Query...

[haas_stye]

Hi All,

Query; I have a wood stove that mounts to the front of my brick fireplace. I recently cleaned the whole system.
My question is, how critical is it to fasten it tightly to brick? It was tight before I had it cleaned, now it’s tight at the top,
but maybe 3/8s away at bottom, from the brick. As far as I can see and tell, the fire can not come out there, but what can?
Just trying to be safe…

rrh
truth honor freedom

 

[tickbitty]

So, it's like an insert into the fireplace? Or stove that sits in front, with a surround and the surround is gapped now slightly? Is the firebox completely contained within the stove? If, so, the only problem I can think is if it is a "slammer" type install - with no liner at all up the chimney. If it is, then yeah you need that surround to be sealed good and tight. But if your firebox is completely within the woodstove/insert, and it exits up a metal lining into your chimney, then the surround is probably more cosmetic than anything.

 

[haas_stye]

Yes, the stove sits in front of fireplace. Surround is part of the stove.
There is a small gap at bottom of surround, 3/8”.
I know I need a metal liner but I don’t have one.
My question still remains…what can come out of gap??

Thank you tickbitty, for your time and expertise.


rrh
truth honor freedom

 

[tickbitty]

Hi, I was hoping some of the more experienced burners would weigh in here for you, and I think they will, but need more information from you to help. It sounds like what you have might be what they call a "slammer" where the stove has an open exhaust into your fireplace or chimney, and no liner at all? If that's the case it's not an especially safe install, because if creosote builds up and there's a chimney fire, it means that fire can not only pull air from your homespace to fuel it, but the fire could get more easily into your living space.

Most "modern" surrounds just "seal" to the front of the fireplace brick with a small bat of fiberglass, so I don't think it's neccessarily airtight or anything either though... there's a chance that your small gap won't do that much more than whatever your main setup would be responsible for anyway.

If you post the type of stove you have and maybe a little more about your setup, hopefully some of the other folks on here like "Brother Bart" and others who once burned with slammer stoves back in the day will be able to help you more.

Does your stove just have an open hole in the back? or does it exhaust from a hole in the top back, or something different? If it has a round hole 6 or 8 inches in circumference you should be able to get a liner that will hook up to it pretty easily and give you a safer setup. Some installs just line up 6 or 8 feet, through the firebox and up into the masonry-tile lined chimney, but the favored way is to have a liner that goes the whole way up.

 

[DanCorcoran]

Pictures help, too, if you can post some...