Installing a insert with blower when in have no hearth extension?

[Isaiah]

We are moving into a house with a fireplace and id like to add an insert. There is one stove in particular that I can get a great deal on, but like most wood inserts the blower intake extends a good 8-12 inches from the opening of the fireplace. My issue is that the fireplace is about 16 inches off the ground and the hearth only extends about 6 inches from the fireplace opening. This would seem to leave the blower sitting 6-8 inches out in mid air. So my question is, first, it there any problem with the blower sticking out like that. And second, if that is a problem is there an easy, safe, and aesthetically pleasing way to extend the hearth. Like adding feet to the front perhaps. I'm not really exited about trying to extend the whole field stone hearth. This is my first post, and any help would be appreciated.

 

[transmogrifire]

Pics of current situation? there needs to be 16" of hearth in front of the insert door

 

[begreen]

Welcome. You will need to add a hearth extension. This can be as simple as adding a hearth extension pad rated per the manual's hearth requirement or as complicated (not really) as building your own. To answer in greater detail we would need the insert make/model and to see the current fireplace.

 

[helifitz]

If your hearth only extends 6 inches from the fireplace, you'll need to add and extension. But I'm guessing you have a similar situation that I have....you hearth goes to floor level beyond the 6 inches. I only had 4 inches extending from the fireplace. I ended up adding a small extension you can see in the attached picture. When I purchased the house the original stove just had some concrete blocks (like these http://www.homedepot.com/p/Paveston...Impressions-Concrete-Wall-Cap-86835/100540616) under the front of it.

 

[Isaiah]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2mpd9c2867lbnxg/DSC_0175.JPG?dl=0

Unfortunately I don't have much of a picture . Because we haven't taken possession of the house yet. But you can kind of see it in the link above. There really is no hearth extension, just maple wood floor in front of the fireplace. It has an insert installed but it is very old so we are planning a replacement. We want to replace it with a high valley 1500. Sounds like I will need to add at least a health pad over the wood floor.

 

[Isaiah]

Given that my firebox is significantly higher than 8" off the floor, only 3/8 inch of non-combustible is required, correct? So is it sufficient to just lay some 16x16x3/8 tile in front of the fireplace? It would be nice to just be able to take it up the 8 months of the year it won't be in use. But that doesn't really solve the issue of the blower extending off the front of the hearth. Is that an issue at all as far as safety is concerned?

 

[begreen]

The install shown definitely is not code without a hearth. The new stove's hearth measurement is taken from the door of the stove, not the blowers. For starters I'd get a hearthpad like this. It should be screwed down in a couple corners to prevent movement, but can be removed in the summer.

http://www.amazon.com/Chimney-Plus-...d=1420332583&sr=8-1&keywords=hearth+extension

 

[Isaiah]

Thanks for the link. Would ceramic tile be a suitable substitute? It would at least be more aesthetically pleasing.

 

[begreen]

Yes, there are several nicer options. Just search in Google and Amazon for hearth extensions. Or you could have a custom one made or make it yourself.