Novice looking for assistance with stove/liner questions

[liquidccd]

I've been browsing through older posts for about a month and think I'd like to take the plunge into a new stove.

I grew up with a stove as the only source of heat in the house and I currently live in a drafty home heated by steam radiators. I love the radiators but would like to supplement the heat with a wood stove. I honestly would probably prefer the ease of natural gas but the wife has a major aversion to any gas appliance.

Our living room is rather narrow and believe I need the space savings of a flush insert. The Blaze King Sirocco 25 is a near perfect fit and I also like the Pacific Energy Neo 1.6 LE (the 2.5 won't fit).

The BK is a better fit, can load N/S, larger/squarer firebox, longer burn, larger window, can heat the entire home on it's own, etc but not sure I can justify the price for only supplemental heat.

Suggestions welcome on the above but my real questions are related to the liner. Please see the attached pictures. The current liner I believe is aluminum but can't tell for sure without starting to remove it; I believe it was previously hooked up to a gas insert (which was not present when we bought the house). The current liner is ~6x9" oval and the flue opening is about 6.5" x 11.5".

The stoves I'm looking at require a 6" liner; is my only option to install a new blank liner, a tight blocking plate, and pour insulation? Any other options for the liner that incorporates what is already in place? If I removed the currently liner completely could I start burning open logs on a grate?

Just trying to figure out my options so we can make an informed decision moving forward.

Thanks so much!

 

[begreen]

Take some snips and cut off a little bit of the top of the liner to determine if it is aluminum or stainless. There is a big different in the weight of the material and some stainless is magnetic.
If a new liner is needed, look at the DuraLiner, insulated oval liner system. It's meant for this size flue and has the proper top cap and the transition piece to go back to 6" round below the damper area.

 

[liquidccd]

It's non-metallic so I can't rule out aluminum. I clipped this small 2" piece; I seems to have some heft but it's so small I'm not 100% sure it's steel (it weighs 3.7 grams). It does not bend readily so I'm inclined to say it's stainless.

Edit: I just grabbed an earth magnet and it magnetizes ever so slightly, it's stainless.

 

[bholler]

Yes that is absolutely a stainless liner. How tall is it? It may work if you transition to 6" round. I think it would be worth a try. If it doesn't work well you can always drop an ovalized liner inside that one. If you can confirm that liner is properly insulated you could skip the insulation and probably use 6" round

 

[liquidccd]

Yes that is absolutely a stainless liner. How tall is it? It may work if you transition to 6" round. I think it would be worth a try. If it doesn't work well you can always drop an ovalized liner inside that one. If you can confirm that liner is properly insulated you could skip the insulation and probably use 6" round

It's a 2-story building, I haven't measured, but it's probably around 30' from the hearth to the top of the chimney.

Confirming what you noted; possible sequence:

1. Try to transition from the current 6x9" oval to 6" round at the stove; use stove, see how it works. Proceed to #2 if poor performance.
2. Check if current 6x9" is insulated.
   • Yes - Drop 6" round inside entire length as a complete re-line.
   • No - Install insulated 6" oval inside entire length as a complete re-line.

 

[bholler]

It's a 2-story building, I haven't measured, but it's probably around 30' from the hearth to the top of the chimney.

Confirming what you noted; possible sequence:

1. Try to transition from the current 6x9" oval to 6" round at the stove; use stove, see how it works. Proceed to #2 if poor performance.
2. Check if current 6x9" is insulated.
   • Yes - Drop 6" round inside entire length as a complete re-line.
   • No - Install insulated 6" oval inside entire length as a complete re-line.

Yes that is what I am saying. But you should check for insulation to use the existing liner as well