CTC challenge, what are my options?

[gthomas785]

Hi all, this is something I've been thinking about for a while and I'm looking for some suggestions / ideas. Probably not for this year, but thinking more long-term about how to add more wood heat to my house.

I have this spot, see pic, at the opposite end of the house from the woodstove I currently have. It's a brick fireplace with an unlined chimney built about 1815. I think it would be straightforward to drop an insulated 6" liner down the chimney so that's not the issue. The main problem is the side wall which was built in at some point in order to add a corner bathroom, it is not original to the house and does not meet code requirements for clearance to the fireplace.

I'm hoping I can resolve the clearance issue and put either an insert or freestanding stove in this location. Here are the measurements I made:

Fireplace opening: 26"W x 26"H x13"D
Hearth ext: 40.5"W x 32" D
Trim opening: 34"W x 36" H
Mantel height (from floor) 49"
Side wall to edge of fireplace: 14" (yep..)
Sidewall to edge of hearth ext: 6.5"

Whatever I end up getting would need to be fairly small in order to fit into the fireplace, and in the case of a freestander should have a rear vent pretty low for a pipe to fit under the fireplace lintel. I'm also a little concerned about whether the hearth extension is going to be big enough for whatever setup I end up with. Enlarging that hearth extension seems like a huge project that I'd rather not get involved with if I don't have to.

I'm also assuming I would need a mantel shield of some kind, which is fine but I'd rather not modify the actual trim around the fireplace since it is original.

As I see it, my options in order of preference would be

1) find an elegant stove/insert that fits into this space and meets the required CTCs without any modification (ha ha)

2) install some kind of protective shield on the side wall that would reduce the clearance requirement - this depends on finding a stove that would allow for that - and/or use a hearth pad on the floor (this would reduce the available height even further, in addition to possibly looking weird)

3) tear down the side wall and rebuild it out of non-combustible something something

4) give up on the project entirely and keep heating with gas

5) rip out the corner bathroom completely - I'm on the fence about whether I even like this bathroom or not, but I'm hesitant to completely remove it since there's almost no way I'd get a permit to put it back ever

So my question is, can anyone suggest a stove or insert with really small clearance requirements? Have you done an install in a similar situation and come up with any creative solutions?

Thanks for any and all advice.

 

[gthomas785]

Anyone have experience with the Enviro Boston 1700? Based on the manual it looks like it would fit here with a bit of shielding. I'd have to scramble to find one though cause it's not 2020 certified...

 

[begreen]

It works for side clearance to the wall and prolly ok with a mantel shield. Worst case scenario, remove the mantel, it is nothing fancy.

 

[gthomas785]

Update: so I just picked up a last minute deal on a VC Intrepid (pre-2020) for next to nothing. My dealer says they can make it fit, but the mantel and breastplate need to go. He also says the "legs" of the trim can stay, but I don't see how.
I'm trying to wrap my head around the side trim requirements. The Intrepid install manual (pages attached) doesn't say anything about trim for a fireplace installation, but the side clearance (C) is 15", so this trim definitely would be too close even with a shield. Am I interpreting that right? He must be planning to put it right back against the fireplace in order to get the 16" of hearth extension in front of the door, in which case the trim would be right by the side of the stove.

He recommended noncombustible mantels made by Stoll Industries. Are they good? Any other recommendations? And, assuming I need to replace the whole fireplace surround, how much should I plan to spend on a custom mantel and surround like this?

 

[bholler]

Update: so I just picked up a last minute deal on a VC Intrepid (pre-2020) for next to nothing. My dealer says they can make it fit, but the mantel and breastplate need to go. He also says the "legs" of the trim can stay, but I don't see how.
I'm trying to wrap my head around the side trim requirements. The Intrepid install manual (pages attached) doesn't say anything about trim for a fireplace installation, but the side clearance (C) is 15", so this trim definitely would be too close even with a shield. Am I interpreting that right? He must be planning to put it right back against the fireplace in order to get the 16" of hearth extension in front of the door, in which case the trim would be right by the side of the stove.

He recommended noncombustible mantels made by Stoll Industries. Are they good? Any other recommendations? And, assuming I need to replace the whole fireplace surround, how much should I plan to spend on a custom mantel and surround like this?

Yeah I don't see how any of that mantle can stay. Have you read reviews of vc stoves???

 

[gthomas785]

Yeah I don't see how any of that mantle can stay.

Ok, that's what I thought. I will assume I need to take it all out and figure out what to replace it with.

Have you read reviews of vc stoves???

Yeah, I've read about how people say they break a lot and are hard to maintain. I've had my Encore for a season now and I love it, but we'll see how long it lasts. I guess this time around I didn't care cause the price was so cheap, worst case it craps out in a few years. But I hope not. Also I like the appearance better than a lot of other stoves out there so that was part of my decision.