Hello! Questions about building a chimney chase

[CTjohn]

Hello all,

New member here from Southern Connecticut. I've been reading up as much as i can for a few weeks and there's a real treasure trove of information here. We have kind of a unique issue that I couldn't find an answer for, so I figured I'd ask in a new thread.

Quick background: We are in the process of remodeling a 21x25' space that was formerly an in-law apartment, and opening it up to the main house. We are taking up one corner with a 10 x 10 area for a bathroom and hallway, other than that it is open with 9' ceilings. We have always wanted a fireplace and have settled on a zero clearance. A local installer I met through my electrician suggested a Majestic Sovereign which, installed is within the budget. My wife likes the look of the radiating kind, and I wonder if we would be missing out on the circulating features of a model with a blower. I've read enough on here to understand that actual heat expectations should be low, and it would be more for ambiance. My neighbor has a Heatilator Icon 60 that looks great and hes happy with it, my installer tells me it comes off the same line as the majestic. I'd go for the icon 60 but he says the pipe + the clearances would be 17+ inches so would have to cut a roof rafter (which i'd rather not). IF we decided to bump up the budget for the sake of getting something that heats better, I was looking at a Flame Monaco, my wife doesn't love the look of it but will go with it if it makes the most sense.

To the unique issue: We are trying to figure out if we should just build the chase inside and go through the roof with the chimney, or push the unit through the wall and have an external chimney chase. Pros: I can go with a larger size like the heatilator 60 because the larger flu pipe wouldn't require cutting out roof rafters for clearance. also no intrusion into the room & no going through our new roof Cons: Additional cost of Building it and siding it, and it would have to sit on the ground.. Part of this project was that we had to bring our foundation up out of the ground because of water issues and the framing sits inside of it, top of framing = top of foundation wall. So there's no way to sister into the floor joists to have a cantilevered box outside. The chimney chase would have to sit on the ground outside on what is now a 6" thick sidewalk.

Would you cut the sidewalk away and pour a thick pad, with a footing? Or just build it inside?

Any help or tips or opinions would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

There's a few pics attached. One of inside with where the fireplace will go mocked up with 2x4's. One of the front of the house showing the alleyway the chimney would protrude into (represented by garbage cans) and one coming from the other direction to see if it comes out too far into the alleyway.

 

[begreen]

Is the fireplace going to be for an occasional visual fire or do you want it to actually heat the area and perhaps be a source of warmth during power outages?

Before committing, look at some other units. There are better, more efficient options that will work nicely with a 6" chimney (8" OD, + 2" clearances). The Flame Monaco is an example, look at the Osburn Stratford too, and note there are several other options. Some have different fronts for a different look (traditional vs contemporary). Look at the Pacific Energy FP30, Regency EX90, FPX 36, RSF line (Pearl, Opel), etc..

It's up to you how the room will finish out. That will determine the look you want and whether the fireplace and chimney are in the room or not. In general terms the warmer the chimney stays, the better it will draft and as long as dry wood is burned, the cleaner it will stay. Keeping as much as possible in the room will keep it warmer.

 

[CTjohn]

Hi there begreen, thanks for the reply. The interest in burning wood definitely started out as a way to supplement the heat in an outage and take a bite out of oil costs, along with enjoying a nice fire in the living room. We looked at wood stoves but the clearances and inability to hide the pipe made my wife just really not want one. Then we found out about zero clearances which will allow us to have exactly what we want, a nice fireplace and a mantle. So we're trying to figure out if we want additional heat options bad enough to pay more or if we just really want to have some fires etc..

Osburn Stratford is out of our budge, but the flame monaco is doable, I think.... once I hear back from the installer about the total cost to install. Do you know if you can have open door fires with a fireplace like that? Does it have screens on it or would you just have a stand up screen to put in front?

Possibly the pacific energy fp16, but not sure if we like the single door. Can you have an open door fire with that one?

 

[begreen]

The Flame Monaco can be used with a screen. It is an option, part # AC01560. I don't think the FP16 is designed for open door burning.

 

[CTjohn]

I think we settled on an open hearth zc fireplace just for ambiance and a little heat in the room. Not something to heat the house with. My installer told me that Majestic and Heatilator are the same company and after looking at manuals from both companies they are identical. He suggested a Majestic Sovereign which I think is the same unit as the Heatilator Accelerator. Would there be any reason to get one brand over the other? Does anyone know if Is it worth buying the gasketed doors to keep it from sucking heat out?

 

[begreen]

Yes, get the doors. They will help a bit.

 

[SpaceBus]

What about a rear vent wood stove that would make the stove pipe invisible? All the benefits of the fireplace but you get more heat, less weight, etc.