Okay...so which insert would you go with?

[bajaspecial]

not sure if you looked at this but the vermont castings montpilier has a flush style front to it as well.it does extend about 2" from the face but can have a riser put under the front to support it

for yours the problem with the firebox floor being raised a bit is that some blowers rely on them being somewhat supported from below as well.
regencys 2400 and 3100
hamptons hi300
and some of the ones that extend onto the hearth ,which you dont have leave the insert somewhat unstable with the door wide open when loading.

just some things to think about before a purchase while masonry work is going on

we have taken some freestanders and trimmed the legs down to fit if heights are close and some bucks can be installed as inserts or free standers

 

[bajaspecial]

i got an idea for you. how about a avalon olympic insert but dont use the surround. make the blower sit flush with the front edge of the existing brickwork. keep the rear and left side screens in place.

this unit can be used as an insert or freestand so the finish on the sides is just as nice as the front.

it will just fit for your height an not have much of a gap for you to need the surround. the blower bolts on from the front under the door and ash lip.

does more than your sq footage, huge firebox, and is made by travis industries the same maker of some of the others you were considering.

 

[VCBurner]

If I were you I'd get rid of the brick on the floor and try to get a freestanding stove to go in that open space! You will get twice the heating with all the way around open space. No brick around the back, just the back of a beautiful front/side loading stove. I'd kill for an open space like that to put a stove in. Pure heat all the way around!! Plus you can get a bigger stove that will heat your entire house even with extreme weather. You have to be crazy to close that in and put an insert in there!

 

[BrowningBAR]

3. What are your thoughts regarding the Lopi Declaration for my setup?

My opinion is always; go large. You are near my area. Not super cold like Canada and Alaska, but it gets cold enough, that's for sure. You want a stove with a big enough box for easy overnight burns. You also want a stove big enough that can keep you warm on the coldest of nights. Which for here is single digits to the occasional below zero temps.

The Declaration has a 3.2 cb ft firebox. I think that's a good size. It is very rare on this forum you will hear people complain about getting too large of a stove (it does happen, though, rarely). But, there are dozens and dozens of threads on here of people regretting, complaining, or disappointed in their stove and how they wished the went larger when they purchased.

Also, a large firebox means longer reload times. Come February, after three - four months of loading the stove, a long reload time is a hell of a thing to have.

 

[Jimbob]

I'd go with the Osburn you listed for a couple of reasons:

1) It fits, you measured already.
2) It is a LOT less expensive than the other options. The Osburns are heavy, sturdy-built stoves, so quality and longevity shouldn't be an issue.

The $$$ you save can pay for a lot of "auxillary" heat. Remenber, the bigger stoves (inserts) heat more, but they also eat more wood while doing so.
If you're not living in the arctic, or in a house with NO insulation, the 1600 will still put a HUGE dent in the utility bills.

 

[Jimbob]

I live in a one story, 1,700 sq. ft house built in 1952 with a poorly insulated attic.

With the $$$ you would save getting the Osburn, and doing only the amount of brickwork neccessary, you could buy more insulation for the attic.Do your walls have insulation?

Try to keep as many of the bricks around the insert as you can, they'll make an excellent heat-sink, working sort of like a masonary heater.

 

[Boozie]

have you already ruled out the hearthstone clydesdale?

if you are going to have to do a lot of masonry work to get an insert in there, maybe consider fitting in a freestander instead. i love my insert but i'm not a huge fan of the constant blower noise.

Same here. Mine is in my family room, where the TV is and you have to turn the volume up so loud in order to hear it, or turn the blower down and lose the heat.

 

[Stax]

You guys have been awesome so far. I appreciate everyone's feedback regarding my situation. A member in here hooked me up with a great stove shop that I'll be visiting today. VCBurner's post definitely has me thinking. More pics and posts to follow.

 

[Boozie]

You guys have been awesome so far. I appreciate everyone's feedback regarding my situation. A member in here hooked me up with a great stove shop that I'll be visiting today. VCBurner's post definitely has me thinking. More pics and posts to follow.

I'm with VCBurner. If you can put in a stove ...... put in a stove. I have an insert only because I don't have the option of a stove. No real good place to put it. You have a nice open area that would benefit all around from the heat a stove can put out. Plus, you would have a nice stovetop cooking area in case of power outage.

 

[wwindsor]

Rcrozier - Any way you could share the stove shop the user here hooked you up with? I'm close by you (Princeton Jct). I have already visited one shop on your side of the Delaware river and have quotes for Quadrafire, Lopi, and Jotul.

