I have a problem

[BrowningBAR]

So, I had the Intrepid installed and I am having a BIG problem getting the heat out of the fireplace. A BIG problem. I am barely getting any heat out into the room (even with a fan pointing at the stove). I am pretty sure it has a lot to do with how little clearance I have at the top of the stove. I am thinking about buying the small two inch legs for the stove. This would give me a lot more clearance and I am thinking it would allow the griddle to radiate heat into the room A LOT better.

Is this a good solution? Does anyone have a better solution? Anything else I can do, because right now it isn't even worth loading the stove up at this point with how little heat actually makes it into the room.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Click on the pic below for a better understanding.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Have you had a big enough fire to get all the masonry warm? That is a lot of mass.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Have you had a big enough fire to get all the masonry warm? That is a lot of mass.

Yep.

 

[SolarAndWood]

My VCs tended to radiate in all directions, so I guess it doesn't surprise me that the heat is getting trapped/lost in the fireplace. How tightly sealed is the chimney? Have you tried putting a fan right on the hearth and have it blow in on one side of the stove?

 

[BrowningBAR]

My VCs tended to radiate in all directions, so I guess it doesn't surprise me that the heat is getting trapped/lost in the fireplace. How tightly sealed is the chimney? Have you tried putting a fan right on the hearth and have it blow in on one side of the stove?

The chimney is sealed up quite well.

I have place the fan to the left and to the right. I even got ballsy and place the fan behind the stove in the hopes to push the hot air out of the fireplace. Before I commit to the expense of buying the lower legs and messing with the install do you think my theory is correct in thinking the lack of top clearance is greatly reducing me heat output or is it something else?

I'm confused, disappointed, frustrated, and a bit angry at this point.

 

[Dune]

I wouldn't bother. Get the stove out of the fireplace so it can do it's job.

 

[BrowningBAR]

I wouldn't bother. Get the stove out of the fireplace so it can do it's job.

That isn't an option at this point.

 

[Todd]

Do you have a block off plate? If it were me I'd rig some kind a sheet metal block off plate above the stove to reflect the heat out into the room, maybe even something around the sides as well.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Do you have a block off plate? If it were me I'd rig some kind a sheet metal block off plate above the stove to reflect the heat out into the room, maybe even something around the sides as well.

It has the back and bottom heat shield on it right now.

 

[Todd]

What about a block off plate at the old fireplace damper? You could be losing the heat up the stack?

 

[BrowningBAR]

What about a block off plate at the old fireplace damper? You could be losing the heat up the stack?

Nope, that was taken care of.

 

[Todd]

What about a block off plate at the old fireplace damper? You could be losing the heat up the stack?

Nope, that was taken care of.

Huh? no block off plate?

 

[BrowningBAR]

What about a block off plate at the old fireplace damper? You could be losing the heat up the stack?

Nope, that was taken care of.

Huh? no block off plate?

Sorry, the "nope" was meant as a "Nope, that isn't the problem, the installer took care of that".

 

[greythorn3]

instead of buying shorter legs save some money and just cut the ones that are on it shorter.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I wouldn't bother. Get the stove out of the fireplace so it can do it's job.

x2

 

[edthedawg]

BBar - one question I haven't seen (tho i kinda endorse getting it out of the FP, I see your hesitations there) is this:

what's your stovetop temps actually getting to?

Let's make sure the stove itself is really running hot enough, then we can talk options to heat the air and masonry around it better.

And not to pick nits, but it'd be assuring to know more about how the installer "took care of" the blockoff plate. Is it stuffed w/ rockwool? is there a sheet of stout tinfoil wrapped around the liner? Is there even a liner installed here? I know I could probably dig some of that outta your earlier posts, but I'm sure you could tell me quicker

 

[woodgeek]

Maybe I missed it, but is this an exterior or interior chimney?

can you get a blower kit? If a (table) fan blowing under->behind-> back out over the top is not doing it, then where are the BTUs going?

Remind me--is your other stove EPA? You feel good you're operating it for max output?

IMO, I don't think the shorter legs will do beans.

 

[glassmanjpf]

Forgive me I know you said its not an option, but I would really consider moving the stove out of the fireplace. Extend the hearth should not be difficult, add a section of pipe and I would think your problem would be solved. Also now you"d be able to see the entire stove.

