Major fireplace Reno

[vwmike]

Hi guys,

Long time lurker and infrequent poster. Decided this would be the year I finally upgraded my setup after living in our house for 5 years. Have been using a PE Vista insert in a masonry fireplace located in my daylight basement. Short burn times and a tendency to back draft when cold where my two complaints.

Pulled the insert last weekend and started demolition. Found some very poor workmanship by local installer, they also demolished almost all the existing masonry in the fireplace to make the insert fit.

Plans are to block off the fireplace, steel stud, Durock, tile and convert to a freestander. The hole in the blocks is where the class A chimney will come through from outside. I’m quite capable but not all that creative so critiques and suggestions are welcomed and encouraged.

 

[bholler]

Hi guys,

Long time lurker and infrequent poster. Decided this would be the year I finally upgraded my setup after living in our house for 5 years. Have been using a PE Vista insert in a masonry fireplace located in my daylight basement. Short burn times and a tendency to back draft when cold where my two complaints.

Pulled the insert last weekend and started demolition. Found some very poor workmanship by local installer, they also demolished almost all the existing masonry in the fireplace to make the insert fit.

Plans are to block off the fireplace, steel stud, Durock, tile and convert to a freestander. The hole in the blocks is where the class A chimney will come through from outside. I’m quite capable but not all that creative so critiques and suggestions are welcomed and encouraged.



View attachment 231174

You already have a masonry chimney and i presume a liner in it why are you going to class a?

 

[vwmike]

You already have a masonry chimney and i presume a liner in it why are you going to class a?

Oh I forgot that part of the story. This insert is hooked up to a class a chimney right now on the outside of the existing chimney. I couldn’t understand why it was done this way until talking to the neighbours who have lived beside me for 25 years. They told me the previous owners had a chimney fire with a previous stove and chimney. It also looks like they always burned wet wood judging by how creosote covered parts of the old chimney are... Apparently the insurance company replaced it with what I have now. I’ll post a pic when I get home, but what I am doing is simply moving the existing class a up 4ft and pokingn it through higher.

 

[begreen]

Sounds like quite a mess both prior to the fire and the workaround. Have you had a certified WETT installer come out and assess the situation? I'm wondering why and insulated liner wasn't dropped down the chimney instead of taking on a class A pipe outside.

 

[bholler]

Sounds like quite a mess both prior to the fire and the workaround. Have you had a certified WETT installer come out and assess the situation? I'm wondering why and insulated liner wasn't dropped down the chimney instead of taking on a class A pipe outside.

I agree it is an odd solution

 

[vwmike]

Sounds like quite a mess both prior to the fire and the workaround. Have you had a certified WETT installer come out and assess the situation? I'm wondering why and insulated liner wasn't dropped down the chimney instead of taking on a class A pipe outside.

Yes it was wett inspected when I bought the house and passed no problem. I rebricked and parged the top of the chimney a couple years ago and could see the SS liner in the flue and could not remove it no matter how hard it tried. It was a small flue, no way an insulated liner would of fit.

 

[bholler]

Yes it was wett inspected when I bought the house and passed no problem. I rebricked and parged the top of the chimney a couple years ago and could see the SS liner in the flue and could not remove it no matter how hard it tried. It was a small flue, no way an insulated liner would of fit.

There is almost always a way for an insulated liner to fit.

 

[begreen]

It sounds like they didn't break out the old tile liner first.

 

[vwmike]

There is almost always a way for an insulated liner to fit.

Oh for sure, this wasn’t my idea, just trying to make it better! I also don’t really like inserts either, and the fireplace was so small the biggest that would fit was a vista!! A pic speaks louder than words.

 

[bholler]

Oh for sure, this wasn’t my idea, just trying to make it better! I also don’t really like inserts either, and the fireplace was so small the biggest that would fit was a vista!! A pic speaks louder than words.

View attachment 231203

Wow yeah if that was my house i would be trying to eliminate that class a for sure. Have you considered relocating the class a and stove to a completly different location?

 

[mcstatz5829]

You already have a masonry chimney and i presume a liner in it why are you going to class a?

Isn’t that what you told me to do?

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/stove-installed.169197/page-3

 

[bholler]

Isn’t that what you told me to do?

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/stove-installed.169197/page-3

No not that i saw. I told you to go with an insulated liner.

