I'm a newbie with a few questions. I've decided to try burning wood as a secondary and emergency heat source. We have a heat-o-lator prefab fire place and I have been researching whether to install an insert or wood stove in the opening. I have decided to install a Buck 74 and a SS liner. I'm pretty handy around the house and planned on installing it myself. There are so many different brands of liners what brand do you all recommend? My hearth is 13 inches off the floor, how do "the do it yourselfers" raise the stove to insert it into the opening? This Buck 74 weighs about 460 lbs. Or is this something that should be done by a professional? Thanks for your time. I look forward to your response.
Chimney Liner and Install
- Thread starter ma.monty
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quotejso
Feeling the Heat
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
My stove at home has a liner all the way up. I didn't mess around, I put in HomeSaver RoundFlex. It costs a bit more up front but it should last a long, long time. It's also supposed to make tighter turns than the cheap liners can. I put in 304 stainless, which is cheaper than the 316 Ti. On the Buck at my MIL's house, the sweep put Heat-Fab rigid liner down to the bottom of the clay liner, then a shorter section of HD RoundFlex to the stove. I installed a 15* welded elbow and the cast flue collar to connect the flex liner to the Buck when I switched stoves. Make sure the pipe components are all made by the same company so that they will fit together correctly. Like quotejso said, you can lift one side at a time and slip 2 x 6 boards under the sides to elevate the insert. You might use a floor jack under a stout board, once you have it high enough. You can lay a piece of sheet metal on the floor of the fireplace so the stove will slide across the brick easier. Connecting the pipe to the top of the stove is easier if you have a few inches between the top of the stove and the lintel, so you can get your arms in there. This cast collar is tightened from inside the stove; Tightening sheet metal screws into the pipe and top of the stove using L-brackets would have been harder to do.
I don't know the model # I took the dimensions to the dealer and he said it would fit 38w x 29h x 22d. Thanks for your replies.
Slocketman
Member
DIY install is definitely doable, but you may want to check with your home insurance company on how to make sure they won't drop your policy for it.
In some areas you may need a building permit, professional installation, or at least a certified inspector to come check out your work afterwards & sign off on it w/ some documentation you can forward on to insurance.
That said, I just had an insert installed & did most of the same research you're embarking on. Not sure on the details of a pre-fab fireplace as mine was masonry, but if there's clearance from the top of the chimney all the way down into the firebox to run a 6" liner without severe bends or other restrictions it's not nearly as tough as if there's a flue damper plate which needs cut out, bunch of courses of brick to remove, big offset bend to one side, etc.
The 3 (big) guys that did my insert just stood next to the fireplace & straight beast-mode lifted the thing onto the hearth & pushed it into place (I helped
); no straps/jack/boards/whatever. But my Carolina Challenge insert is probably a bit lighter than your Buck & I would've used some mechanical advantage if I went the DIY route.
In some areas you may need a building permit, professional installation, or at least a certified inspector to come check out your work afterwards & sign off on it w/ some documentation you can forward on to insurance.
That said, I just had an insert installed & did most of the same research you're embarking on. Not sure on the details of a pre-fab fireplace as mine was masonry, but if there's clearance from the top of the chimney all the way down into the firebox to run a 6" liner without severe bends or other restrictions it's not nearly as tough as if there's a flue damper plate which needs cut out, bunch of courses of brick to remove, big offset bend to one side, etc.
The 3 (big) guys that did my insert just stood next to the fireplace & straight beast-mode lifted the thing onto the hearth & pushed it into place (I helped
); no straps/jack/boards/whatever. But my Carolina Challenge insert is probably a bit lighter than your Buck & I would've used some mechanical advantage if I went the DIY route.
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I have always laid down a sheet of metal on the hearth for the insert to slide on. It makes it so that one person can usually nudge it into place and easy with 2 people.
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