Fireplace stove dilemma.

[Snotrocket]

I have a fairly unique fireplace in my house and want to use it for wood burning other than ambiance.

I currently heat my house with an Allnighter smoke dragon that does a very good job heating the entire house. It is connected in the basement to 1 of the flu's on my 3 flu chimney. This is a giant thermal mass and heats the house in and of itself once it gets warm.

So after doing some research it appears that an insert is about 2x the cost as a free standing stove of comparable firebox size. If I purchase an Englander NC30 and shorten the legs 3 inches it will fit entirely inside my fireplace. Is this doable? What kind of clearances to masonry does the NC30 have?

My fireplace is viewable from two rooms, meaning you can see through it. The stove would be able to be open on the front and back.

My fireplace dimensions are as follows:

26 1/2 inches H
33 inches W
41 inches depth

Here is a picture to get an idea of what I'm talking about. If you look carefully you can see through to the other side of the fireplace into my eat in kitchen. The masonry you see in the picture runs all the way from the basement to the roof.

Thoughts? Opinions?

 

[DianeB]

What about bricking up one side of the fireplace?

 

[Snotrocket]

Why would I want to? Natural convection would be better with it open.

I would rather use a free standing stove than an insert.

 

[DianeB]

Why would I want to? Natural convection would be better with it open.

I would rather use a free standing stove than an insert.

thought you may not want to see the rear end of the stove. I have a Jotul Castine and although the front of the stove very pretty, the rear does have a heat plate so not all that attractive. you could buy a stove without a rear heat plate and then perhaps get a better view of the stove - maybe a nice woodstock soapstonce.

 

[Snotrocket]

I don't care about looking at the stove in any way. My first concerns are safety and if it can/should be done.

The Woodstock is a very nice stove, but is at the direct opposite end of the price spectrum than the NC 30.

 

[firecracker_77]

Brother Bart and BrowningBar should be able to help with 30 questions. Those are the first 2 that popped into my head but many others on here are familiar with that one. A very popular choice. Maybe send a PM with that specific question.

 

[MaintenanceMan]

Just to clarify, are you wanting to stop using the basement stove and primarily heat with the 30? Or will the 30 in the fireplace be supplementing your basement stove?

 

[Snotrocket]

I will be using the 30 to heat the house instead of the basement stove.

 

[mellow]

Leaving the back open is asking for trouble if you ask me, that is a liability issue waiting to happen. Installs in the past like this have bricked up one end and installed an insert or a stove like a Buck with a built in blower to blow the heat out.

 

[Snotrocket]

Why would it be asking for trouble? The entire stove would be inside the fireplace. I can't possible see anything that would be against code.

I'm interested in whether installing it this way would hurt the masonry or the stove in any way more than anything.

 

[mellow]

Just a thought, I doubt you would want to do this but stove manufacturers in the UK have some really cool double sided stoves.

http://www.firebellystoves.com/fb1.php

 

[BrotherBart]

Won't hurt the stove or the masonry. Half of my 30-NC has been buried in the fireplace since 2006. A member here a few years ago did what you want to do but with a Hearthstone Mansfield. Worked great. And three inch legs are available for the 30. I have them.

No clearance issues with non combustible surfaces like brick hearths.

 

[Billybonfire]

Just a thought, I doubt you would want to do this but stove manufacturers in the UK have some really cool double sided stoves.

http://www.firebellystoves.com/fb1.php

Hi, as mellow said, double sided stoves are quite common in the UK, my local stove shop has done quite a few, I think they look great.
Here is a link to their site with a few examples -
http://www.thefirebarn.co.uk/index.php/portfolio/list/dept/double-sided-stoves
Thought it may help with ideas for your situation.

regards

Billy.

 

[Snotrocket]

Thanks Bart! That was just the reassurance I was looking for.

Any thoughts on have the back of the stove essentially open to the air? I would think it would help with convection.

 

[coldkiwi]

Just a thought..you could take off the back panel on the 30 and place some sort of decorative plant-on, on the back surface of the stove.Maybe easier on the eye...if you are not going to use a fan.A nice block off plate in the chimney and off you go

 

[Snotrocket]

We don't use the eat in kitchen hardly at all. 99% of the "viewing" is in the livingroom on the side where the door will be.

Being able to stuff a sub $1k stove in there and use it's natural convection to warm the surrounding masonry is a big plus over an insert.
It should radiate much like a russian fireplace if all goes according to plan.

 

[coldkiwi]

Will you have much clearance on the sides? Make sure you have a nice block off plate,you do not need heat going up the spout. A sub 1k stove pumping out heat makes the wallet smile for sure.

 

[Snotrocket]

I will have 5 inches on the sides. I've already made a block off plate, but haven't installed it until I get the stove and liner.

This will also allow me to drastically reduce my wood consumption. Right now my Allnighter has to heat my 2000 sq ft basement as well as the actual living space.

Switching to the Englander will give me an EPA stove that only has to heat 1/2 the space. Seems like a win to me.