Question about wood stove insert clearances for installation

[orionrogue]

Good morning all:

Been hiding in the background for a month or so before finally taking the plunge. Good site, and seems like good members.

I currently have an existing masonry fireplace in my Cape Code style home (about 1500 sq ft). Naturally, with any post-WWII Cape, the fireplace is on the end of the house. I've been looking at inserts for a little while, and the question of needed installation clearances came up. I haven't been able to find a definitive answer anywhere, so I thought I'd try here. So the question is this: aside from minimum clearances to get an insert INTO the fireplace, about how much extra space will I need to make the connection to the new liner? Most of the inserts I'm looking at have plenty of space remaining to the left and right, but my fireplace only has an entrance height of 23.8 inches, which seems limiting.

Any advice in this manner would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[DAKSY]

The Regency & Hampton inserts (& others) require you to make the positive
attachment of the adapter on the bottom end of the liner to the
top of the insert with "L" brackets.
These have to be installed on the top of the unit before
you slide the it into the opening.
That means you'll need at least another 2" in height to clear the lintel.
Then you have to get a screw gun in there to screw the brackets to the adapter.
Other inserts, like Jotul, have the positive attachment via a bar on the INSIDE of the unit,
& this bar also doubles as a "puller" to get the adapter into the flue opening.
I'd say to not only look at the models available, but also look at the install manuals
to see what's needed for the install...

 

[cmonSTART]

Ya, it really depends on the brand of insert you're looking at. Often in really tight fireplaces a few bricks can be knocked out of the top of the firebox to give yourself some more wiggle room.

 

[orionrogue]

Thanks for the responses. I'll keep in mind the need to get a screw gun (or at least a long, flexible adapter) in there to finish securing the connection, if required for a stove. I'll just keep reading installation manuals as I go down my list.

For cmonSTART, knocking out the lowest front bricks wouldn't help because the lowest point to the opening is actually the bottom of the steel damper plate. I'd like to fit an insert in without destroying the existing fireplace, or needing to break out a plasma cutter.