fireplace opening not tall enough for insert, can i remove lental

[indiangal]

i bought a fireplace insert used, a gal i am i measured incorrectly, now i need 2 more inchs if i cut the lentil out of my fire place opening i can get the insert in, any help or advise will do me wonders

 

[fossil]

Don't cut the steel lintel...it's an essential integral structural member of the masonry chimney. It supports the weight of the masonry above the clear span of the fireplace opening. Do whatever you want in the damper area, that's not structural...but don't mess with the lintel unless you're going to rip out the whole thing and rebuild it. You need an insert that fits your existing fireplace, or think about a hearth stove installation, or whatever. In any case, I don't think you're going to successfully install that insert in your fireplace without some major work. Rick

 

[begreen]

If you cut the lentil out of your fireplace it won't be worth beans. The lintel is a critical support component, leave it alone. You probably would do better to sell the insert and get one that fits.

 

[branchburner]

Now that Rick has provided the serious and quite useful information, I'll say what he was probably thinking:
Don't cut the lentil or you'll be in the soup.

 

[fossil]

I figured that for a change of pace, I'd leave all the legume jokes to you other guys. %-P Rick

 

[indiangal]

hmmmm glad i quit chipping away at it now i dont know what to do

 

[bren582]

Just looking at the Lintle on my fireplace scares me. It looks like one of those I-beams you see holding up bridges,, Seems like it hold up a great deal of weight above the fireplace opening.. I bet it would be real tuff to cut through if I was so inclined.. very thick steel..

 

[fossil]

hmmmm glad i quit chipping away at it now i dont know what to do

You have a fireplace. You're stuck with it. If you want to install an insert, you need to find one that fits your fireplace. Stop chipping and start shopping. Rick

 

[indiangal]

oh i didnt think this was a big deal but i am a lady, nothing seams like a big deal to us, i just thought it could be done for when i look up the chimney it sits back further than the lentle

 

[indiangal]

rick i will take your advice and leave the fireplace alone and start shopping,

 

[ginobass]

For what it's worth, the exterior of my home is brick. After (of course) I bought the house I noticed ALL of the lintels in the basement windows were shot, rusted to hell. Structural integrity, zero. So I replaced them. How? I removed the row of bricks that rest on the lintel, installed the new (primed and alkyd exterior painted) lintel, and replaced the bricks and remortared them back in place. My cousin, who did brick and block work for years, helped me with the first couple windows, and I did the rest. I had never done masonry/brick work before, and guess what - it wasn't that tough. 8 years later, they still look great.

If I were you, I would look behind the lintel, inside the firebox, and see what you have behind the first two courses of facing brick above the lintel. If you have two clear courses of single depth bricks then I would remove those two courses, pull the lintel, (inspect it, if rusty etc. then replace - don't worry, your fireplace won't collapse while it's out temporarily - my house sure didn't) move it up one course, and then replace the balance of that course of bricks, remortar them in. You will have leftover bricks from the course you removed. That should buy you enough to get the stove in. Measure before you start (natch) to be sure it will.

If that sounds too much for you to handle, call in a sweep/mason and have him take a look. He'd be able to see if this is feasable. Have your checkbook ready.

 

[fossil]

If you give us the measurements of the fireplace...width & height at the opening, depth to the back wall, and width & height of the back wall...and some information about the existing hearth in front of the fireplace, and some idea of what your expectations are for the appliance, maybe a clue about your budget, and the size of the space you're hoping to heat, then we can probably help you shop. Just stop chipping! :lol: Rick

 

[fossil]

Of course it can be done, ginobass. Darn near anything can be done. You did it exactly the way it ought to be done. But you don't want to just cut out the lintel and not replace it and think the structure is sound. What you're describing is what I was talking about when I used the phrase "major work". It requires a professional, or a really handy person with some professional instruction. Sounds like you did a really fine job on your home. I would do the same. Not everyone is up to doing that kind of work. So, as you say, get your checkbook out. Or, in this case, find an insert that fits. Rick

 

[indiangal]

rick my opening is 32 wide 15 deep 21 3/4 inch high , the insert i was trying to install is 30 1/4 wide 12 1/2 deep and 23 3/4 inch high, i took pictures but i cant seam to get the size correct to show you, when i look up the chimney the damper box is there 3 layers of brick up , and seams to be holding the chimeny , that is why i thought i could remove the lentile ,but i guess i cant with out help

 

[indiangal]

this was a add on room after the home was built had no heating ducts i had a duct put in and the room still is very cold, i was trying to heat room

 

[fossil]

If you want to modify the chimney/fireplace masonry structure, you need the help of a qualified mason. Pics always help us a lot, and there is a "sticky" (a message or thread with I think a green tab) at the top of the forum page that will help guide you through the process of re-sizing and formatting pics to append to your posts. Rick

EDIT: It's not one of the yellow "Stickies", it's one of the green "Announcements".

EDIT again: Ah heck, here it is: https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewannounce/27_2/

 

[Jags]

rick i will take your advice and leave the fireplace alone and start shopping,

Oh, by the way, for clarification, I think Rick was talking about shopping for stoves. %-P (my other half will use ANY excuse)