Heat shields

[TresK3]

Greetings!

Last December we bought a new house - it's a 1961 Cape Cod with lots of surrounding woods. We burned about 600 gal of oil last year, and that was only half the winter. We're looking at wood heat and have narrowed the list (subject to change at a moments notice) to a wood-burning insert. We're leaning towards an insert that will stick out into the room a bit, rather than a flush insert. Our rational is that this will deliver more heat than a flush insert and will heat better if the power (and hence blower) is out. I'm liking either the Hearthstone Clydesdale or one of the Pacific Energy inserts (either the Pacific or the Summit).

Here's my first (!) question - clearance to combustibles. If I read the brochures correctly, it looks like we need about 43 inches from the floor to the first combustible surface. The area around the existing fireplace is brick, up to about 41 inches, where it becomes lovely wood trim and paneling. The trim sticks out about 1-1/4 inches. Then about 12 inches above that is a wood mantel that sticks out 6". If I'm reading this right, that means we need a heat shield for the trim (the mantel should be high enough, right?). I have a couple of questions about the heat shield. How big are they? Do I have options for type of shield or placement? And most important, does anyone have a similar installation, with a shield, that they could send a picture of? My worst vision is a big ugly piece of sheet metal sticking out into the room, ruining the look of the whole assembly (insert, bricks, then this gorgeous wood).

Any options? Advice? Pictures?

Thanks,
Tres

 

[Highbeam]

"Do I have options for type of shield or placement? And most important, does anyone have a similar installation, with a shield, that they could send a picture of? My worst vision is a big ugly piece of sheet metal sticking out into the room, ruining the look of the whole assembly"

You are right to worry. I have not been impressed with the aesthetics of mantle heat shields. If you must keep the fireplace as-is then I would look at a different stove brand before putting up a mantle shield.

 

[jqgs214]

Best best aesthics wise would be to remove the 12" trim piece, rip 2 inches off of it and re-install it. I just put in the PE Pacific insert but my Mantle is 60" off the ground so no heat shield.

 

[karl]

I was gettng ready to put a post up about this same thing. I think I have settled on the PE summit. I don't have a mantel. I have marbel up to the limit on the insert, but I have crown molding that covers the marble and believe it or not, it's like one inch lower than what i need. It sticks out 1 5/8 inches at its thickest point, which is right at the the minimum height of the summit. I was considering just not worrying about it. What do you all think?

 

[Highbeam]

In the hearth photo section of this site I believe that there is at least one insert pictured with the mantle shield. If PE gives a clearance I would meet or beat it.

 

[Gooserider]

Sounds like definite questions for Elk - our resident code guru...

My take is that you are probably safe, but that you might get grief from your inspectors, and so forth. Note also that the clearance requirement depends both on how far away the trim is, AND exactly how far it sticks out - the farther out it is, the more clearance you need.

I would suggest seeing if there is any way of shifting the trim a bit - does trying to do that expose ugly areas? Would it be possible to cover those areas up with something non-combustible, like a metal trim band of some sort? I'm thinking that if you lifted the trim, put in a strip of (perhaps) anodized aluminum in a contrasting color, possibly surrounding all three sides of the fireplace, and then put the trim back next to the strip, you would have a "design element" that would look intentional and not harm the overall appearance, while still getting you the clearances you need...

Gooserider

 

[elkimmeg]

What if the heat shield was mounted on top of the insert suround enclosure? Meaning it would not block the view of the mantel and it would do the job of deflecting the heat away from the combustiables above. The hearth enclosure would hold it in by friction or one could attach a clip or a couple of screws

 

[Highbeam]

Here are two examples of mantleshields lifted from the photo section of this site. Note that they stick out and up to seemingly bop you in the forehead when lening in to blow on the embers as if to restart a dying fire.

 

[karl]

Hibeam, thanks for posting those pics. I'll definately buy new crown molding and get my clearances where they need to be. I can't believe those two pics. Two beautiful stoves uglied up by a piece of metal. I was under the impression that the mantel shield was part of the stove and would look better than that.

 

[Highbeam]

The one on the right is a clydsedale so I thought would be most applicable to your question. In my opinion I would do almost anything to avoid one of those head bangers.

 

[TresK3]

Thanks to everyone for the help, and thanks to HighBeam for the pictures. How did you find those pictures? I looked through the photo gallery (admittedly quickly), but didn't see anything like that.

I was kind of hoping to put in a small-ish shield at the top of the surround like Elkimmeg suggested. Any ideas on how to designed something like that? Or do I need to stick with what the manufacture sells, for both code and safety reasons - I agree with the "better safe than sorry" philosophy?

-Tres

 

[jtp10181]

The only thing that is listed and tested and approved is what the MFG sells or recommends. If there talk about it in one of the code books I suppose you might be able to make your own following the guidelines in such code book.