Newbie just got a Lopi Revere Insert installed - has some questions :)

[adel9]

After a lot of thought and research, my husband and I had a Lopi Revere insert installed into our 2 year old Superior zero clearance fireplace (came with the new house). We used a reputable big name dealer on Long Island, and prior to the install had a CSIA certified, licensed chimney sweep come out to give me the go ahead, check out what I had, and clean the chimney (I wanted an impartial opinion). Chimney sweep said I was good to go, and the install went ahead as planned today. The installer struck me as knowledgeable and trustworthy. According to the Lopi manual, the insert is approved for installation into a Superior zero-clearance fireplace. The installer connected the insert via a direct connect, not a full reline. He told me it wasn't necessary as I had a basically brand new 7" stainless steel flue.

I'm a little (actually a lot) paranoid about fire so I questioned the sweep and the installer pretty thoroughly. Both assured me that going forward with this installation is fine. The installer told me that prior to his current position doing installs at the dealership, he was a chimney sweep. He told me that the set-up I have is safe and that the only way my house is going to burn down is if a lighted log fell out of the stove and rolled across the floor and I let it stay there. He went so far as to say that having the insert (which is a fire contained within an insulated metal box) placed inside an insulated metal firebox yada yada is actually a safer setup than the fireplace on its own. When he left I felt much reassured. Fast forward to now, I was looking through the forums and came upon a thread stating that inserts into zc fireplaces are a bad idea and inherently unsafe.

Well, I'm going to be honest. My hands are shaking so badly now and I'm sick to my stomach. Did I do a bad thing? Is this unsafe? Is my house going to burn down? I'm terrified of using the thing now. I can't undo this. I just spent $4k on this insert and install. Lopi said its approved for zc fireplaces made by Superior, the dealer (big name on Long Island) said it was fine, and an independent chimney sweep said it was fine. It's not fine, is it? Oh my. I'm just sick over this

 

[Dunadan]

I'm sorry. What is your concern?

Here is what the Revere manual says about ZC Fireplaces -

Zero-Clearance (Metal) Fireplace Requirements

• Must utilize a positive (full reline) or direct connection (block-off plate)
• Must be manufactured by one of the following manufacturers: Marco, Majestic, Heatilator, Preway, Tempco, Superior
• Entire fireplace, including chimney, must be clean and undamaged. Any damage must be repaired
prior to installation of the insert
• Entire fireplace, including chimney, must meet local building requirements
• Chimney height: 15' minimum; 33' maximum. Minimum cross section: 28.65 square inches
• The damper and grate must be removed (see Figure 4). The smoke shelf, internal
baffles, screen, and metal or glass doors may be removed (if applicable). The
masonry lining, insulation, and any structured rigid frame members (metal sides, floor, door
frame, face of the fireplace, etc. – may not be removed or altered

You've had 2 seperate people tell you it was OK, and your manual says its OK. Why would you think it's not?

 

[adel9]

Thanks for your reply. I'm sorry to be paranoid. My concern is that I just read on another thread that an expert here considers wood burning inserts placed into zc fireplaces an inherently bad unsafe practice. Someone else concurred. They sounded like they knew what they were talking about. I, on the other hand, have NO idea what I'm talking about because this is all new to me and I'm depending on others to educate me.

So, I guess my question is, will my house burn down if I use the damn thing? Will the heat the stove emits somehow ignite the framing, studs, walls, etc. that surround the unit? All my clearances are good to go. If you were me, would you use it?

 

[iceman]

I'm sorry. What is your concern?

Here is what the Revere manual says about ZC Fireplaces -

Zero-Clearance (Metal) Fireplace Requirements

• Must utilize a positive (full reline) or direct connection (block-off plate)
• Must be manufactured by one of the following manufacturers: Marco, Majestic, Heatilator, Preway, Tempco, Superior
• Entire fireplace, including chimney, must be clean and undamaged. Any damage must be repaired
prior to installation of the insert
• Entire fireplace, including chimney, must meet local building requirements
• Chimney height: 15' minimum; 33' maximum. Minimum cross section: 28.65 square inches
• The damper and grate must be removed (see Figure 4). The smoke shelf, internal
baffles, screen, and metal or glass doors may be removed (if applicable). The
masonry lining, insulation, and any structured rigid frame members (metal sides, floor, door
frame, face of the fireplace, etc. – may not be removed or altered

You've had 2 seperate people tell you it was OK, and your manual says its OK. Why would you think it's not?

probably because there are people on here who own/operate stores that have said they WILL NOT install a insert into a zc fireplace due to the fact they felt it was dangerous

 

[webbie]

Dear Friend,

As much as we try to moderate this forum, we certainly cannot control the content of posts.

