New insert — tight clearances, only 2 options?

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Benjo

Member
Feb 3, 2015
3
New England
Thanks in advance to anyone with insight before I move forward!

I finally have my own house (1500sf 1936 cape, new windows throughout, decent '80s blown-in insulation) and am looking to get an insert for the fireplace solely for supplemental heat whenever we're home. I Think I have the wife convinced it won't spoil her favorite feature of the house—the mantel.

The problem(s): mantle begins at 34" and immediately sticks out 2", and the hearth is flush brick in hardwood and 17.5". Modifying the mantel has been considered and absolutely excluded (the brick only extends one more course anyway!) Extending the 1936 flush brick hearth would be difficult, and more importantly, the room really can't handle an insert extending further into it—it's only 12' across, and the fireplace already sticks out 2' into the room across from the only space a couch fits, which besides being the living room also serves as a hall to a converted porch/office. The room itself is about 250sf.

What I've found: Only 2 flush inserts appear to actually meet clearances with only a heat shield on the trim similar to this thread: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/just-installed-a-pacific-energy-neo-1-6-fireplace-insert.127338/

One, as in the linked thread, is the PE Neo 1.6, the other is the Lopi/FPX/Avalon small hybrid-fyre. The wife already prefers the hybrid's looks (in Lopi black arched-door form) and definitely its minimal emissions, but I'm scared that the price will be the end of this project (appears to be almost $3750 for the insert alone??).

I'm new to modern woodburners, having grown up with a waterford stanley cookstove and a few old vermont castings.

Does anyone with more experience know of any other options that would be safe and pass inspection?

Image of fireplace with dimensions attached, and thanks for reading!
FireplaceDimensions.jpg
 
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It looks like the Regency Alterra 1250 would work. The Osburn Matrix might just squeak in with a mantle shield. The more appropriately styled Vermont Castings Montpelier seems ok on a quick look again with a mantle shield. Also check out the Quadrafire Voyageur.
 
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Thanks for the reply!

I've just researched and unfortunately ruled out all of your suggestions though, Osburn doesn't meet side or hearth clearance, Voyageur is close (hearth is good by 1/16"!) but specifies trim on sides and top to be <3/4" and mine is 2.25", and the Regency has a special 19.5" hearth requirement for flush hearths: "If the hearth extension is flush with the floor (F) it must extend 19.5" in front of the body face"

Most oddly, the Vermont Castings seems to fit in every way with a mantel shield, but the manual says this: "Note: The clearance between the Montpelier Medium Insert and the mantel, top trim and side trim cannot be reduced by installing shields."

I was told by my insurance and the town that they will "inspect by looking and measuring according the manual, no exceptions", so I guess that rules out the nice looking Montpelier!
 
If I'm not mistaken you need a 18" hearth with any wood fueled insert. Your 17.5 is a non-starter. You may have no choice but to extend the hearth another row of bricks into the room.
 
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