This is my first posting to your great forum about the joys and safe use of wood heat. Needless to say, I am extremely impressed with the politeness and professionalism of the discussions in the forum--it makes for both very pleasurable and informative reading. Thank you.
A quick background: I have burned wood most weekends for some years and cannot imagine a home without a wood stove. To get longer burns than my little Lopi Parlor could handle, I recently upgraded to a Napoleon 1400PL. Thus far, I'm getting an easy 10 hours burn in my "testing phase." The stove was purchased new and professionally installed by a first rate company. In addition, I had a new custom hearth (53"x53") professionally built that is flush with a new solid red oak 3/4" floor. The hearth is topped with ceramic tiles laid on Thin-Set, which is laid on top of 1/2 Durock. This was built over the 3/4" ply sub floor. The frames were "sistered" underneath to stiffen the area of floor—so far so good...well almost.
The problem? During the construction of the new wood floor the rosin paper laid on top of the sub floor was continued where the hearth was to be built. Hence, the finished hearth has paper between the sub flooring and the Durock. Expectantly, the radiant heat from the front of the stove heats the tiles up quite a bit, but much more than my prior smaller Lopi Parlor stove. It almost too hot to stand on on the outer front tiles, all else is cool behind it. Napoleon only specified "an approved non-combustible hearth pad..." and no R specs. The new hearth far exceeds all minimum dimensions. I even got 22" in front.
I understand some basics about heat transfer (I am a former Engineer) and likely would not see a combustion potential as the paper is buried under the Durock, but the worrywart in me is considering having this beatifically made hearth demolished to remove the paper to prevent a (theoretical?) problem during prolonged burning periods from the continued soaking up of radiant heat into the tiles. I also thought about all those heat sinking screws passing through the sandwich? Am I over-engineering this or worrying too much? As much as money is dear to me, I hate more to see his beautiful work torn up if it does not have to be--he sweated the details on the finish--but I will do it if it is the right thing to do. So from a standards and safely perspective, should I have the hearth torn up and rebuilt from scratch?
A quick background: I have burned wood most weekends for some years and cannot imagine a home without a wood stove. To get longer burns than my little Lopi Parlor could handle, I recently upgraded to a Napoleon 1400PL. Thus far, I'm getting an easy 10 hours burn in my "testing phase." The stove was purchased new and professionally installed by a first rate company. In addition, I had a new custom hearth (53"x53") professionally built that is flush with a new solid red oak 3/4" floor. The hearth is topped with ceramic tiles laid on Thin-Set, which is laid on top of 1/2 Durock. This was built over the 3/4" ply sub floor. The frames were "sistered" underneath to stiffen the area of floor—so far so good...well almost.
The problem? During the construction of the new wood floor the rosin paper laid on top of the sub floor was continued where the hearth was to be built. Hence, the finished hearth has paper between the sub flooring and the Durock. Expectantly, the radiant heat from the front of the stove heats the tiles up quite a bit, but much more than my prior smaller Lopi Parlor stove. It almost too hot to stand on on the outer front tiles, all else is cool behind it. Napoleon only specified "an approved non-combustible hearth pad..." and no R specs. The new hearth far exceeds all minimum dimensions. I even got 22" in front.
I understand some basics about heat transfer (I am a former Engineer) and likely would not see a combustion potential as the paper is buried under the Durock, but the worrywart in me is considering having this beatifically made hearth demolished to remove the paper to prevent a (theoretical?) problem during prolonged burning periods from the continued soaking up of radiant heat into the tiles. I also thought about all those heat sinking screws passing through the sandwich? Am I over-engineering this or worrying too much? As much as money is dear to me, I hate more to see his beautiful work torn up if it does not have to be--he sweated the details on the finish--but I will do it if it is the right thing to do. So from a standards and safely perspective, should I have the hearth torn up and rebuilt from scratch?
GOOD LUCK
