Need help with identification and plan

[Sdwoodfire]

Excellent community forum here. I’ve been reading for hours per night for the last week or so. We have a 1940s house with what I can best describe as a “heatilator” style fireplace without the center pipes. (Similar to pic attached). This thing is terrible at creating heat, burning complete and has no control at all with a lot of back smoke. Three quarter split logs will last approx 20-25 min tops. Chimney is 3 sided external, terra cotta lined with inside dimensions of 7x11.25” and is clear top to bottom.

Goal is to install an insert. I see large errors in my ways of the combustibles around the current opening but there is brick easily accessed behind the drywall to meet the required setbacks when we get to that point.

First question, do you see issue with cutting the smoke shelf, damper area, and rear fire box wall slope out to clear room for new liner and larger insert. I drilled a small hole to verify open airspace behind rear wall of current firebox and confirmed with a camera.

Second question, any idea if 6” 304 with blanket and mesh will fit down or must I go oval? Can I slightly ovalize the 6” to clear?

Chimney is roughly 17’ from smoke shelf to cap.

Looking at Osburn 2000 but am concerned with what needs to happen with the hearth extension as its 19” from wall currently.

Now for the bad news. SD doesn’t have a certified sweep within 4 hours of me and I haven’t found anyone in town that knows anything other than propane inserts.

Any advice would be great. Thanks all. I have a small mountain of 3-10 year old split and stacked wood begging to be burned...

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[moresnow]

Better verify your ability to safely install a insert in your current setup. @bholler might give you some insight.

Sounds like you are one of the very few wanting to burn that has truly dry wood! Good luck.

 

[bholler]

Better verify your ability to safely install a insert in your current setup. @bholler might give you some insight.

Sounds like you are one of the very few wanting to burn that has truly dry wood! Good luck.

Yeah no problem putting an insert in a heat form as long as it was built properly

 

[Sdwoodfire]

Better verify your ability to safely install a insert in your current setup. @bholler might give you some insight.

Sounds like you are one of the very few wanting to burn that has truly dry wood! Good luck.

Because this junker doesn’t burn very well I’ve been splitting and saving all the wood I’ve cut down from the property hoping to change this at some point. I’m fully electric heat pump heat but I want this insert to supplement when it stays below zero for a month and as plan B if the power goes out. A small generator will run the blower vs a large one to run the heat pump.


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[Sdwoodfire]

Yeah no problem putting an insert in a heat form as long as it was built properly

I have the very first house the local builder around here built in the area. I’ve remodeled every room back to the studs and rewired and insulated etc. the one thing that was good was material but there is a lot of stuff to make you scratch your head about

What’s your thoughts of the liner fit? Everything I read says insulate it. One place selling liner says the flue is small enough to not need to. I can’t imagine that .005” SS would take a ton to slightly oblong to allow clearance. Thoughts?


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