 

[mcstatz5829]

No not that i saw. I told you to go with an insulated liner.

Thought that was same thing - thanks for clarification. What’s difference?

 

[bholler]

Thought that was same thing - thanks for clarification. What’s difference?

An insulated liner goes inside a masonry chimney. A prefabricated chimney commonly called class a is the chimney.

 

[mcstatz5829]

An insulated liner goes inside a masonry chimney. A prefabricated chimney commonly called class a is the chimney.

Thank you that makes sense.

 

[vwmike]

Wow yeah if that was my house i would be trying to eliminate that class a for sure. Have you considered relocating the class a and stove to a completly different location?

I have measured and sat and looked for hrs over the years and there just insn’t another spot that makes sense. I like having having the stove in the basement it’s close to the woodshed and I spend a lot of time down there. If it’s just because it’s ugly it’s off the the backside of the house and you only see it when your in the back yard looking back at the house which I only seem to do when mowing the lawn

 

[begreen]

The ugliness also affects the home's value. That install would be a red flag to many homebuyers.

 

[Highbeam]

There are two flies in that masonry chimney right? Is the other flue being used?

Masonry chimneys are very easy to remove. Then you could have a superior installation of that class a in an insulated chase. Better performance, better looking than what you have. No worries about further brick related water leaks or failures.

 

[bholler]

There are two flies in that masonry chimney right? Is the other flue being used?

Masonry chimneys are very easy to remove. Then you could have a superior installation of that class a in an insulated chase. Better performance, better looking than what you have. No worries about further brick related water leaks or failures.

Yes but prefab chimneys only last about 30 years. A properly maintained masonry chimney will be there for a hundred plus. And if it is properly lined it will perform every bit as well. Then you have aesthetics. Many people including me dont like the look of prefab chimneys. Yes you can build a chase and cover it with masonry and it will look as good but then you have masonry maintenance just like a masonry chimney.

Cost wise by the time you tear that down dispose of the rubble then patch the wall soffit and roof. You could have easily paid for an insulated liner.

I see nothing wrong with prefab chimneys but i also see no reason to tear down a perfectly good masonry chimney to replace it with a stainless one.

 

[Highbeam]

The point is, just look at that pos he has now because the masonry system was deemed junk. Rip that masonry junk down and get the class a system properly installed. Unless, the other flue is being used still.

The average time people are in homes is 7 years. 30 years life for a class a system is 4 times too long!

 

[Rickb]

Why not remove the class A, pull out the old liner then break out the clay tile and reinstall the correct liner? He could still install a free standing stove and not have that crazy setup he has going now.

 

[bholler]

Why not remove the class A, pull out the old liner then break out the clay tile and reinstall the correct liner? He could still install a free standing stove and not have that crazy setup he has going now.

That is what i would do

 

[vwmike]

That is what i would do

Geez you guys are a tough crowd! I guess I’ve come to except it having lived here for the last few years. Certainely if we stay long enough and do a major remodel I will change it around. As is, we’re already oddballs for burning wood in my neighbourhood. Everyone else has long stuffed a gas fireplace in these by now. Strangely enough the 2 hearth shops I’ve been at recently stove shopping both say my setup will work better than the masonry...

Moving on, I got the old fireplace blocked off, outside air setup and steel studs up this afternoon. Will add roxul and cement board and then tile for a completely non combustible wall assembly.

 

[begreen]

Sorry to be hard on this one. I think most of us are thinking, what if this was our home? It's a mess and I can appreciate that you are trying to make some lemonade from these lemons.

 

[bholler]

Geez you guys are a tough crowd! I guess I’ve come to except it having lived here for the last few years. Certainely if we stay long enough and do a major remodel I will change it around. As is, we’re already oddballs for burning wood in my neighbourhood. Everyone else has long stuffed a gas fireplace in these by now. Strangely enough the 2 hearth shops I’ve been at recently stove shopping both say my setup will work better than the masonry...

Moving on, I got the old fireplace blocked off, outside air setup and steel studs up this afternoon. Will add roxul and cement board and then tile for a completely non combustible wall assembly.

View attachment 231296

Yes it is your house you do whatever you think is best for you. I just lnow you had said you were getting smokethe extra elbows to getvout through the masonry to the class a have to be contributing to that