Pros and cons of setting insert deeper into fireplace?

[War Eagle]

New to this forum; my first post. We're looking at installing a Lopi 1750i wood-burning insert into our existing masonry fireplace (circa 1983). With standard installation and surround panels, the insert's 23" deep firebox would extend 13" back into the masonry fireplace and 10" out onto our 16" hearth. Adding the fitted circulation fan to the front (pretty much a must) would take up another 4" of the hearth, leaving us only 2" of hearth. We can set the insert 6" further back into the fireplace, giving us 8" of hearth, but that would require the additional expense of custom cut inside-fit surround panels. I hope that all makes sense. Other than gaining back some hearth space, at the additional expense of needing custom-fit surround panels, are there any performance or efficiency pros and/or cons to positioning the insert 6" further back into the masonry fireplace (resulting in 19" of the insert's firebox being set back inside the masonry fireplace leaving only 4" extending out onto the hearth)? Any insight, suggestions., recommendations, conjecturing, warnings, reminiscing,, etc., would be much appreciated..... Dale

 

[nola mike]

If anything, you're better off with as much exposed on the hearth as possible. But that's what the fan is for anyway. Aside from aesthetics, I don't know of a benefit of putting the insert farther back.

 

[Lake Girl]

Looks like you will have to do a hearth extension either way so you will meet code (broken link removed to http://www.lopistoves.com/product-detail.aspx?model=303#inst-tab)

 

[BrotherBart]

How tall is the hearth off of the floor? If it is the usual three brick 9" high hearth you will be fine with a sixteen inch hearth pad in front of it. Which you will want for ember popping protection anyway. The measurements are from the front of the loading door so the blower is a non issue. I don't remember what the hearth elevation takes off of the requirement per inch but Lopi can tell you.

You want as much of it outside of the fireplace as possible for radiant heat.

 

[War Eagle]

It's a 6 foot wide solid masonry fireplace with natural field stone facing, and beyond the hearth is 12 to 18 feet (depending on direction) of ceramic tile flooring cement mortared onto a 4" thick concrete slab floor, so the fireplace inspector says we're good to go either way....

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah, you could build a campfire on that floor.

 

[War Eagle]

The natural field stone surface of the hearth is a bit uneven, but it is at least 12 inches from the lowest dip in the hearth stone to the floor. So far, it looks like 2 votes for standard installation (primarily to optimize radiant heat out into the room), 0 votes for setting it back inside the fireplace. Interesting information. Good insight. Thanks, all.

 

[Mick-Fish]

Hi Years ago I indented a timberline insert in a fire place about 6 in. .It looks great , more room in the small living room, You have to have blowers going all the time,We had cut the steel seround to go around stones in the fire place and the arch at the top of the fireplace.We used black furnace cement to seal the plate,because of all the heat the furnace cement will curmbles and fall (must be re done about twice a year takes ten min. to due)...We are still using this 25 years later,I am thinking about replacing it with a new stove that would be in front of the fire place with no blower. I have a woodstock Steel stove in the basement in front of a fireplace... lot more heat,but takes up a lot of space in a small area,burns half the amount of wood as the timberline

 

[War Eagle]

We finally decided to go with the standard installation for our new wood-burning Lopi 1750 insert (protruding 10" out onto the hearth). It looks great that way. It's been unseasonably warm down here this Fall (even for the deep south), but we finally had an evening near freezing last night - so we fired it up for the first time. GREAT insert! We love everything about it! Thanks everyone for your feedback and insight.... Dale

 

[War Eagle]

Update: We've gone through two full winters with our Lopi 1750i and just lit up the first burn of our third season. We still REALLY love this insert. We burn exclusively seasoned oak and hickory (harvested by ourselves on our property), and our chimney sweep/inspector is amazed at how clean it burns.