Convert Masonry to Gas or Wood Fireplace Appliance?

[woodtogas]

I have a large wood burning masonry fireplace that has a gas log set in it. I think it pulls more heat out of the house than it creates.

I'm interested in converting it to a gas or wood fireplace appliance for some real heat. Something like the Fireplace Xtrordinair 44 or equivalent.

I've looked at inserts for existing fireplaces and the windows look small and in my opinion the end result doesn't look like it was original to the home. Also, I would want a viewing area close to what I have now with an open masonry fireplace.

Is it possible for a mason to modify my existing firebox, flu, smoke chamber, hearth, etc. to fit a full size gas or wood appliance like the Xtrordinair? Has this been done in the past? Can a portion of the firebox/fireplace be opened up or removed without sacrificing the integrity of the structure holding the chimney up? My current firebox is 42w x 32h x 21d.

We are prepared to reface the fireplace with new stone (current stone is UGLY), new mantel etc since we are in the process of remodeling.

Thanks for any advice and insight into my situation.

 

[webbie]

I think that the fit becomes the largest part of the equation. It would not be a good move to start busting out interior walls of the fireplace.

There are some bigger gas inserts - I think if you dig around you will find something close to what you are looking for.
One example of a fairly large insert is Mendota:
(broken link removed to http://www.mendotahearth.com/mendota-inserts-specs.asp)

There are others, quad has one:
(broken link removed to http://www.quadrafire.com/Products/Gas_Burning/Gas_Model.asp?f=07460)

 

[jtp10181]

You might also want to look into putting s freestanding wood stove in, or in front of that masonry fireplace. Could be a good looking option if it slides inside.

 

[woodtogas]

Thanks for the links. I'll try to find a showroom to see the larger inserts in person. The inserts I saw before looked short and shallow. Not realistic looking at all but maybe the models you mentioned will be better.

In theory wouldn't it be possible to remove the firebox bricks, smoke shelf and damper to create room for a zero clearance fireplace? Obviously the back and side support walls of the chimney couldn't be removed but why not the firebox as long as the structural integrity of the chimney isn't compromised? An experienced mason seemed to think it was doable but I was wondering if anyone had attempted it before? Without the fire bricks I would gain approximatly 8 inches in width and 4 inches in depth which would accommodate most of the larger zero clearance fireplaces. I would also need to modify the lentil height to accommodate the vertical dimension which seems like the tricky part to me.

Lastly is there a certain amount of space required above all zero clearance fireplaces? The Xtrordinair requires 81 inches above the base of the fireplace in the manual? But others have no specific requirement.

Thanks for the insight.

 

[webbie]

The FPX has vents and other stuff above it - I really can't imagine how you could modify an existing fireplace to make it fit without MAJOR work. While anything CAN be done, the question is always whether you want it done. As I said to my customers who asked for similar stuff "heck, I can move your house down the road if you like"......

If you were going to do this with wood, I would suggest you look at masonry enclosed units like the Magnum, Wilkening and Cozy Heat, etc, since they are made to actually build into masonry structures. As far as the ZC ones (wood) even connection to a masonry chimney is a no-no, so that rules most or all of them out.

Gas may be a bit easier, since you might be able to use an approved venting system (DV), but it could still be difficult. I still lean toward an insert if gas, and on the wood end if you cannot find a large insert, look at the masonry enclosed boxes and see if any can be fit and still meet the specs in the manual, etc.

Honestly, we didn't have a lot of folks doing stuff like that when I had my shop - most contractors would not want to dig into an existing masonry structure just for liabilities sake.