Help a Fellow Convert to Wood Heat

[markortwein]

I need some advice.

We'd like to switch to heating home with wood (instead of pricey propane). Our house is roughly 2800 s.ft. with a chimney running up the side of an external wall (about 25' high). It's a single layer thick masonry chimney--unlined. It's quite spacious inside and was being used to vent a propane fireplace insert, which I've since removed. This fireplace is located roughly toward the center of our house, although our home has an unusual floor plan, having been added onto twice in its 100 year history. Note: the area around the chimney cap is clear of limbs and branches...just looks like it in the picture.

Image 1


Given that we live in northern Mississippi, our winters are not nearly so brutal as those further north (see below). That said, we'll likely be running the stove/insert almost constantly for 3 or 4 months per year.

Image 2

Last month I pulled the propane insert out and discovered the chimney was being used to vent this unit via a 4" aluminum pipe. I haven't had the chance to remove the chimney cap, but a contractor friend of mine did and said the brick and mortar are in good shape (he also didn't think it had ever been used to burn wood).

Here is an image of the fireplace with dimensions.



As you can see, this fireplace is relatively small. My original plan was to push a top venting stove into the firebox, but the fact that it is only 26" tall is particularly frustrating since most stove ares 29+ inches. We were particularly interested in the Englander 30-NCH, but it runs 30." I've read of folks cutting legs down to accomplish this, but that seems like an awful lot to remove. It should also be noted that the floors under the ceramic tile are wood. I'm not sure what kind of board these tiles sit on.

Here's a closer image of the fireplace. Note the propane valve and the moisture collecting toward the back of the hearth. I think the moisture is due to a leaking chimney cap...but not sure. The floor of the firebox is a combination of brick and what looks like cement...but not sure (again).



Here are some more images from the inside:


Hopefully these images will give you folks a sense of what I'm working with. My ideal, as noted above, would be to push a large capacity wood stove into this space and run a 6" flexible liner all the way to the top. Given the limited amount of space, however, I've yet to find a big stove that can achieve this. The other option would be to buy a rear-venting stove, but have some worries about how well it will draft.

Okay...so I'd appreciate any ideas, feedback, commentary on what we're dealing with.

Thanks in advance!

--Mark

 

[bholler]

If you can find a rear vent stove that will fit it will work fine the other option is an insert. They get a bad wrap here many think they dont heat well but we have many customers that heat with them just fine. No matter what stove you choose you will need an insulated liner run the whole length of the chimney. And you should install a block off plate.

 

[begreen]

Looks like there's lots of wiggle room in there. A Blaze King Princess or a Buck 91 are a couple options if a catalytic stove is ok. If not, a large Regency, Pacific Energy, Buck (non cat) or Osburn insert would work. The chimney will need a new, stainless 6" insulated liner.

How large is the fireplace room? Is it wide open to the rest of the house or closed off by a doorway?

 

[markortwein]

If you can find a rear vent stove that will fit it will work fine the other option is an insert. They get a bad wrap here many think they dont heat well but we have many customers that heat with them just fine. No matter what stove you choose you will need an insulated liner run the whole length of the chimney. And you should install a block off plate.

Thanks, Bholler. Yes, I went back and edited my original post to include the fact that I will run a fuller liner from bottom to top.

Does the block off plate need to be welded on? Also, as I understand it, the block off plate prevents heat from escaping up the chimney, correct?

 

[begreen]

Rear vent installs are a pretty popular solution and a good option if you don't mind extending the hearth to accommodate it. Can't say as I recall a lot of bad talk about them, only the issue of having the vent exit low enough to get under the lintel. That often narrows selection as it would in this case.

 

[markortwein]

Looks like there's lots of wiggle room in there. A Blaze King Princess or a Buck 91 are a couple options if a catalytic stove is ok. If not, a large Regency, Pacific Energy, Buck (non cat) or Osburn insert would work. The chimney will need a new, stainless 6" insulated liner.

How large is the fireplace room? Is it wide open to the rest of the house or closed off by a doorway?

Hi, Begreen...the room is roughly 20 x 20. I took this picture standing by the fireplace. All the bedrooms in the house run off a hallway that connects to this room (door to the right). The door to the left leads to our dining room, and another left turn leads to the kitchen and sun room (which sits 1/2 story below this floor).

 

[markortwein]

Oh, and my wife would kill me if she knew I took this picture without first cleaning up. Mums the word!

 

[begreen]

Looks pretty tidy to me.

The DR and BRs should heat pretty easily. The kitchen and sunroom will be at a disadvantage because heat doesn't convect downward naturally. A supply duct from the fireplace to that area may help, but that depends on the house config as to whether putting in the duct to those locations is feasible.