First time poster. First of many stupid questions

[fighthedude]

Fellas.
Thanks for allowing me to post some basic questions for the noob to this forum. Long story short I am looking for some standard answers to basic installation. I have been reading on here quite a bit but am Not totally positive on some aspects of a new install. I have a poor mans fireplace that I don't use because I live in CA and it is ugly and inefficient. I am buying a LOPI FX for a good price that hasn't seen a ton of use. It has a catalytic in it so it is not totally inefficient. I am going to be putting it in a masonry fire place. Make it look handsome and somewhat efficient. The exhaust for this unit is on top and not angled out the back. I do have a smoke shelf and damper that I will have to take out.

Main questions.. Is a single flexible liner ok to use or would I be better off insulated... Or do I just wrap that liner in insulation. Also I have noticed some guys stuff the chimney with insulation around the exhaust. I assume that is to stop drafts in the house. Will that fiberglass insulation deteriorate and burn over time? I know this is not the best route of getting a wood stove in my house but I cant afford a 2500 new stove with a baby on the way. Not primary source of heat but will be used somewhat often. During winter time. I don't like to be cheap on my projects but like most of you guys I want the best bang for my buck. Most likely I will do all of the install because stove is too old for local guys to put in. Any tips and information would be greatly appreciated. Cheers

 

[Espartaco]

I think insulated liner is always the way to go but more experienced burners will be around to answer. Please measure your current firebox to make sure the new to you Lopi will fit. The ZC fireplaces need to have power to run a fan. The fan is how you get the most heat out of the unit as well as stopping the unit from over heating.

 

[bholler]

Is a single flexible liner ok to use or would I be better off insulated... Or do I just wrap that liner in insulation.

Your liner should be insulated and in most cases must be to meet code. Preinsulated is fine as well as insulating yourself.

Also I have noticed some guys stuff the chimney with insulation around the exhaust. I assume that is to stop drafts in the house. Will that fiberglass insulation deteriorate and burn over time?

You absolutely should not use fiberglass, use either mineral wool of ceramic wool. But the best is a sheet metal plate with some insulation on top.

 

[fighthedude]

Ok. Thanks for the information. I will know more tomorrow and coming days as I plan this project out. Where are the best deals for chimney kits? I have come across a few but seem very expensive. I probably only need 15ft of pipe and handful of adaptors.. any recommendations?

 

[Oregon aloha]

Insulation or not also has to do with the chimney location. Is it exterior to the house then insulate if you live in a colder part of California. If the chimney is inside or between house and garage then the benefit of insulation isn't there. You do want to have a block off plate and a chimney cap to keep the draft out of your house.
DYI is very doable as far as removing damper and smoke shelf. They are installed separately from the chimney structure. Great project very similar to mine. I took the whole face of my fireplace off along with the damper and smoke shelf and had a Mason level the floor of the fireplace and rebuild the front and close off the top to the chimney to only allow the liner to pass and I installed a freestanding stove in the old fire box. Works great.

 

[bholler]

Insulation or not also has to do with the chimney location.

No honestly that has absolutely nothing to do with it. Clearance to combustibles is what matters. If it is an external chimney you need 1" from the outside of the masonry structure to any combustible material and for interior chimneys it is 2".

. They are installed separately from the chimney structure.

Usually you are right but not always.

 

[Oregon aloha]

Bholler - what is combustible inside a masonry fireplace? and I have never known of a smoke shelf to be structural at least anywhere I have been on the left coast.

 

[rwhite]

Bholler - what is combustible inside a masonry fireplace? and I have never known of a smoke shelf to be structural at least anywhere I have been on the left coast.

Usually nothing but it's the outside of the chimney that may have framing butted up against it. When I did mine I insulated with 1/2". Basic masonry chimney with no tile. You could feel the heat being transferred through at 15' up with normal operation. I can imagine if a chimney fire ever occurred that it could transfer considerable heat to the framing. The $250 for insulation was a big piece of mind for me. Plus with a DIY install the liner will get banged up and scraped a bit more than likley. The insulation adds a bit of protection there as well IMO. As for smoke shelf being structural, it always best to assume everything is structural until you can verify it isn't. Just take your time and don't rush in swinging hammers until you know what's going to happen.

 

[bholler]

Bholler - what is combustible inside a masonry fireplace? and I have never known of a smoke shelf to be structural at least anywhere I have been on the left coast.

Nothing should be combustible in a masonry fireplace (although I have seen it) but that is not what I am talking about. A masonry chimney is required to have clearance from the outside of the masonry structure to any combustible materials. 1" for external 2" for internal. If you don't have this you need to insulate that is the code and is in all manufacturers instructions. You are correct from a performance standpoint on an internal chimney you would not see as much gain from the insulation but it would still be better. But from a saftey standpoint you still need to insulate in an internal chimney in almost all cases.

As far as the smoke shelf being structural it is uncommon but there are times when that smoke shelf supports the smoke chamber which supports the clay tiles and so on. So saying that there is never any issue with removing them is incorrect and could cause problems.