Planning stages - Prefab Chimney Option

[JSGAuto]

Hi All,

I have a prefab fireplace and chimney in my new house. Similiar to a heatilator setup.

Steel box masonry construction, with a steel sheetmetal lined masionary chimney. Luckly the firebox is huge, and the hearth is a decent size to suport a few different options of inserts that I want to upgrade to. My goal here is to install an efficent wood burning insert to replace this wood hog.

But....the problem. The steel lined chimney on this thing is a weird size. 6X36! Also note the standard clay flue for the oil furnace. They share the same chimney.

-Is installing a liner necessary?

I've seen some rectangular and oval liners, but to be insulated, I'm not sure they make a size small enough. Would making an adaptor from the new stove pipe to this weird existing chimeny be acceptable?

Ideas?

Thanks
Jim

 

[pen]

First thing is to find out who manufactured your unit and check with them / look in the manual to see if it is permissible to install a stove or insert into that pre-fab unit.

If you happen to have a unit where it is possible to safely install an insert, then it's time to look into liners and such.

Welcome to the site and good luck

 

[webby3650]

That's a very odd shaped flue, never seen one like that. If its only 6" inside then your kinda stuck. Is it even and straight inside? A 5.5" liner is an option. Don't worry about the furnace flue, as long as it has its own flue it can share the same chimney.

As for the fireplace, it wouldn't need any special consideration. The old heatilator type fireplaces are considered a masonry fireplace, as long as there is solid masonry surrounding it. It's just a prefabricated firebox, surrounded by stone.

 

[JSGAuto]

A few pictures below.

As you can see, there is a problem. The smoke passes thru a bunch of tubes. These are located in the lower vent, when looking at the overall picture of the fireplace.

So I guess I have 2 options, cutting them out (I might be able to reach with a plasma cutter). Or coming up with an adapter and utilizing the chimney as-is.

I did find some documentation (will scan tomorrow). And it clearly states its a masonry fireplace, with this thing built inside of it.

I'd really like to hear opinions/ideas!

 

[JSGAuto]

Attached is the documentation I have for this.

Talks a little about construction, as well as showing the uninstalled picture.

 

[begreen]

Yes, it's a big metal heat exchanger. That must be fun to clean. Is this a short chimney, under 16 ft.?

 

[JSGAuto]

Yes, it is on the short side. I will measure the height later today.

Thanks
Jim

 

[JSGAuto]

Looks to be exactly 16'

Thanks
Jim

 

[mellow]

It would be worth your time to get someone with some certs to look at that in person, not sure where you are but you can find certified sweeps at:
http://www.ncsg.org/ or http://www.csia.org/

Cutting out those heat exchanger pipes is going to be fun.

 

[JSGAuto]

Yea, I'm not looking forward to it.

I'll give some local pros a call and get their opinions.

thanks
Jim

 

[rideau]

New house. Just out of curiosity, when did you buy the home, and have you had opportunity to try the set up? AS currently configured, how does it heat your home?

 

[JSGAuto]

Yep, I did have a chance to use it over the winter.

It did heat my house very well, and it has some nice features. Outside air supply, and an outdoor ash tray.

But, it was very hungry. Full load burn times of 3-4hrs. Lots of heat loss up the chimney. It really did require constant attention. I'd like something more efficient with long burn times.

Thanks
Jim

 

[begreen]

This looks like it is going to be a bear of a job. Have you considered putting a freestanding stove elsewhere in the house and leaving the fireplace alone? How large an area are you trying to heat with wood? One though I had was the furnace chimney. Is the furnace still connected and in use?

 

[JSGAuto]

2200square feet.

I really would like to put it here. This is a contemporary style home, and this is the main room. The back of the house is all windows, and the other wall faces the street, so a class A chimney would look funny.

Yes, oil furnace is still used. I'd like not to! But I plan on keeping it.