 

[SolarAndWood]

My VCs tended to radiate in all directions, so I guess it doesn't surprise me that the heat is getting trapped/lost in the fireplace. How tightly sealed is the chimney? Have you tried putting a fan right on the hearth and have it blow in on one side of the stove?

The chimney is sealed up quite well.

I have place the fan to the left and to the right. I even got ballsy and place the fan behind the stove in the hopes to push the hot air out of the fireplace. Before I commit to the expense of buying the lower legs and messing with the install do you think my theory is correct in thinking the lack of top clearance is greatly reducing me heat output or is it something else?

I had all of the shields on my VCs. They still radiated in all directions. The wall behind and the floor beneath it were always very warm, arguably hot. In fact the flagstone that the stove sits on extends the length of the house and is in a 4 inch slab. Even that would be very warm 10 - 12 ft away from the stove. In contrast, these surfaces are barely any warmer than any other surface in the house with the Blaze King. I don't think the legs are going to solve the problem, just cost you time, money and aggravation.

 

[BrowningBAR]

instead of buying shorter legs save some money and just cut the ones that are on it shorter.

I probably will do that if I shorten the legs, but for a quicker explanation I mentioned the shorter legs as everyone is familiar with them and would understand what I was trying to do. Thank you, though.

 

[meathead]

Hey - We had a similar issue when I was a kid. Make (or have someone make) a block off plate that starts at just above stove level in the back and angles upward to the lintel, cemented to the fireplace walls on all sides. Heat will roll up it and out into the room - It really makes a surprising difference from just a damper block off plate.

 

[BrowningBAR]

BBar - one question I haven't seen (tho i kinda endorse getting it out of the FP, I see your hesitations there) is this:

what's your stovetop temps actually getting to?

Let's make sure the stove itself is really running hot enough, then we can talk options to heat the air and masonry around it better.

And not to pick nits, but it'd be assuring to know more about how the installer "took care of" the blockoff plate. Is it stuffed w/ rockwool? is there a sheet of stout tinfoil wrapped around the liner? Is there even a liner installed here? I know I could probably dig some of that outta your earlier posts, but I'm sure you could tell me quicker

I have placed the thermometer at the top left and top right of the front panel and at the top left of both side panels. I have had the stove, on a single burn hit the 500*-550* area for a prolonged period of time (2-3 hours) with it then slower drifting down to 400*-450* for another 2 hours or so. The temp would then drift downward giving me about a 5 hour burn. This seemed in line with everything I have read.

The room itself is about 15'x13' with a 7.5' high ceiling. It should have been very warm in that room, but it was not. You could tell there was some heat, but I wouldn't call it warm by any means.

Oh, and in regards to this: "Is it stuffed w/ rockwool? is there a sheet of stout tinfoil wrapped around the liner? Is there even a liner installed here?"

The answers are yes, yes, and yes.

 

[Rob From Wisconsin]

It sounds like you may have a problem similar to what I had when I put
our woodstove in our un-finished basement - cement walls can absorb a lot
of heat & throw very little back. I ended up putting cement board on the walls
directly behind the stove. Believe it or not, that made quite a difference.
A 1/2 year later, I "finished" the basement area, and that help even more.....

You may want to try placing some cement boards in the fireplace area to see if this helps.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Maybe I missed it, but is this an exterior or interior chimney?

can you get a blower kit? If a (table) fan blowing under->behind-> back out over the top is not doing it, then where are the BTUs going?

Remind me--is your other stove EPA? You feel good you're operating it for max output?

IMO, I don't think the shorter legs will do beans.

Interior chimney. I have no idea where the BTUs are going. The sides and top of the fireplace are quite hot so I am thinking all the heat (or at least 80% of the heat) is in the fireplace. The intrepid is the 1308 cat model. The cat box was in great shape when I got it, the assembly was shot. I put a new assembly in and I made sure it was a good fit. I have run the stove in up and horizontal mode (or secondary burn mode, which ever you choose to call it).

 

[BrowningBAR]

Forgive me I know you said its not an option, but I would really consider moving the stove out of the fireplace. Extend the hearth should not be difficult, add a section of pipe and I would think your problem would be solved. Also now you"d be able to see the entire stove.

If I extend out the hearth the easiest way to do it would give me an additional 11" That would expose about 85% of the top and side. Would that be enough? I will do this as a last resort. In fact I will be calling my installer on Monday to see what it would cost for him to come out or if it is something I can tackel on my own for the 're-install'. I can handle the hearth extension on my own without a problem.