Excellent community forum here. I’ve been reading for hours per night for the last week or so. We have a 1940s house with what I can best describe as a “heatilator” style fireplace without the center pipes. (Similar to pic attached). This thing is terrible at creating heat, burning complete and has no control at all with a lot of back smoke. Three quarter split logs will last approx 20-25 min tops. Chimney is 3 sided external, terra cotta lined with inside dimensions of 7x11.25” and is clear top to bottom.
Goal is to install an insert. I see large errors in my ways of the combustibles around the current opening but there is brick easily accessed behind the drywall to meet the required setbacks when we get to that point.
First question, do you see issue with cutting the smoke shelf, damper area, and rear fire box wall slope out to clear room for new liner and larger insert. I drilled a small hole to verify open airspace behind rear wall of current firebox and confirmed with a camera.
Second question, any idea if 6” 304 with blanket and mesh will fit down or must I go oval? Can I slightly ovalize the 6” to clear?
Chimney is roughly 17’ from smoke shelf to cap.
Looking at Osburn 2000 but am concerned with what needs to happen with the hearth extension as its 19” from wall currently.
Now for the bad news. SD doesn’t have a certified sweep within 4 hours of me and I haven’t found anyone in town that knows anything other than propane inserts.
Any advice would be great. Thanks all. I have a small mountain of 3-10 year old split and stacked wood begging to be burned...
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Goal is to install an insert. I see large errors in my ways of the combustibles around the current opening but there is brick easily accessed behind the drywall to meet the required setbacks when we get to that point.
First question, do you see issue with cutting the smoke shelf, damper area, and rear fire box wall slope out to clear room for new liner and larger insert. I drilled a small hole to verify open airspace behind rear wall of current firebox and confirmed with a camera.
Second question, any idea if 6” 304 with blanket and mesh will fit down or must I go oval? Can I slightly ovalize the 6” to clear?
Chimney is roughly 17’ from smoke shelf to cap.
Looking at Osburn 2000 but am concerned with what needs to happen with the hearth extension as its 19” from wall currently.
Now for the bad news. SD doesn’t have a certified sweep within 4 hours of me and I haven’t found anyone in town that knows anything other than propane inserts.
Any advice would be great. Thanks all. I have a small mountain of 3-10 year old split and stacked wood begging to be burned...
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
