Question about fireplace, flue, and sweeping.

[GrumpyDad]

I have a stone fireplace in the center of a building, that has some sort of funky metal box inside of it, plus two vents on the side of the fireplace about chest height that puts out decent heat once the fire has been going for awhile. Best I can tell is this was place inside sometime in the 70s. There are no markings. They tucked insulation around the edges where the 'box' didnt perfectly mate with the current stone inside. Underneath this was all built on top of masonry block. The flue damper is obviously metal and seems attached to this metal box. The back looks wavy and warped. Are there any maintenance items I need to consider for this fireplace?

The flue is obviously some sort of square glazed stone product. It looks like terra cotta but is a different color. These came in what appears to be 3' sections, and there is cement in between each piece. The chimney also has a smaller square pipe that serves as an exhaust to the oil furnace within the same chimney but in a separate pipe. Does the oil furnace flue need swept? It's dark and dingy down there for sure. The fireplace flue I sweep but never really get anything out of it. I have maybe a cup full of soot that falls down below, and that's it. I use a wire sweep on fiberglass poles that I connect as I go further and further down. I sweep back and forth each section for likely 2-3 minutes each wiggling it side to side as I go down to try and apply pressure to the sides to get as much 'stuff' off the pipe. We dont burn a ton through this fireplace, maybe at most 1.5 cords per season. Any tips here?

I really wanted to put an insert in this but my wife is totally against it. She likes the look of the fireplace and would opt to wrap herself in a blanket and sit in front of the fireplace than to have an insert and be able to walk around in shorts.

 

[bholler]

I have a stone fireplace in the center of a building, that has some sort of funky metal box inside of it, plus two vents on the side of the fireplace about chest height that puts out decent heat once the fire has been going for awhile. Best I can tell is this was place inside sometime in the 70s. There are no markings. They tucked insulation around the edges where the 'box' didnt perfectly mate with the current stone inside. Underneath this was all built on top of masonry block. The flue damper is obviously metal and seems attached to this metal box. The back looks wavy and warped. Are there any maintenance items I need to consider for this fireplace?

The flue is obviously some sort of square glazed stone product. It looks like terra cotta but is a different color. These came in what appears to be 3' sections, and there is cement in between each piece. The chimney also has a smaller square pipe that serves as an exhaust to the oil furnace within the same chimney but in a separate pipe. Does the oil furnace flue need swept? It's dark and dingy down there for sure. The fireplace flue I sweep but never really get anything out of it. I have maybe a cup full of soot that falls down below, and that's it. I use a wire sweep on fiberglass poles that I connect as I go further and further down. I sweep back and forth each section for likely 2-3 minutes each wiggling it side to side as I go down to try and apply pressure to the sides to get as much 'stuff' off the pipe. We dont burn a ton through this fireplace, maybe at most 1.5 cords per season. Any tips here?

I really wanted to put an insert in this but my wife is totally against it. She likes the look of the fireplace and would opt to wrap herself in a blanket and sit in front of the fireplace than to have an insert and be able to walk around in shorts.

Does the chimney have a cap? If not the box may be rusted out by now

 

[GrumpyDad]

Does the chimney have a cap? If not the box may be rusted out by now

The cap was two large concrete paver stones held up with small bricks on the sides and larger ones in the middle and caulked in the middle where the two seams met. When I bought this place I replaced that with a stainless system.

 

[bholler]

The cap was two large concrete paver stones held up with small bricks on the sides and larger ones in the middle and caulked in the middle where the two seams met. When I bought this place I replaced that with a stainless system.

Ok it might be ok then

 

[GrumpyDad]

Good to know. I tried to inspect with my tired terrible eyes looking for something to complain about and couldn't find anything. How often would you sweep a chimney like this?

 

[bholler]

Probably close to 100 a year. They are really common. They are also very commonly rusted out. We cut out 3 or 4 a year and build a masonry box in it's place. And install inserts in more than that

 

[GrumpyDad]

Probably close to 100 a year. They are really common. They are also very commonly rusted out. We cut out 3 or 4 a year and build a masonry box in it's place. And install inserts in more than that

can you recommend any inserts that have a large viewing window that flame nicely? Id bet my wife would sweeten up if I could show her something that would be the best of both worlds.

 

[bholler]

I know the big hybrid regency has a nice big window and can give a nice flame show if wanted. Most of the more modern flush inserts have big windows. And most of them are hybrid can run with nice flames

 

[begreen]

This style fireplace is known as a heatform, though often called a heatilator because that company sold so many of them. There are several past threads on insert installations into this style fireplace. If you can post a picture of the fireplace and provide full dimensions it will be easier to suggest some options.

 

[GrumpyDad]

This style fireplace is known as a heatform, though often called a heatilator because that company sold so many of them. There are several past threads on insert installations into this style fireplace. If you can post a picture of the fireplace and provide full dimensions it will be easier to suggest some options.

Thanks as soon as I get up there this weekend I will!

 

[begreen]

Here's a DIY thread that shows what is possible.

Cut out heatform myself?

So I talked to local blaze king dealer and it sounds like they’re comfortable cutting the smoke shelf out of my heatform to allow for a rigid insulated liner and fitting an ashford 25 ( mind you this is over the phone so far) They said they would discount the install if I did the cutting...

www.hearth.com

 

[vbu]

I also had a heatform fireplace, cut it out myself and had an insert installed. Here's the topic on it with before, during and after pics

Quadra fire expedition II

Good afternoon everyone, Last week we had our Quadra fire Expedition II insert installed after I cut out the old heatform. They installed a 6" flex liner, and stuffed insulation around it (see picture). I'm not sure what type of insulation this is, but I assume that they know what they're doing...

www.hearth.com

 

[bholler]

For the record there is generally no need at all to completely cut out a heat form in order to install an insert. Just cut enough to get the liner through.

 

[GrumpyDad]

I also had a heatform fireplace, cut it out myself and had an insert installed. Here's the topic on it with before, during and after pics

Quadra fire expedition II

Good afternoon everyone, Last week we had our Quadra fire Expedition II insert installed after I cut out the old heatform. They installed a 6" flex liner, and stuffed insulation around it (see picture). I'm not sure what type of insulation this is, but I assume that they know what they're doing...

www.hearth.com

very nice, thanks for the link.

woh, I read through that. Sounds like y'all are a bit more in heat than a standard fireplace, maybe a bit more than a bit more but not by much. Someone posted they were burning through about a cord a month. That seems like alot but I guess if you plan well ahead, get the wood cheap or near nothing it's worth it, plus all that extra exercise that I dont get just moving the dial up and down twice a day.

 

[vbu]

very nice, thanks for the link.

You're welcome. Like bholler said, no need to cut out as much as I did. I was not familiar with how it would all be installed, so I made the cutout as big as possible. If I'd known then what I know now, I would've done things differently, including adding a blockoff plate. Make sure you get one of those.