How hard is it to install an insert?

[claybe]

Also to cut out the damper, there are metal rods that stick into the sides of the fire place. If you cut one you can pull it out by pushing it up and pulling it out the bottom. Also I had to cut out a third tube and some more of the fire place to get to the damper rod to cut it. I plan on installing a block off plate so I didn't care about cutting more of the fire place out.

 

[jdp1152]

View attachment 88835 View attachment 88836

Started the cut out tonight, well actually I started on Sunday. Long story short all I had was blades and cut off wheels from the cheap tool store. I went through 5 blades with the reciprocating saw within about 5 minutes and only cut about 3 inches. Then went through 4 cut off wheels in another 10 minutes and another 3 inches. I finally got to lowes today and got some blades that said they would cut through thick steel. They worked AWESOME! Moral of the story USE THE RIGHT TOOLS Not some good cut off wheels too. Took me about 15 minutes to get what you see above. I have some more cutting to do tomorrow night and the liner should fit through the damper area. More to come

Some lessons are learned through experience and wasted money. For me, it was cheap masonry drill bits and hours of frustration trying to mount a TV above a fireplace. The issue now is probably over researching everything.

 

[Hogwildz]

That liner is going to slip down there nice and smooth! Good work! You will be glad you went this route.

 

[claybe]

So the installers just stuck the pipe in the insert and use some sort of puddy to seal the pipe in place. No screws. When I move it upstairs should I do the same thing??? What kind of puddy??? Where do you get the puddy??? Should I use screws? Any advice appreciated.

 

[etiger2007]

I would think you would want to use screws so its secured to the appliance with no chance to come apart during a fire. I would run some screws in there, take a look at the owners manual it should clearly state proper procedure. I have screws and furnace cement sealing the gaps. Good Luck

 

[Hogwildz]

Use furnace cement at the connection at stove, and try to get at least 3 s.s. screws fastening the liner to the stove.
Be careful screwing in the screws. Obviously pre drill the holes, but s.s. screws strip and snap very easily.
Furnace cement can be had at any box store or hardware store.

 

[claybe]

I cleaned up the edges tonight and cleaned the chimney with my soot eater. Apparently there is a shelf with insulation on it on top of the fireplace. A lot of the soot just fell on that shelf. Will it be okay up there??? Received the liner and cap yesterday and plan to move it upstairs tomorrow! Thankfully we have a break in the weather to take care of this!

 

[chimneylinerjames]

Will it be okay up there??

No it is not okay to leave up there. That is the most important part of the fireplace cleaning. You will then have a large pile of flammable creosote as close to the fire as it could get. Get a shop vac and reach up there with the hose and get it out of the fireplace.

 

[claybe]

So should I also just reach up there and tear out the insulation too?

 

[Hogwildz]

If it is fiberglass insulation, I would pull that out. Would also make for easier cleaning of the soot anyways.

 

[claybe]

UPDATE: she is in! Had a buddy over today and we easily picked up the princess insert and put it on a furniture dolly and wheeled upstairs and in the front door. We set it on the hearth and then I just got giddy and started plugging the liner in and didn't think things through. I forgot to vacuum the top of the fireplace as suggested. So my wife and I lifted it and put it back on the dolly. Then I began to vacuum and vacuum and vacuum. Literally I vacuumed a full shop vac full of what I have determined to be 37 years of ash and dirt (we live in a windy area of town). There were about 4 inches of dust and soot. Pulled out lots of insulation as well. Then we set her back and I got to work. Put the cap on and sealed it. Leveled the insert. Found the pre drilled holes and didn't have stainless self tappers so off to lowes. Got those, and put them in and then sealed the connection to the stove. Put sides on but left the top off so I can see the gassing and smoking and settling of the sealant. Local lowes and hd didn't have roxul, so I will have to order that and install this summer. One other thing. When I took the insert out there was about a cup of creosote on the shelf inside the insert???? Also there was a lot of creosote in the liner. What is this cause by??? I checked a few pieces of my wood for moisture, and they were good??? Also there seemed to be creosote in the fire box on the walls. I have only been burning for 3 weeks and not full time.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Check- www.thermafiber.com- for the insulation. A local drywall retailer should be able to get you set up. I picked up a bale from Pioneer, see if you have one in the area.
Worst case, meet me half-way, I have half of that bale just sitting here.
JB
Edit- Creo in the box happens, you'll be amazed about the amount of it behind the interior shields.
It cleans out fairly easy, just another process you'll need to do on occasion.

 

[claybe]

By interior shields do you means fire bricks? Because there was some beneath the bricks too

 

[Beetle-Kill]

By interior shields do you means fire bricks? Because there was some beneath the bricks too

Honestly, I've never seen the guts of an insert, just assuming they're like the free-standing stoves. The shields I'm refering to are on the sides and back, thin gauge steel that form a sort of air barrier to the stove sides. They tend to gunk up with creo after a spell of low burns. The back corners can get pretty thick also.
A couple of small, hot fires will clean up quite a bit but not all. Figure 1 hour per split if burning Pine. 3 splits N/S, and 3 E/W running hot. A few of those fires and your glass will be pretty clean too.

 

[claybe]

I cannot believe the difference It was in the 50s today 60 inside. Fired up the stove to smoke things in with the new pipe and sealer. After getting all the smoke out of the house, the stove heated the upstairs to over 70 in about 15 minutes. And has stayed there all afternoon and evening. It is now below 40 out and I haven't dipped below 70 inside. Wow, what a difference I think it might be too hot in here! Basement is another story and will try to start moving heat down there but I am good where I sit. See picture!!

 

[begreen]

Congratulations dude. You are on the way to warm winters now.