Heatilator or heatform, circa 1969

[VintageGal]

Had my son help me pull the old 3" flex liner up through the chimney crown today.

I searched and can't find any type of tag to identify this old heatilator --so I don't know what I'm dealing with here. I don't know how this heatilator vents and so I don't know if I'm going to be losing heat with any kind of installation!

I want to make sure I have the proper clearances before I spend any money on another pellet stove.

The fireplace lintel is 4.5" then some then insulation and rough masonry concrete --and then 4" lentil for the heatilator.

The lintel is 10.5 inches!!

I don't know whether to call this a "zero clearance" fireplace or not. I don't know what's behind or above or below any of the brick masonry.

Can you help me figure this out? Thank you 😁

 

[DAKSY]

Is the brick on the inside the same width as the brick on the outside? If so, I would say that’s a site-built fireplace not a ZC Box. Another clue is the ash dump. That is not a ZC Box feature.

 

[VintageGal]

Is the brick on the inside the same width as the brick on the outside? If so, I would say that’s a site-built fireplace not a ZC Box. Another clue is the ash dump. That is not a ZC Box feature.

It looks like it's two bricks thick in most places but I can't be certain. I don't really know the difference between a zero clearance fireplace and a masonry fireplace. I know that there is wood behind the paneling at mantle level.

But I think for most applications a person is supposed to know the make and model of the heatilator.

 

[DAKSY]

A ZC fireplace is factory-built. Masonry fireplaces are site-built. Your “Heatilator” does not have a “make “ or “ model.” Only a factory-built fireplace would have them.

 

[VintageGal]

There is a metal structure inside of the masonry; the masonry was built around the metal pre-form which was not site-built. There are three large heatilator tubes on the top and the 3-in liner was squeezed between two of the tubes.

So it's definitely a heatilator or a heatform of some kind or another.

But if I can't find the make or model, I wouldn't know to what temperature degree it was tested for.

I'm comfortable putting a pellet stove back in there because I had one for a short time --but I'm not sure that any other application would be efficient.

I just don't know ☺️✌️

 

[EbS-P]

There is a metal structure inside of the masonry; the masonry was built around the metal pre-form which was not site-built. There are three large heatilator tubes on the top and the 3-in liner was squeezed between two of the tubes.

So it's definitely a heatilator or a heatform of some kind or another.

But if I can't find the make or model, I wouldn't know to what temperature degree it was tested for.

I'm comfortable putting a pellet stove back in there because I had one for a short time --but I'm not sure that any other application would be efficient.

I just don't know ☺️✌️

You need the dimensions of the fireplace. Consult…… you guessed it, the manual to see what the minimum dimensions are. the depth of the lintel shouldn’t matter as you already proved you can get a 3” liner down.
to get bigger liners down the tubes are cut out rendering the heatform no longer cable of burning wood As a fireplace. if you want a second oppinion post your measurement.

so how sealed is the ash dump below? If you just stuck the intake pipe down there would it just end up sucking room air?

it seems possible the a wood burning insert might fit but you already have a stove. So I don’t see any reason to go that route and I recall there was a reason you didn’t.

I short if the unit fits height depth and width in your fireplace I don’t see any issues installing a pellet insert.

 

[VintageGal]

You need the dimensions of the fireplace. Consult…… you guessed it, the manual to see what the minimum dimensions are. the depth of the lintel shouldn’t matter as you already proved you can get a 3” liner down.
to get bigger liners down the tubes are cut out rendering the heatform no longer cable of burning wood As a fireplace. if you want a second oppinion post your measurement.

so how sealed is the ash dump below? If you just stuck the intake pipe down there would it just end up sucking room air?

it seems possible the a wood burning insert might fit but you already have a stove. So I don’t see any reason to go that route and I recall there was a reason you didn’t.

I short if the unit fits height depth and width in your fireplace I don’t see any issues installing a pellet insert.

I would have liked a wood burning insert but the single dealership in my neck of the woods didn't have anything that would fit. Since that fireplace had been serving an old pellet stove, I thought I would install another one. However, the last pellet stove was in Enviro and because the inside of the firebox is fluted metal --the Enviro pellet stove would get very very hot! I didn't know if that was its nature, but I did pull that unit out as far forward as I could.

I also thought about just plunking a pellet stove down on the hearth and rear venting it up the chimney. I could buy a box store, freestanding pellet stove and install my own liner for a heck of a lot less than what they want to sell me at the dealership.

Once a person starts fixing a few things on their own, this entire stove business becomes less of a mystery. And I become less intimidated.

 

[EbS-P]

My parents put their quad on the hearth. With the hopper sticking back into the fireplace so it would fit. Consequence is you can’t open the hopper door you have to pull the top off. It’s an option if you have a deep enough hearth and can still dump a bag of pellets in.

It appears that you have enough space but you might need a hearth pad on the floor. And it probably would need some customization to match the curved hearth.

Edit.. it makes cleaning possible but not comfortable without moving the stove.

 

[VintageGal]

My firebox opening is small
22" High
31" Wide
25" Deep

My hearth extension is 23.5"

The Classic Bay insert would fit. The P35i would fit. The Harman would run me at least $2,000 more than the quadrafire. The dealership would mark up the lining material considerably.

I could get an Englander or PelPro as a temp fix.

 

[bholler]

Had my son help me pull the old 3" flex liner up through the chimney crown today.

I searched and can't find any type of tag to identify this old heatilator --so I don't know what I'm dealing with here. I don't know how this heatilator vents and so I don't know if I'm going to be losing heat with any kind of installation!

I want to make sure I have the proper clearances before I spend any money on another pellet stove.

The fireplace lintel is 4.5" then some then insulation and rough masonry concrete --and then 4" lentil for the heatilator.

The lintel is 10.5 inches!!

I don't know whether to call this a "zero clearance" fireplace or not. I don't know what's behind or above or below any of the brick masonry.

Can you help me figure this out? Thank you 😁

View attachment 295016 View attachment 295017 View attachment 295018 View attachment 295019

You have a heat form metal firebox inside a masonry structure. Why couldn't a wood insert fit in there?

 

[VintageGal]

You have a heat form metal firebox inside a masonry structure. Why couldn't a wood insert fit in there?

I have a double lintel, 10.5" deep. There was not a wood stove available to me where the flue collar would clear the lintel.

 

[VintageGal]

I have a double lintel, 10.5" deep. There was not a wood stove available to me where the flue collar would clear the lintel.

I always meant to ask you --if the heatform air circulation system (tubes and air chambers) are going to complicate a wood burning insert? I honestly don't know if these heatilator vents are sucking in room air and throwing it up the chimney?

 

[VintageGal]

I have a "Superior Heatform" fireplace, Model A, p. 37

I found a pretty neat internet archive of the catalog which is 52 pages long

Heatform fireplaces : Superior Fire Place Co. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

51 p., illus., 22 x 28 cm, trade catalog

archive.org