plan to keep the extra rooms closed off normally).

Is there anything at all that can be done to use one of those with any sort of efficiency?

I appreciate the input so far.

I'm guessing here, because we really don't have any specific information to base a decision on. I would assume you have a pre fab fireplace that is really for ambiance, and the occasional small fire. IMO, if you actually try to provide the main heat for your structure, you will eventually burn the place down. Its not designed for high heat or even daily heat.

 

[RJenkos]

You're looking for a wood stove insert with blower. You have to measure the specs of your fireplace so you know what size stove will fit in there, prob something small. Also have to make sure your chimney is approved for something like that. You'll need an insulated chimney or liner to run up it. It's prob not going to be a huge project if your chimney can handle it. Lots of good brands out there once u figure out the size u need. Inserts are very efficient and many people I know heat their whole house with them. They require an electric blower (fan) to get the heat into the room but some models give off decent heat even w the blower off. I think ur making an excellent choice

I'm fully with you on that but keep in mind this is a rented apartment. I'm not sure I could get away with something like that!

 

[RJenkos]

I'm guessing here, because we really don't have any specific information to base a decision on. I would assume you have a pre fab fireplace that is really for a ambiance, and the occasional small fire. IMO, if you actually try to provide the main heat for your structure, you will eventually burn the place down. Its not designed for high heat or even daily heat.

That's kinda what I'm afraid of. Hopefully once we get in I can get a make and model to see what I'm really dealing with here and solution can be found.
If it's just to look pretty and there is no way to use it for actual heat, it will be useless to me.

 

[gzecc]

Here is one of the units with the other style of insert if that helps any. It looks like a gas unit, but it's not.

These are prefab fireplaces. They are not intended for primary heat sources.

 

[RJenkos]

That sucks. I hoped there was some way to use it for heat. We'll just stick it out till we can sell our house and buy another one around here (complicated story).

Thanks for the help and I will be back for sure when its time to get a real unit!