Wood insert or pellet options for Pre-fab fireplace?

HI,

My wife and I just bought a new house--well short sale, and it has a pre-fab fireplace in it. I have been trying to find a wood burning insert that will work with it, but after 2 quotes(10-15k) telling me that I would have to gut the existing fireplace I am still looking for something that will fit. They both said that the existing box is too small and so is the existing flue and they would have to retro-fit it, even though the house was built in 2006? Can someone please provide me with some alternatives? I am even willing to look at pellet stoves, anything to get my heating bill down. One company did say that the ""Quadrafire Mt Vernon pellet stove, this option would be in the $5000 plus or minus range. It is capable of heating 3400 sq ft or more and the installation is a little more straight forward. We would have to cut and modify your existing fireplace box, slide the unit in and run a 4 inch stainless steel liner up the flue"" I just don't know what options I have left other than wearing thermals at night I don't know how long my kids will think that sleeping in sleeping bags is fun? Oh, the house is about 5000 sq ft, and I know that any stove that will fit won't heat the entire house, I just am trying to off-set the costs.

If you want a very educated Pellet answer. Then post this same question in the Pellet Forums. There are a few Zero Clearance options. Or some that will fit into a Pre Fab.

But if you want Pellet answers, the Guru's are in another Forum.

Even there you may get the same answer. To tear it out amd replace with a new Zero Clearance box. A couple people have just done this. One installed a Enviro M-55 cast insert (beautiful Multi fuel stove) and did a fantastic job.

My 2 pennies ;-P

Feeling the cold air coming in that FP? Your saying pre-fab...do you mean Zero Clearance? If it is a ZC you could have some choices depending on the brand of ZC you have for a insert. I installed a Avalon insert with a liner, RATED for my ZC stove...that's a must. I to did not want to spend 10k on ripping mine out. The insert cost was around 3K and I'm very happy with my choice. I would also recommended you use the search function for other post related to ZC. Make sure you spell out ZC in the search. Hope this helps you.
md

I am not sure if it is a zero clearance? How do I tell? I will post some pics when I figure out how

Here are some pics, any help is really welcome and needed at this point

In case my experience last year applies...

Ugly, unsafe, prefab fireplace needing brickwork anyway.

Started looking at inserts and somehow making the brick unugly. A couple places said they could do wood inserts but I wasn't clear it would be safe. Roughly $3-$4K installed. Gas would fit but we wanted wood. Pellet would fit also but it added another $1K and I'm still left with ugly brick. I saw mixed opinions on reliability of pellet inserts. Then I found it was only another $1K to have the whole thing torn out and replaced with zero clearance high efficiency wood fireplace including a new surround. So the ugly brick and prefab is gone, I have a fireplace I can use, and when I use the optional screen we get the crackle of wood. The only downside was, I have a big chunk of my yard full of firewood now because I actually use the fireplace.

Thank you for the reply, can I ask what the insert was that you put in?

They tore off all the brick, pulled out the entire prefab firebox, put in a Lennox Montecito zero clearance fireplace with new flue so not an insert, and ceramic tile surround with a wood mantel. In the middle of the process looking at this gaping hole in our living room wall, I was pretty sure the storey wouldn't end well but the installer did a fantastic job. I wouldn't have thought about getting this done except one of the guys quoting an insert mentioned it wouldn't be much more to replace the whole thing and I'd be happier with the result.

First of all Congratulations on your new home. May it be a blessing to you and your family. Second welcome to the forum. So here's my bit of input: Leave the prefab and find a spot to put a stand alone. It will cost you way less, and you'll get the best heat output (with a woodburner). Either way, pellet or wood it will be way less than 10-15K. Either way, good luck with it.

Inserts into prefabs are iffy at best in my opinion. Why not remove what is there, and put in a real ZC heating appliance, or (IMHO) a much better, free standing stove type dealeo..

Our instal was done entirely by the wife and I, total cost including the stove itself was under $4500, and that includes the crazy expensive custom hand thrown craftsman tiles. Took a couple weeks of no hurry work.

As far as heating 5000sqft... It can be done, there are a few on here doing it. Takes multiple stoves. Do-able though.

Looks like a ZC, there should be a tag with the model name and number on the left or right side just before the brick where the doors are, if I remember right. You need the name to see what insert is rated for your ZC if any. You have choices but first you need to think about what do you want to heat. Do you want to heat the whole house or add heat to your already heat source. From there you can decide what changes and cost fit for what you want to do. For me the insert was the right choice that I'm glad I made...great heat, saves on wood and no more cold air leaking in through the ZC insert.
md

The measurements are Actual firebox



Depth= 19.5in



Front width=31 in



Back of the firebox width=19.75in

From the dimensions given for the back of the fireplace it looks as if your options for a insert are very limited. A Jotul 350 winterport requires 22.5" in the back and that is their smallest insert. If you are heating a large house I would suggest a freestanding stove anyways. I have the 350 winterport and it does a fine job of supplementing heat but could never heat the whole house (2600 sq ft). If it is 20 degrees out and the thermostat is set at 64 degrees i can get it up to 68-70 degrees after running it for 3hours. I didn't really have the option of installing a freestanding stove but if I did thats the way i would have gone....more heat output and no annoying fan noise.

The height is 20 inches, but there is about an 1in lip on the lower plate that I could maybe sand down?

I would try to heat the entire house with the insert, but like someone said, just supplement it and that way the finance and heat pump wouldn't have to run so much.

I am going to check out another dealer today and see what they have to say. At this point even a pellet stove is looking like a viable option!

GR18 and A36C are the two "model" numbers that are on the serial plate. I can't find much on it, just that it is a heatilator?

Good luck at the stove shop. Let us know how it goes.

heatilator is your brand... when you go to the dealer check out Avalon inserts for ZC they have a 45 degree flue not sure if other brands have them. It help with fitting the insert in to get the biggest rated stove for your ZC.
md

Well, I went to the store and spoke with another guy. The consensus is that for the least amount of money and the most amount of heat, a pellet stove is the way to go. With my wife complaining about getting wood all the time, that didn't help either. I will keep you all posted on what happens next--probably nothing until we get some tax money back!

Oh and one more thing, the sales guy still said that I would need to run a new 4in tube down the existing pipe--why isn't the old one good enough especially since it is bigger?

A lot depends on certain local code. But for a fireplace install, it is recommended that a full length liner be installed (3" or 4") I would install the 4", but as long as the run isn't to high, you can stick with 3" to keep the price down a little.

Your Pre Fab doesn't have a standard Class A chimney. Even if you went with a wood insert that would fit in the firebox, you would still need a new liner (6") for it.

How tall is the chimney you have?

I would start a new thread in the Pellet Mill if you have any further questions.

This all sound familiar to me, so here is what I did.

http://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/84537/P0/

I ended up venting out the back of the chase to keep the maintenance, and cost down.

I'll will add some pix of the outside venting ASAP.

I hope this helps,

1D