Finally, New T5 installed & in operation

[gasavage]

Finally finished up the install of my new T5 (except for some trim). I used ICC Excel double wall pipe for a clean looking install. Here are some before and after pics of the project.

I bought my current home last November, it has / had a Majestic 36 zc fireplace (wood waster). My first plans were to install an insert (Lopi Revere), but due to a 20” high opening in the FP I was going to need a shoe horn and a BFH to get it in. After noticing a cold nasty draft coming from around the FP I nixed that Idea. It turned out being a very wise choice, as I found some water damage coming in from the outside chase when I removed the brick facing. While I had the wall torn apart I went ahead and did a 200 amp electrical upgrade, since the wire feed into the house snaked through this wall to the basement.

I wanted a cast look stove, and almost went with an Encore, since I really liked the Defiant cat I used to have. The T5 won out due to the cast looks, low maintenance steel firebox, close clearances, and the high remarks of the folks here, on this forum, give PE products. Time to learn the nuances of my new baby!

Thanks to you all for making this forum such a great place.

 

[gasavage]

Another view

 

[begreen]

Nice, looking good! You're in for a world of heat. How's she burning for you?

Dang, I thought we should have a Summit meeting in the fall, but with all these new stoves maybe we should hold a PEs conference?

 

[Hogwildz]

Sweet, looks hot both visually & temperaturally LOL.
At least you know PE is still around and appears may be that way for a while.
Can't say the same for CFM/VC. Wise choice.

 

[granpajohn]

I think all the work you've done looks great.

At first I wanted to say that the before-and-after photos are exactly what the ZC crowd needed. (There often seems to be confusion about how to covert those "wood wasters".) Then I started looking closely at the pictures several times.

Am I wrong here? The stove setup appears to have nothing to do with the original FP and chimney; except that it's in the same room.
Did you use anything from the original chimney? How about architecturally? I wonder how it looks from outside the house. My guess is that the home was built with a wood-and-siding chimney; no brick.

The corner setup is more practical, but I would've expected the T5 to be placed on an extension of the original brick hearth. Is that something that should be avoided by others?

 

[Hogwildz]

Looks like the corner the new stove sits in now, is to the left of the older pic with the fireplace.
Looks like he tore the brick off and drywalled back in, and moved the new spot to the corner to the left of where the old firepig was?

 

[iceman]

great pis!! i love to see the fire burning in a new stove... really hits home
geez i love pe

 

[BrotherBart]

great pis!! ...

:lol:

 

[Highbeam]

I too converted my built in fireplace, though masonry not ZC, into a freestanding woodstove. I too found lots of bad things happening associated with the old crumby chimney ans am now very happy with a freestander. Good job filling the hole and making it go away. I didn't realize the T5 was so small.

Oh and you've got excellent pis!!

 

[gasavage]

I think all the work you've done looks great.

Am I wrong here? The stove setup appears to have nothing to do with the original FP and chimney; except that it's in the same room.
Did you use anything from the original chimney? How about architecturally? I wonder how it looks from outside the house. My guess is that the home was built with a wood-and-siding chimney; no brick.

The corner setup is more practical, but I would've expected the T5 to be placed on an extension of the original brick hearth. Is that something that should be avoided by others?

Hog is right. I had to remove the brick face just to remove the metal box, hearth too.

Yes, this house was built with a wood and siding chimney. I could have used the chase to run new chimney with the stove in the same location, but like you stated, the corner install is a lot more paractical. It's just what I chose to do. So I just framed things in, insulated, & drywalled. That brick face & hearth took up a lot of wall & floor space. I have to re-roof the house this summer, so I'll remove the chase when I start that project. I plan on re-siding the house next year. No I could not use anything from the old metal chimney as it was designed just for that particular Majestic line.

 

[gasavage]

I didn't realize the T5 was so small. [/quote]

The stove top measures 25" X 25". It does have a 2 cu ft firebox, although it does look larger than some of the other stove fireboxes that claim to be 2 cu ft or more. Anyhow, this stove puts out plenty of heat for my needs

 

[Highbeam]

Maybe being very square makes it look small. My stove is just over 2 CF so it must be just a deceiving photo. The T5 is high on my list of PE stoves since the T6 would be almost too big.

 

[Hogwildz]

Looks like ya burning N-S to me.
If it does the job during the coldest nights, its perfect size.

 

[Elfin]

Wow, what a lot of work that was, tearing out the old fireplace! The room looks entirely different... very nice job!

I think my T5 looks small too. However, I have realized that it only looks small from the front... from the side it doesn't. I think it's definitely because of its square shape. The T4 is about the same width but not nearly as deep, and the T6 is about the same depth but wider.

 

[Carl]

Very nice GaSavage. You did a great job with the install and details. Only thing I wonder is about cleaning the chimney. Looks like you may need a stepladder on the roof to reach the top of it.

After a second look if the brace is hooked to the second extension down you may be able to remove the top pipe section and clean from there.

 

[gasavage]

Carl, cleaning the chimney won't be too bad. I'm 6'2" and the cap is right at eye level when standing on the upper side.

I've only had three fires in it & am very pleased thus far. I was able to start it up the first time using the top down method, even with the outside temp @50 degrees. I've had the stove up to 550 degrees and it can put out some heat. The secondary light show is mesmerizing to say the least. I'll give a full report on the stove in 6 months or so.

Thanks all