I'm tired of my fireplace, and need a little insert help

[blacksmithden]

First...greetings from Edmonton Alberta Canada. I'm so glad to have found this place. I'm the only one of my friends who's into wood heat. I put a wood stove in the basement about 8 years ago and it works great....when we bother to go down to the basement, which isn't very often.

My problem is my wide open conventional fireplace. It's just as efficient as any other fireplace....dead poor....and I'm tired of feeding this thing. I'd LOVE to put in an insert, but when I checked into it 8 years ago, I was told there wasn't one on the market small enough for the opening. It's a manufactured metal one, in a fake veneer brick surrounding. I was quoted $6k back then...basically, rip the whole 2 story chimney and fireplace off the side of the house, and start over. Well...there was no way "she who must be obeyed" was going to let me drop the cash on that...so...I continue to feed the small wood gobbler in my living room.

My opening is only 15 3/4 high by 27" wide. It tapers down and the back is 16" wide. The sides are 16" front to back. Does ANYONE, ANYWHERE, make an insert that will fit in that hole ? I could cut a metal strip off the top, but that's only going to make the opening another 1/2" taller. Cutting down the lip on the bottom front isn't really an option, as it seems to be part of the main body of the enclosure.

I don't really care if I have to cut wood 10" long ! I'd just like something that throws heat, that I can leave alone to do it's thing for a few hours instead of feeding it every 1/2hr or so, only to watch 90% of my heat go straight up the pipe.

Any direction to any manufacturer would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks.

 

[bholler]

What model is your fireplace? Most do not allow for the installation of an insert in them anyway.

 

[webby3650]

Man that's a low opening! I'm not aware of any inserts that are that small. Is the hearth flush with the floor of the firebox or lower?

 

[kennyp2339]

Zero clearance fireplace, you may want to look into an epa rated zero clearance unit, they pump out the heat, the first brand that comes to mind is heat n glow. Most if not all stoves manufacturers do not allow a true fireplace insert to be installed in a zero clearance fireplace in the US, I think Canada is even more strict with there wett cert guidelines. If you go this route you will still have to rip everything out. Or you can change out the chimney pipe to class A with a new through the wall kit, board over the zero clearance fireplace and install a free standing stove in front of the unit, of course installing it to the proper clearances and building proper floor protection.

 

[begreen]

The advice you got was probably correct. That is a tiny opening limiting options. What is the hearth like? I'm wondering if a rear-vent freestanding stove could work with a liner. Can you post a picture?

 

[blacksmithden]

Thanks for the replies guys. My prospects for getting an insert in there arent sounding very good for sure. I cant say that Im up on the rules/regs on this by any means, much less what the manufacturers require. Ill take a picture of it when I get home tonight. This fireplace is both a source of great joy as well as a pain in my butt. The Mrs isnt going to let me put a stove out in front of it, thats for sure. There is a bit of a step up from the floor before you get to the front of it, but its only about a foot wide. Again....Ill take a picture of it when I get home.

 

[begreen]

If your wife is completely opposed to a good looking stove in front or replacing the unit with a larger ZC then no need to post picture. It sounds like this is a done deal.