Can I make the Morso 6140 work in my shallow fireplace?

[greenleaf]

We've always longed to have a modern-looking wood stove in our house. So like many other folks, I am looking to take advantage of the 26% tax credit and have been scouring the EPA database for something that would work in our existing fireplace (removing the gas logs). Not only is our fireplace shallow, it also narrows at the back with only 23" of width. Right now, the only wood stove that I think will work is the Morso 6140B, without the base. By removing the base it would give us about 4" of clearance from the top of the stove to the lintel. (See 3D mockup). The fireplace is real masonry from the '50s, is it reasonable to install the stove on the fire brick without the base? Is this a fool's errand to spend all this money to have a super small stove in an alcove installation where the heat doesn't easily circulate into the room? Any other ideas to make a wood stove work in the existing fireplace? Please be gentle when crushing my dreams of having a wood stove

 

[EbS-P]

How big of space are you heating? How important are looks vs cost?
Are inserts an option?

I don’t think that is a super shallow fireplace.

Unless the manual states the stove can be installed without a base, installing that way would void UL listing and your insurance company probably wouldn’t go along with that.

 

[greenleaf]

Thanks for the reply, We'd hope to have a stove that could add heat to the living room and by extension the dining room/kitchen as it's basically one big room with vaulted ceilings but had no illlusions that it could be our only heat source.

TBH my wife is a little hesitant to look at inserts because of the wood insert she had growing up—where the living room was about 90 degrees and the rest of the house felt cold. I think our open floor plan in the main living space would lessen this to a degree but is still a major concern.

The list of modern-looking inserts that meet the EPA tax credit criteria is pretty short (something like the (broken link removed to https://www.rochesterfireplace.com/wood-products/wood-inserts/medium-flush/) looks like a good balance between form and function). You're right that looking at inserts does eliminate a lot of the issues with trying to fit a wood stove in a space that just won't work or voiding warranties and/or having a fire insurance claim denied. I'll give inserts a second look and see if there is anything else that could work. Thanks!

 

[d.sebens]

Modern inserts are pretty much a wood stove optimized for a fire place. It may be even better suited due to usually having a blower to help move trapped heat into the room.

FYI I don’t think the hybrid fyre is officially discontinued but it’s been replaced with the nex gen. This model doesn’t qualify for the credit though. 26% is great but keep in mind you won’t get it back until tax time next year. In my case I went with a model that didn’t qualify and it hurt a little but I wanted that model and didn’t like other options.

 

[begreen]

Past performance of the past insert is no indication of how an new insert would perform in your home. It could have been oversized, or too much wood added by an overzealous fire addict, or the house had closed off rooms and poor circulation or - they didn't come here to get issues sorted out.

I doubt it will work to put the 6140 in this location. It's 29 3/4" tall and would look odd in there.