Reducing clearance to combustibles on overhead.

[chesterbrooklodge]

Good Evening,

Hopefully some of you pros and vets can help me solve my issue. Recently ripped out a pre-fab fireplace (because it was useless) out of a wood framed wall, with stone masonry on the exterior (for the effect of a stone masonry fireplace). I'm looking to install a PE Summit Classic LE in the current opening, but I need to reduce the CTC overhead where the stove will sit (PE states 54" clearance to combustibles overhead). It is an open cavity above where the top of the stove will sit, but its all wood framing inside the cavity. I was thinking that if I framed the top of the opening (above where the stove will sit) closed with steel studs and attached some non-combustible backerboard to those studs and then mortared some tile to the backerboard with the whole thing sloping upwards gently towards the front of the stove and the opening, I would be ok. Attached are some pictures of my current situation, any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[begreen]

Sorry but that is a no-go. You would need to open up the space to the required height . This is assuming that side and rear clearances are met.

 

[brenndatomu]

Sounds like about your only choice is to rework things into an alcove type install...

 

[brenndatomu]

What diameter is that existing pipe? That will need to be changed to class A chimney too...at a minimum...assuming there is enough room in there to have 2" clearance all around an 8" OD pipe...

 

[Mech e]

You cannot change the distances to combustible material clearances by covering them with noncombustible materials. Properly innstalled heat shields can reduce them somewhat per the stove manufacturer's instructions.

 

[chesterbrooklodge]

What diameter is that existing pipe? That will need to be changed to class A chimney too...at a minimum...assuming there is enough room in there to have 2" clearance all around an 8" OD pipe...

I've thought about doing an alcove type install, but slightly modified. I want to leave both the front and back exposed, so I've thought about possibly bringing up the opening to the proper overhead clearance and bricking up the sides. The existing pipe is 13 1/2", its just there right now with a trash bag over the opening to keep my heat from escaping up it/protecting the inside of the house from the elements.

 

[chesterbrooklodge]

You cannot change the distances to combustible material clearances by covering them with noncombustible materials. Properly innstalled heat shields can reduce them somewhat per the stove manufacturer's instructions.

What if I removed any combustible material and replaced it with non-combustible? Or am I still barking up the wrong tree here? Just trying to find a way to do this without ripping the entire wall apart.

 

[Mech e]

What if I removed any combustible material and replaced it with non-combustible? Or am I still barking up the wrong tree here? Just trying to find a way to do this without ripping the entire wall apart.

Yes, that works. Like Begreen said, be sure to have the correct clearances on the sides, front, back, top, and bottom.