Jotul F55 install

[cuttingedge]

I have another thread about the purchase of my new stove (Jotul F55). It is scheduled to be installed on October 7th.
After contacting many mason contractors to raise our lintel and extend our hearth. It seems that all are too busy to do the job before our install.
Along with the stove I have purchased the blower and a large stove board as our hearth may not be long enough. Originally we thought that we could place the stove halfway in our existing fireplace but after taking apart our surround for our insert I have measured and according to Jotul's website with the flue exiting the rear of the stove, we need 30" of height exactly. Without the stoveboard we are at exactly 29 3/4" from the bottom of the fireplace to the bottom of the lintel so we are short. What are my options at this point to make this stove work for this season? Will any of the short leg options for other jotul stoves work for this stove? Will a "dent" in the stovepipe from the back of the stove to the connector adversely effect performance?
Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Here is a picture of our current set-up with the surround removed

 

[cuttingedge]

I have another thread about the purchase of my new stove (Jotul F55). It is scheduled to be installed on October 7th.
After contacting many mason contractors to raise our lintel and extend our hearth. It seems that all are too busy to do the job before our install.
Along with the stove I have purchased the blower and a large stove board as our hearth may not be long enough. Originally we thought that we could place the stove halfway in our existing fireplace but after taking apart our surround for our insert I have measured and according to Jotul's website with the flue exiting the rear of the stove, we need 30" of height exactly. Without the stoveboard we are at exactly 29 3/4" from the bottom of the fireplace to the bottom of the lintel so we are short. What are my options at this point to make this stove work for this season? Will any of the short leg options for other jotul stoves work for this stove? Will a "dent" in the stovepipe from the back of the stove to the connector adversely effect performance?
Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Here is a picture of our current set-up with the surround removed

Anybody?

 

[Ashful]

Grind 1/4" off the legs?

I wouldn't sweat 29-3/4" vs. 30", as it's in the error of measurement for most masons and stove installers.

 

[cuttingedge]

Grind 1/4" off the legs?

I wouldn't sweat 29-3/4" vs. 30", as it's in the error of measurement for most masons and stove installers.

Would it be okay to deform the pipe to achieve the clearances needed to get under the lintel?

 

[Ashful]

Ahh.... I read too fast, and missed that your clearance issue is pipe, and not clearance to combustibles. In this case, I'd be looking to go shorter on the legs, and drop that pipe to clear the lintel. Deforming pipe is fine, but I wouldn't want to do it so close to the stove collar, as it might be tough to keep the mating bit round.

Do they make a short leg kit for that stove? Does this stove require an R-value floor, or just ember protection?

 

[jeffesonm]

Just ember protection for the F55. I will measure mine when I get home... maybe they fudge the numbers a bit? 1/4" is really nothing, you should be able to figure something out. Maybe have the front legs ever so slightly taller than the back so it angles back a bit? How's the draft?

 

[cuttingedge]

Just ember protection for the F55. I will measure mine when I get home... maybe they fudge the numbers a bit? 1/4" is really nothing, you should be able to figure something out. Maybe have the front legs ever so slightly taller than the back so it angles back a bit? How's the draft?

Thank you, I would greatly appreciate it if you would measure from the bottom of the legs to the top of the stove and also the top of the stove pipe exiting the back of the stove. I am hoping that we can make this happen without major mods this year as I have had no luck finding a mason to do the work until at least January. The stove is getting installed on October 7th.

 

[jeffesonm]

I would say their measurements are spot on.

I think you could make a dent in the connector pipe and be fine... ideally you would put something rigid like a 6" round piece of wood in each end of the pipe so they don't deform when you bang a little dent in the middle. If that doesn't work, use a 6" round to oval connector. Worst case scenario you chisel 1/4" out of the bricks where the feet sit.

 

[cuttingedge]

Well I am hopeful that my problems are solved by Tuesday. I got a call back from a mason contractor who is coming over Sunday to look at the job and he says that he should be able to raise our lintel pretty easily. He is going to grind out the old lintel and a few courses of brick and raise it up. He will also install a new lintel. That should allow us to push the stove back somewhat into the existing fireplace. So today I am going to remove our insert and hopefully by Tuesday our problem is fixed and the stove company can install without issue. I will update with pics of our progress.

 

[cuttingedge]

Good news, the mason contractor came out today and removed a few courses of brick so that we can meet our height requirements. Here is a pic without the insert as I took everything out yesterday.

 

[jeffesonm]

nice! one step closer......

 

[Ashful]

Nice! Will his off-color pointing be covered in the final install? For future reference, your mortar looks to be white portland with maybe 3 parts yellow sand. Mix in brown sand to suit (but keep it less than 4 sand : 1 portland total).

If you get on it soon enough, you could even get out the gray stuff to a 1/2" depth and re-point in the proper color. Too many masons just use the pre-mix gray quickrete mortar.

 

[cuttingedge]

Nice! Will his off-color pointing be covered in the final install? For future reference, your mortar looks to be white portland with maybe 3 parts yellow sand. Mix in brown sand to suit (but keep it less than 4 sand : 1 portland total).

If you get on it soon enough, you could even get out the gray stuff to a 1/2" depth and re-point in the proper color. Too many masons just use the pre-mix gray quickrete mortar.

He is going to come back and re-point the entire thing when he gets more free time. Because it was an "emergency job" that he did on a Sunday for us we did not much care what it looked like. He did leave the mortar a little shallow so that he could color match in the future. It is entirely possible that we may remove all of the brick and do stone next year anyway. Thank you for letting me know the color. To me these are trivial things as long as the stove gets installed and I can keep warm this year without using too much if any oil.

Btw: according to my eyes there appears to be at least three different colors of mortar already! I am guessing that this has been modified before

 

[cuttingedge]

Well, I am happy to report that the stove got installed today and the first break in fire is complete.

 

[cuttingedge]

Finished the three break in fires and ha it cruising at about 600 last night. I had a few issues with the install that will get resolved next week but overall I am very happy with this stove so far. It certainly puts out some heat.

 

[weatherguy]

Looks good cutting, just in time for the cold weather which should make an appearance in another week or so.
That stove was on my short list, I ultimately went with the Progress Hybrid because I wanted all the firepower I could get but that stove looks nice with that install.