Anyone with some masonary and wood stove knowledge please take a look at this

[PHARO]

My home currently has a really cheap fireplace insert. It doesnt work very well and common sense tells me its dangerous and I do not use it. I have included some pictures of this, what I want to do is take out the insert and construct a “firebox”? To place a wood burning inser into and hook up toe the triple wall 8” flu that is currently there. I like the look of the insert a lot and dont mind having to construct something to install properly. The hearth is 2 feet wide and and the room is 25 x 16. I would prefer an insert and dont mind doing a little masonary work. If any one can give me some solid advice I would really appreciate it. Hopefully you understand what I mean.



thanks

 

[drdoct]

Are the first 2 pictures the back of the fireplace that's shown in the 3rd? What is that a storage area? How did you get behind the hearth for pictures? I don't know the clearances on that ZC, but wouldn't think putting cardboard boxes on top of it would be a very good idea. If it were me I would brick up the whole thing and put a stove on that extra long hearth you've got there.

 

[Sealcove]

Without knowing what the rest of the room is like that third picture, to my eye, screams free standing stove on the raised portion of the hearth. Would that be an option?

 

[joeleisner]

I like the gas can next to the back of the fireplace. I guess if you are having a hard time starting the fire you can pop behind the fireplace a grab the gas.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

i agree as well the hearth you have would support a pretty decent sized frestander, i'd look for a rear vented unit to pass through the fireplace face and connect up that way. it should be noted however that most ZC freplaces have UL-103 rated 1700 F pipe and a stove would have to be vented with UL103HT 2100 F flue system. you may be able to use a so rated liner inside of the existing flue pipe but check first to see if its legal to do so.

 

[oconnor]

If that is a ZC fireplace, you'll need to determine what brand/model, and look for an insert to fit it.

As for "bricking up a fireplace", don't bother - you will need to build a fully code complaint fireplace first, and then get an insert to go in it. That means brick all the way to ground level with proper footings etc. Way cheaper to get a stove. Besides, inserts are a compromise to a stove anyways - I'd rather have all 6 sides of the stove in my room instead of the meager exposure an insert gives, but I needed to compromise due to lack of space.

If you are truly intent on building a fireplace, check out the info on this site - www.rumford.com - great details on what is needed for a proper fireplace, and why. Still, building a fireplace just to put an insert in it seems like a lot of work and money for a compromise heater.

 

[mainesuomi]

I agree with Brent. I do not think you can build a masonry "fire box" and tie it into a multiple wall metal chimney. There's a lot involved with the physics of a real fireplace and I doubt you can make the appropriate connection into a metal chimney. You might consider getting yourself a better quality zero clearance fireplace, like the one you have. You want to get a qualified technician to look at what you've got. Without the right approach, you'll cause a hazard. -Dave

 

[fossil]

Hearth stove, Class A chimney, other miscellaneous necessary modifications. Could turn out real nice. Won't be real cheap, quick, or easy, though. Rick

 

[PHARO]

Hearth stove, Class A chimney, other miscellaneous necessary modifications. Could turn out real nice. Won't be real cheap, quick, or easy, though. Rick

How much we talking if I do all the work?

 

[begreen]

It really depends on the stove choice, how tall is the flue and how deep is the current hearth?

To save a bit, you might be able to put an insert with liner into the current setup. It would help to have dimensions of the current ZC fireplace opening and if you know it, the make and model of the fireplace.

 

[PHARO]

It really depends on the stove choice, how tall is the flue and how deep is the current hearth?

To save a bit, you might be able to put an insert with liner into the current setup. It would help to have dimensions of the current ZC fireplace opening and if you know it, the make and model of the fireplace.

The hearth is 22 inchs wide by 5.5 ft long. The opening of the fireplace is about 4 ft wide by 4 ft tall. Those are the dimensions of the opening if I take out the insert. I can not make out a brand or model number on the unit itself.

I Was planning on taking out the fireplace and using the cinder block / cement foundation that is started (you can see this in the picture with the gas can in it) and finish it with cinderblocks all the way up to the flue followed by 2 inch thick pieces of slate tile on the inside. And then picking up some type of hearth stove, I really like some of the jotul models but want to find a used one on criagslist. I am open to other brands.

I just picked up an efel stove for free that is in excellent condition that I may hook up for a month or two through the current fireplace until I re do everything this summer.

 

[drdoct]

I looked up efel stove's website and they don't have any of their clearances listed so it's hard to tell what you will need to do. My biggest concern would be for the mantel over the top and that clearance. I think you could get within pretty close of the back wall clearance using some sort of heat shield. Does your stove vent out the top or back? If it's out the back then it would be easy to drop a liner for $400 or so dollars and Hook it up with the stove sitting furthest out on the hearth. If this is acceptable to code (I don't know code... just rigging). If all that is acceptable then I would get a piece of sheet metal paint it and secure it over your ZC fireplace front using seal and peel caulk. Run your 6" pipe through that and into the 'T' that will come with the kit for the liner. I'm not sure how you get from the stove to the T though because I've never had a free standing stove that was connected to a liner. You'd probably be out $500 or so total. I would probably move a lot of that crap away and off the old firebox just to be safe. That's how I would solve your dilemma. Maybe not the 'code' way, but it's the rigged way that I think isn't too unsafe.

 

[weezer4117]

i just did what you need to do for rite around $550. 17' of class A, new slate hearth, and some hollow brick. class A is really easy to install( that is if you are able to do it!!) i put up the whole 17' in about a half hour. i ran the pipe inside the existing 12 in. zc and used a T to connect to the stove. very easy!!