some questions about wood stove insert options

[bolophonic]

My wife and I recently completed a restoration of a farm house and I am getting ready to have a wood stove insert installed in one of the masonry fireplaces. Previously, there had been gas logs installed.

The brick chimney is unlined, but clean. The inner dimension is probably 12"x14". The corbels on the top of the chimney were professionally rebuilt. In addition to the obvious problem of selecting an appropriate insert, I am wondering about safety concerns surrounding the thick layers of paint coating the inside of the fireplace. Will this need to be encased in some sort of non-combustable material to avoid burning and off-gassing?

There is also a hole for electrical access (red star in diagram) located 8" off the floor that could be used to power a blower, but I don't want to have to depend on electricity in order to heat this house. The ground floor is around 1500 sq. ft.

 

[Fsappo]

Just a few quick things. You WILL be dropping an insulated liner down the chimney for whichever wood burning appliance you choose. In regards to the paint off gassing, in my opinion, the gas logs burning in the fireplace should have done most of that. Now, some folks with more time will scour the clearances to see what you can fit in that opening without getting too close to that nice looking mantle.

 

[DAKSY]

I think you should investigate either stripping the paint from the fire place, or possibly sandblasting media to remove it.
Either way, I think I'd hire a professional, just because of the potential lead additives in the paint.
Another thing to consider, is the projection of the wooden legs of the mantel. You don't indicate
how far out from the brick facing they are. Also, is there a mantel shelf? How far out is that &
what is the distance to the floor from the underside of that shelf?
Those dimensions will have to be taken into consideration when the Clearance to Combustibles (CtC) is calculated.

 

[begreen]

Yes, with the current mantel woodwork it look like only a flush insert may work. Flush inserts need a blower to heat effectively. If the goal is to heat without a blower an insert that projects far out onto the hearth is going to be required or a freestanding stove on the hearth. In either case paying attention to clearances requirements will be important.

 

[bolophonic]

Thank you, everybody. There is a mantle 46" high, that projects about 10" from the brick surface, the mantle legs extend out 8" from the brick.

Owing to the complexities of paint removal in a home with small children, sandblasting or chemically stripping the paint will be impossible right now. I was giving consideration to applying a non-combustable stucco-type coat to the interior, in order to permanently encase the paint. Numerous tests have indicated that there is NO lead in the paint, however, I am going to treat it as though it contains lead and disturb it as little as possible.