My Horrible Inefficient Fireplace!

[jmk909er]

I have a built in fireplace in my house that is very inefficient, uses a lot of wood, produces a lot of ash that needs to e cleaned out all the time, and doesn't put out as much heat as it should. (See Pics)

Years ago my dad had the same deal but he wound up putting a cast iron stove in front of the fireplace and blocked off the fireplace with sheet metal and ran the back vent stove through the sheet metal. This produced a lot more heat and used a lot less wood. I think this is what I should do.

Can you just vent it through the sheet metal or does it need to connect to the chimney?

What are Y'all's thoughts on this? Thanks

.

 

[bikedennis]

Have you looked into inserts?

 

[jmk909er]

No not yet. Don't they still trap heat in the firebox? Tell me what you think.

If I have a cast iron stove sitting on the hearth in front of the fireplace won't that give me the optimum heating? I don't know, just asking. This is a new subject to me.

 

[begreen]

No not yet. Don't they still trap heat in the firebox? Tell me what you think.

Not necessarily, but many ZC fireplace do not permit an insert to be installed. Do you know the make and model of the fireplace? If you have the manual search for wording concerning insert installation.

If you want to install a freestanding stove in front it must rear vent and have the top of the flue outlet below the fireplace lintel. Or in this case it could be installed a floor level, losing a chunk of floor space. The stove must be connected to a 6" full-length, insulated, stainless steel liner.

 

[jmk909er]

No I don't know the make and model of the fireplace. I just bought the house a year and a half ago.

 

[begreen]

No I don't know the make and model of the fireplace. I just bought the house a year and a half ago.

Look around the door frame channel. Sometimes there is a metal ID tag in there.

 

[jmk909er]

My hearth in front of the fireplace sticks out 16 inches. Is that too short for a cast iron wood stove?

 

[all night moe]

My hearth in front of the fireplace sticks out 16 inches. Is that too short for a cast iron wood stove?

Yes.

You also need floor protection in front of a freestanding stove.

 

[begreen]

My hearth in front of the fireplace sticks out 16 inches. Is that too short for a cast iron wood stove?

Yes, even the little Morso 7110 is 18.5" deep.

 

[KDubU]

My hearth in front of the fireplace sticks out 16 inches. Is that too short for a cast iron wood stove?

Yes but floor protection can be a spark arrester carpet. Nothing complication or too expensive and can be removed when the stove is not in use.

I have done exactly what you are asking about and although I am not a huge fan of a wood stove in a hearth it will work. I prefer a free-standing stove ideally located mid-house in an open cconcept design alas, not all home accommodate this. I have a Jotul F55 installed and a spark arrester carpet in front and the stove is up 9” from the floor itself as that is how the hearth is built. I was planning to rear vent the stove but it ends up I was able to top vent after all.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Yes but floor protection can be a spark arrester carpet. Nothing complication or too expensive and can be removed when the stove is not in use.

I have done exactly what you are asking about and although I am not a huge fan of a wood stove in a hearth it will work. I prefer a free-standing stove ideally located mid-house in an open cconcept design alas, not all home accommodate this. I have a Jotul F55 installed and a spark arrester carpet in front and the stove is up 9” from the floor itself as that is how the hearth is built. I was planning to rear vent the stove but it ends up I was able to top vent after all.

I don’t think a fireplace carpet would suffice. A piece of sheet metal would is it was ember protection only.

 

[stoveliker]

It depends on the model stove whether an (insulating) R-value is needed between stove bottom and flammable floor, and in front of the stove, or only ember protection.
(Most modern stoves indeed only require ember protection.)

 

[KDubU]

I don’t think a fireplace carpet would suffice. A piece of sheet metal would is it was ember protection only.

Yes it does if you purchase the correct type.

 

[begreen]

Yes it does if you purchase the correct type.

Well, sort of. Fiberglass, will provide some ember protection, however it is not permanently affixed. This is less of an issue with the side-loading PH stove than with a front loader.

 

[bigealta]

My old inspector neighbor said here in NJ an ember protection mat when stapled down meets code where ember protection is required. I assume that's so you can't just put one down to pass inspection and then remove it when the inspector walks out the door.

 

[Pinesmoke]

My old inspector neighbor said here in NJ an ember protection mat when stapled down meets code where ember protection is required. I assume that's so you can't just put one down to pass inspection and then remove it when the inspector walks out the door.

Like the staples can't be pulled, right? Pretty typical of inspector types I've dealt with for years.

 

[bigealta]

Like the staples can't be pulled, right? Pretty typical of inspector types I've dealt with for years.

Ha, yup of course. Whatever though, glad they opted for that instead of making some BS onerous rule.

 

[bigealta]

I've got my mats double stacked, one olafin? maybe material one over a fiberglass one. They've caught there fair share of sparks and this year are winning the award for grabbing quite a few larger chunks of coal that liberated themselves from their cozy home in the hot box.

 

[Pinesmoke]

Ha, yup of course. Whatever though, glad they opted for that instead of making some BS onerous rule.

I used to sell machine tools into Canada so had to change all kinds of electrical components for code. I would get a punch list from an inspector and run through it line by line. If a second inspector came for the final it was ALWAYS wrong. It's not the rules but the interpretation of the rules. THEIR interpretation of the "rules", it was never good enough to go by the written codes.

 

[qwee]

Your fireplace reminds me of one of those corner masonry heaters. Is that fireplace built on a corner? If that fireplace is all brick than it has a strong foundation. But if it is just one of those 1 layer imitation fireplaces it probably doesn't have a strong foundation. If it has a good foundation, I would rip off the top part, build a core, and an outer layer - that is a corner masonry heater. Masonry heaters are efficient fireplaces that store and give off heat. You could ask a mason what he thought about rebuilding this fireplace to turn it into a corner masonry heater. This guy, Matthew Helicke, is nice and you could ask him about the possibilities if you were interested - he isn't too far away. I don't see any masonry heater builders listed in Oklahoma. (broken link removed) Matthew Helicke 4515 CR. 730 Gunnison CO 81230 United States (970) 631-7386 [email protected]

 

[mikey]

My stove is in the fireplace, smooth wall stainless, plate on the bottom and top with the void filled with insulation no problems.

 

[bholler]

My stove is in the fireplace, smooth wall stainless, plate on the bottom and top with the void filled with insulation no problems.

Yes but is yours a prefab fireplace or a masonry fireplace?

 

[mikey]

1765 colonial, old brick fireplace that I loved but fear of a fire causing me to make the change, I like the stove but miss the open fireplace but I have two more to enjoy.

 

[Nick Mystic]

I have a setup similar to what you describe. I replaced a slammer installed insert with a Jotul F600 stove that sits in front of the fire opening of my masonry fireplace and chimney. It has a block off plate and stainless steel liner. I lock the front doors of the stove and only load from the side door, which is to the right of the stove. This setup has worked fine for quite a few years.