 

[VCBurner]

Hello again Rc,
I'm glad you're thinking about my suggestion. It just makes sence to me to expose the entire heating unit as oppose to hiding it. Plus you will probably not need a blower on a stove in such a wide open space. Of course, you'd have to pick a stove with a nice looking rear end!! Have you ever thought of installing the liner yourself? It is as simple as inserting the flex pipe down the chimney. Well not really. But if you can do that, it's half the battle. Then you can save yourself another $1000. (Edited: Just saw your post with the prices on install. They sound pretty low, especially dealer 3.) There are many threads here about self installs. You may not even need to insulate the liner because of the central location of the stack. Get the pipe , cap and block off plate in place and you're ready for the stove to be put into place. Then you can have them deliver it to your hearth and you can connect the pipe to the stove. Just an idea.

 

[bajaspecial]

Hello again Rc,
Have you ever thought of installing the liner yourself? It is as simple as inserting the flex pipe down the chimney. Well not really. But if you can do that, it's half the battle. Then you can save yourself another $1000. There are many threads here about self installs. You may not even need to insulate the liner because of the central location of the stack. Get the pipe , cap and block off plate in place and you're ready for the stove to be put into place. Then you can have them deliver it to your hearth and you can connect the pipe to the stove. Just an idea.

there are codes that may require the installation of insulation to your liner, not just the location.

with the firebox being that big im going to assume its a 13x13 flue size or larger that by code would require it be insulated.

not that you still cant do it yourself, just get some info and do it the best way that you can

 

[VCBurner]

Hello again Rc,
Have you ever thought of installing the liner yourself? It is as simple as inserting the flex pipe down the chimney. Well not really. But if you can do that, it's half the battle. Then you can save yourself another $1000. There are many threads here about self installs. You may not even need to insulate the liner because of the central location of the stack. Get the pipe , cap and block off plate in place and you're ready for the stove to be put into place. Then you can have them deliver it to your hearth and you can connect the pipe to the stove. Just an idea.

there are codes that may require the installation of insulation to your liner, not just the location.

with the firebox being that big im going to assume its a 13x13 flue size or larger that by code would require it be insulated.

not that you still cant do it yourself, just get some info and do it the best way that you can

Thanks Baja for the input. Sounds good, plus they say an insulated pipe is better at drafting and keeping build up levels down. If in fact the flue is 13x13 it would make for an easier pipe installation. I wish I had a place like that for a stove.

 

[Stax]

Update:

Baja, the avalon idea won't work because of the improper hearth clearances on the back and post side of the fireplace. It would have to be bricked in. In terms of the free stander (much modication to the hearth), i've only got a 33 inch walkway into the kitchen. Don't know if that meets hearth clearances. I was out to Thewoodburners.com (stove shop in Hatfield, PA). These people are awesome. By far the best dealer I've come into contact with regarding my tireless effort to heat my home with wood. You can tell when you're working with good people. The only drawback to their shop is a lack of wood burning insert models on the floor. Their prices are also better than the other shops I've been to.

If you're considering the Declaration (2 doors) I'd get one fast as next season's model will only be a single door but with a larger viewing area. My next step is to have the installer and mason come out at the same time to gameplan. My wife is now annoyed and has even called me "obssessed" regarding my research. Lol...I just told her to deal with it. Talk to you guys later.

 

[Stax]

More pics of the situation. Note the the 33" walkway into the kitchen. The free stander just might not be feasible.

 

[Jimbob]

I still think your original idea of installing an insert would be the easiest.

You could go go with the bay window Osburn though, and it would fit according to the dimensions you posted earlier.
http://www.osburn-mfg.com/product.aspx?CategoId=7&Id=245&Page=spec

EDIT:
Another option to consider is the Pacific energy "Super" insert, it looks like it'll fit.
2.5 cu.ft. firebox.Also, with the easy-to-remove baffle, it would make chimney cleaning a lot easier.

http://pacificenergy.net/pacificenergy/super_insert.php

If you download the brochure, you'll see that it fits your fireplace.

 

[tickbitty]

So what did you decide here? If you can't fit a freestanding in there, have you thought about trying a decent looking insert without the surround, like somebody suggested above? Avalons, Lopis, etc look pretty good that way. Here's a thread with some images:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/50201/P0/

 

[Stax]

Tickbitty, thanks for your reply.

I've decided on a few things. All courtesy to hearth.com. I'm going to enclose the existing fireplace in April and put an insert in there. I'm going with the Lopi Declaration, probably from the woodburners.com in Hatfield, PA. I'm purchasing my liner and components from thechimneydepot.com and will have a local NFI certified sweep do the install because of the permit and insurance regulations. I've been busy out back splitting rounds and stacking trying to get my supply ready for next season.

 

[VCBurner]

Tickbitty, thanks for your reply.

I've decided on a few things. All courtesy to hearth.com. I'm going to enclose the existing fireplace in April and put an insert in there. I'm going with the Lopi Declaration, probably from the woodburners.com in Hatfield, PA. I'm purchasing my liner and components from thechimneydepot.com and will have a local NFI certified sweep do the install because of the permit and insurance regulations. I've been busy out back splitting rounds and stacking trying to get my supply ready for next season.

Good to hear, I'm sure you'll be very happy with it! Keep us posted!