newbie insert / fireplace queastions

[chammy]

hey all, this has been a very informative forum but i have a few specific questions to pick your brains with. i have a large superior heatform fireplace with a stone chimney and 8x13 clay tile liner located on an exterior wall that is roughly 30 ft tall. will be looking to heat about 1600 square foot mostly open area with large loft overlooking vaulted living room ceiling. now the questions haha. i'm looking at a timberwolf 2201 insert, good idea? bad idea? decent product? next question i will have to line the chimney to the top correct? and insulate it? is flex pipe ok? next question will this approach meet codes or standards and be safe? and finally can i cut out the damper but more importantly the heat circulation tubes above the fire box to get my liner through and still be safe? i am an experienced welder and metal fabricator so cutting out the old and welding in a new block off plate shouldnt be a problem, if it is ok to butcher the existing fireplace.thank you all for your help i know this is alot in one post. i am sorry but im looking to pull the trigger soon, tired of my heat going up the chimney and paying the electric company to replace it haha. yall have a good day.

 

[Eaglecraft]

hey all, this has been a very informative forum but i have a few specific questions to pick your brains with. i have a large superior heatform fireplace with a stone chimney and 8x13 clay tile liner located on an exterior wall that is roughly 30 ft tall. will be looking to heat about 1600 square foot mostly open area with large loft overlooking vaulted living room ceiling. now the questions haha. i'm looking at a timberwolf 2201 insert, good idea? bad idea? decent product? next question i will have to line the chimney to the top correct? and insulate it? is flex pipe ok? next question will this approach meet codes or standards and be safe? and finally can i cut out the damper but more importantly the heat circulation tubes above the fire box to get my liner through and still be safe? i am an experienced welder and metal fabricator so cutting out the old and welding in a new block off plate shouldnt be a problem, if it is ok to butcher the existing fireplace.thank you all for your help i know this is alot in one post. i am sorry but im looking to pull the trigger soon, tired of my heat going up the chimney and paying the electric company to replace it haha. yall have a good day.

Can't speak to the Timberwolf 2201 insert. Yes, line the chimney from the insert to the rain cap with an insulated SS flex liner. There are several suppliers of SS Flex liners - just search the web and this forum. And yes, running the flex liner through a terra cotta chimney meets code. The proviso is that the terra cotta and brick chimney are in good shape and cleaned prior to dropping the liner down. These SS liners are safe by nature because: 1) they are continuous - no joints - from top to bottom, and 2) because they can take the heat. By the way, the heavy duty type flex liners aren't so flexible.

I, or my welder, that is, modified my Superior Heatform by cutting out the damper, two of the heat tubes, and part of the containment steel. We welded steel plates over the openings in the heat tubes and I filled all four tubes with loose insulation sold for insulating flex liners. We then welded a block off-plate to the old boiler plate steel. It's working great.

When you "butcher" the Heatform steel to make all these modifications, the unit is then "shot" as far as ever using it as a fireplace again. But, so what? By the way, you should attach a metal tag to the Heatform stating that it cannot be used as a fireplace. I have some photos is my install if you are interested.

Good luck.

 

[chammy]

thatvwould be great it shounds like i am doing the same thing you did. think ive changed my mind on insert though. decided i should spend a little more and get a bigger unit. anyone have opinoins of the osburn 2400