NOVICE - NEED ADVICE WITH SHENANDOAH INSERT AND FIREPLACE

[jamesfetner]

Hi,

I moved into my Grandparent's old farm house and started using the Shenandoah Insert w/ blowers in the upstairs fireplace. I have an Atlanta Stove Works log burner in the basement. The side of it now has a crack going diagonal and I was thinking about upgrading anyway.

The upstairs fireplace has a pipe going up the chimney but the Shenandoah Insert doesn't even connect to the pipe, it's just sitting under it.The basement fireplace doesn't have a pipe. When I look in there it angles up and to the right and connects to the chimney. I just have a piece of sheet metal custom fit in there and a 6 inch hole at the height for the Atlanta Stove Works stove.

My thought is to buy a Buck Stove Model 74 (local outdoor equipment guy has one and will deliver and help install for 1800, very convenient) and run it as an insert upstairs but make sure it is actually connected to the pipe instead of sitting under it (not sure what happened that the Shenandoah wasn't). Then I was thinking about moving the Shenandoah downstairs to the basement after cleaning it up and fixing a few things on it and running it as a freestanding stove and just connecting it to that sheet metal that's covering the fireplace. Then I was thinking about hauling the Atlanta Stove Works stove to the scrap yard when prices come back up. Can I do this or will I burn the house down!?!?

I will not be running the basement wood stove very much and when we moved into the house last summer I cleaned all the build up out of the basement fireplace and there really wasn't very much buildup and I don't think it had been cleaned in 20 years. Is there a different or better way to go about this?

Thanks for all your help. I can provide pictures if I need to.

Respectfully,
James

 

[begreen]

Greetings. These are more of an uprgading and safety questions. Moved to the primary forum for the Buck 74 which could be a good choice.

The stainless steel pipe that should be tied to these stoves and up the chimneys is called a liner. Both stoves should have one, but I would not run the Atlanta any more. It sounds unsafe and ready for the scrap yard. You may be able to find an inexpensive replacement once there is a proper liner in that chimney. The Shenandoah install with no connection is what is called a slammer. This type of install is no longer legal.

To install a liner the chimneys, fireplaces and smoke shelves will need to be cleaned first. Then a liner can be dropped down and connected to the stove or insert.

 

[bholler]

yeah what he said. I am curious what the "pipe" is and what size it is on the upstairs one? Is it stainless steel and is it sized for the fireplace or the stove?

 

[jamesfetner]

Thank you Gentlemen, I appreciate your help and patience since I am facing a steep learning curve.
Yes, I think the upstairs is stainless steel (looks like it) and it is definitely sized for the stove at 6 inches, but if I take the Shenandoah out and take a picture of what I have in there, would you be able to tell me if it would be safe to hook the buck 74 up to it? I can handle the connection if the liner is sound.
Also, I have looked around and found a certified chimney sweep but he didn't seem to be interested in installing a liner (sorry for the previous terminology error). Is this something I could just get a sheet metal / HVAC person to do for the basement? I wasn't sure if it is even possible since the basement fireplace angles into the chimney. Can it still be placed in that situation? There is another company in the area I have heard can do this work but you call and call and no one answers, I guess when you are the only one, you stay busy!
Mr. Begreen, when you said I might should get an inexpensive replacement after the liner is placed in the basement, did you mean the Shenandoah would not be suitable down there in the basement as an insert even with the liner after I replace it with the buck 74 upstairs? I definitely don't want to have anything dangerous.
I will park the Atlanta in the Pack House and let it collect dust until China needs metal again!
Thanks for the help!

 

[begreen]

Here are two sites where you can find qualified sweeps in your area by typing in the zip code. The liner can be a flex liner if the chimney comes in at an angle.
www.csia.org
www.ncsg.org

As for replacements I was talking about the Atlanta in the basement. Used Atlantas in good condition can still be found. For upstairs I was assuming the Buck was to replace the Shenandoah.

 

[jamesfetner]

Thanks for the help, I found someone using the csia.org and they're coming on the 29th to see about the liner / stoves. I just found a stove for sale down the road from me that is called a "more heat" brand insert. Is this a good stove to buy? After I have the liner for the basement I would like to put an insert down there too. If this would be an upgrade from the Shennandoah I can buy that and hook it to the liner. I tried to research it but there doesn't seem to be much info on it. I have pictures of it but when I go to "upload a file" I am getting an error. Basically it looks like your standard insert except there is no glass. The blower / control is at the bottom. It is small to medium in size. Do you all have any knowledge of this stove's effeciency / safety?

 

[jamesfetner]

OK, I made it my avatar, now you can see it! Thanks!

 

[begreen]

Thanks for the help, I found someone using the csia.org and they're coming on the 29th to see about the liner / stoves. I just found a stove for sale down the road from me that is called a "more heat" brand insert. Is this a good stove to buy?

Need more information, I've never heard of it. Sounds like an old dogger. If so you might as well just move the Shenandoah down to the basement if it will fit. For your primary heater I would stay with a modern EPA approved stove like the Buck insert. Or see what price you can wrangle at the store for a couple of Bucks.