New home owner, clueless about prefabs

[Narclax]

Hello,

First of all, a quick thank you for all the information already posted. I'm a first time home owner, learning things as I go along fixing things around the house. I have a small, approx 1200 sq ft, ranch with a prefab fireplace built into one of the walls. I just had it swept for the first time and was informed that one of the firebrick refractory panels needs to be replaced before the fireplace can be used. I was given a quoted price of $600, which seems expensive for 1 panel.

After attempting to find a place to purchase the panel and failing it got me to thinking about what else I could do with the prefab unit. This is my first time using a prefab unit, but from what I understand it is basically a large metal box. The refractory panels and the metal protect the surrounding wood from the heat. I know there is a chimney, but I have no clue what it's rated for, temperature wise, or anything about it. This is all I've been able to figure out so far. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to figure out a model number or even the company that made it. If I'm off base about anything concerning what a prefab is, please let me know.

Moving on, I was wondering what types of options I have for converting/replacing the prefab unit with a wood stove or insert, etc... If I've understood what I've read so far, I'm pretty sure you can't use the existing prefab firebox for an insert or stove because of the heat difference. I would love to put a wood burning insert in, as something like that would be perfect for my house. If there is anyway to do this time of conversion I would love to know how. Unfortunately, as with most times in life, I can't afford a full on remodeling right now as I have a wedding coming up in a month. (needless to say the wedding makes any remodeling work look cheap lol)

Hopefully everyone can understand my ramblings. Being a new home owner there's only 1 way to learn, and that's to ask.

Any help would be appreciated greatly, thank you for your time.

C. Miller

 

[73blazer]

There are a couple of 'prefab' fireplaces that say they can take an insert. That said, I wouldn't do it. I'm in the middle of a retrofit, several dealers told me they could put an insert in my existing Majestic WMC42. The manual for it didn't say anything about it, and I say, umm..no thanks on that.
I'm taking mine out and replacing it. First thing you need to do is find out what you have. There will usally be a plate on the inside (covered with soot of course), search around, clean it, you'll find it, that should tell you what you have. From that you can usally determine the chimney, and the existing size which gives you an idea as to the size of your opening and what other units you can fit in there.
Most built in fireplaces, or prefabs as you call them, have a proprietary chimney, unlike stoves. Within the same brand, you can usally re-use if you can carefully get it separated from the fireplace (some say it can be done, my Majestic S8 triple wall Chimney, no way was that happening). Check around at HeatnGlo.com, quadrafire.com, heatliator.com, regencyfireplace, napoleon fireplaces and several others, the manuals and specs are all posted.
I did consider removing my unit, making a cubby or just closing it in and putting a stove, but I didn't want to sacrifice the living room space for a stove. But I could have simply lined my existing chimney if I could have found a way to hold it up with the existing unit removed.
Anyway, look around here and the manufacturers websites, look back here for reviews, do some research, you will quickly learn. Last spring, I didn't know squat about fireplaces/stoves etc. Only that I knew my existing unit was an open fireplace and I couldn't keep wood in it or control it in anyway, nearly worthless for heating and effciency. Hearth.com grows quickly on you, because there are so many knowledgeable people here.

 

[webbie]

Do you know how old the house is?
Is there any label to be seen on the fireplace?
You might not need to replace that panel - it can probably be patched...or, you might be able to DIY - there are sources of such panels (if you are somewhat handy).

As far as getting more heat out of it, the basics are this:
1. For $500 or so you can purchase a heat grate like The Fireplace Radiator - and get some heat from it.
2. The next step from there is probably $2500 to $3500 installed for an insert and a full liner, which is what is needed.

That's the quick basics.