It certainly sounds fine, and is fine if the installation matches the manual that the stove came with. The truth about this matter is pretty simple, and was actually quoted from one manufacturers manual right on the forum.

1. The insert must be approved for such use.
2. EITHER the chimney must be relined, or the chimney must be up to the newer (newest) temperature rating for such fireplaces. The Quad manual used 1998 as the date where after should be OK.

Since most ZC inserts are placed into older prefabs, it is common practice to line the chimneys to the top. However, as the Quad manual says, they do not require it if the chimney meets the current HT standard....and they (the manufacturer) claims fireplaces built after 1998 all do meet that standard. (sound right to me, also)....

It sounds like you have competent installers, store and a chimney sweep. You might want to check two other things just to confirm your safety:
1. The model of your fireplace - then the manual or literature on it should clearly state as to whether it is tested to HT (the chimney) standards.
2. Your local building or fire official can inspect and approve it.

But to answer the question in the simplest way possible, if the unit is installed as per the manufacturers most current listing and owners manual, then you have a "legal" installation IMHO.

 

[iceman]

Thanks for your reply. I'm sorry to be paranoid. My concern is that I just read on another thread that an expert here considers wood burning inserts placed into zc fireplaces an inherently bad unsafe practice. Someone else concurred. They sounded like they knew what they were talking about. I, on the other hand, have NO idea what I'm talking about because this is all new to me and I'm depending on others to educate me.

So, I guess my question is, will my house burn down if I use the damn thing? Will the heat the stove emits somehow ignite the framing, studs, walls, etc. that surround the unit? All my clearances are good to go. If you were me, would you use it?

don't worry about it
you did the right thing
you had it inspected you are doing what lopi says as far as what zc to use
did they install a blockoff plate? you might want them to verify it
if you are really that nervous like you sound call a inspector and have them look at it but it sounds like you should be safe
hopefully elk or one of the others will drop in as they know much more than me

 

[webbie]

Ha, Iceman, Elk is one of the people that posted the "paranoid" thread, so if he drops in you are gonna get more of the same "opinion".
I thought I deleted that thread, since it was disinformation, and this is one example of why people should be careful of separating opinion from fact and truth.

Fortunately, the manufacturers deal with something other than that....called "fact".

 

[iceman]

Ha, Iceman, Elk is one of the people that posted the "paranoid" thread, so if he drops in you are gonna get more of the same "opinion".
I thought I deleted that thread, since it was disinformation, and this is one example of why people should be careful of separating opinion from fact and truth.

Fortunately, the manufacturers deal with something other than that....called "fact".

lol is that the thread about masonary fireplaces?????

 

[iceman]

Ha, Iceman, Elk is one of the people that posted the "paranoid" thread, so if he drops in you are gonna get more of the same "opinion".
I thought I deleted that thread, since it was disinformation, and this is one example of why people should be careful of separating opinion from fact and truth.

Fortunately, the manufacturers deal with something other than that....called "fact".

lol is that the thread about masonary fireplaces?????

i know he definitely scared the crap outta me with one of those threads ....lol

 

[webbie]

Our mission here is customer education. We cannot install every stove, nor select the "best" one, nor operate them for the millions of readers. We simply try to inform, with perhaps a touch of opinion, humor and sarcasm bundled in (all for free!).

A person could "laser in" on just about any tiny aspect of anything, and we would all worry about something new.

Further on the pre-fab fireplace situation, a little history as I remember it. In the very early (modern) stove era, there were no inserts which were allowed to be installed into these. Then a number of manufacturers and test laboratories did testing - usually with small units - and they passed...WITHOUT the chimney having to be relined.

But our company always fully relined the chimneys, and here is why. The older ZC fireplace chimneys were not tested to as high of a standard as woodstove chimneys. Also, many were already 20 years+ old, so trusting these to hold up for another 20+ years was questionable....

OK, now here is the biggie.....

At one time, probably the mid-90's, the testing labs contacted many of the ZC approved stove manufacturers and RESCINDED the listings! This was because of the reason given above - that the chimneys in the field were not up to snuff. So the labs said the manufacturers must insist on the full reline.

Looking at the modern manuals, it seems that the labs and standards made the fireplaces have to pass the higher temp tests, and therefore the labs went back to allowing the Direct Connect (in some cases).

---Note: the above is my interpretation of events that happened - a manufacturer like Travis, etc. might be able to confirm this little piece of trivia.