see through wood burning masonry mess

[emilym]

Hi everyone. I'm new to this forum. Found you after getting increasingly discouraged with what I thought was a really neat part of a house I bought. Any help would be awesome. I've called local contractors and chimney places all summer and people who are skilled are very busy, haven't been able to get someone to come look at this and explain it.

House built in 1979. I'm not sure how precious owners used this fireplace but they're not around to find out.

It's in the middle of the house, big masonry fireplace with one opening, visible from two rooms. I want a wood burning fireplace. I don't care about efficiency as much as aesthetics, though both would be nice. From what I've read, options are limited and complicated for keeping both sides visible. That's ok. Maybe can close up one side and open it later when there's a better glass option, or an affordable double sided insert. Yes, I'm positive I want to burn wood and not use gas -- don't even have gas set up at this house. Don't want a woodstove given how open and central to the house this masonry fireplace is. Have read the threads here on difficulties of see through fireplaces.

But I don't understand what this incomplete fireplace NEEDS. Wish I could find prior owners and ask what the heck they were thinking and what they did already. The house in general is very well built. But!

Currently there's firebrick and complete masonry -- in the middle of two rooms. The space where a fire would go is big enough for a dog to walk through. There's no damper. You lay down and look up from the firebrick-lined opening and there's the clay flue, and sky. In the bottom portion of the firebox area (I don't know the right words), there's a heavy metal piece that fits the edges of the opening and tapers up to where the masonry and ceramic begin. This heavy metal piece maybe once held a damper?

So I don't know if what I have is a huge expensive project, or a minor one. What pieces will the contractor need? A wood burning insert...would it use the existing flue (still a very large hole, by the way), and ceramic liner, and install a damper?

I have looked at inserts and they are very shallow. This hole is probably 30 inches wide, 24 inches deep and 30 inches tall. Is an insert the only way to burn wood openly (as in a fireplace rather than a wood stove) in this space? I'm trying to decide if I can afford to do this or not, and if not what to do with this beautiful huge centerpiece of masonry in my house but have NO idea the extent of what needs done.

Anyone have any clue what this sort of project needs, parts-wise, and a ballpark range for what those parts cost? I'd appreciate any info you have...a lot. Frankly it's driving me crazy.

(forgive the humor in the wood stacked next to the giant hole in my living room. Wishful thinking.

 

[begreen]

Welcome. An insert would be the most efficient way to turn the fireplace into a good heater, especially if a modern EPA fireplace insert is installed. The insert will need a stainless liner, most likely 6" and insulated. What are the full dimensions of the fireplace? How large an area would it be heating?

If you want to get a professional opinion and eyes on the scene consider hiring a certified sweep for a consultation. www.csia.org

 

[emilym]

Thanks so much for your reply! Actual measurements I don't have right this second, but somewhere close to 30-36 inches wide, 20-30 inches tall, and about 36 inches deep.

Area it would be heating is about 1100 square feet, though it's a loft A-frameish style house, so think mostly one big room. This would be a tertiary source of heat and mostly for "aesthetics" (sounds silly put that way) used occasionally right now, so efficiency not the biggest concern, though I don't wanna rule out using it as a primary source of (efficient) heat in the future.

I've contacted everyone (2 listed) within an hour drive of me on the list you gave. Not many options for professional opinion here, unfortunately.

So a wood burning insert needs a new liner for sure?

Wish there were some way I could install a damper and topper, and build an "insert" by blocking and tapering forward one opening with firebrick or steel or something? . Possible?

 

[begreen]

Wish there were some way I could install a damper and topper, and build an "insert" by blocking and tapering forward one opening with firebrick or steel or something? . Possible?

I'm not a mason but done properly that does sound possible. A top of the chimney damper with a pulley chain system may also be possible but I wouldn't invest that way if the goal is to provide meaningful heat and use much less wood. A good insert will still provide a nice fireview while really heating. The backside opening could be covered with expanded or perforated metal to vent a bit of heat at the rear too.

Is there a ceiling fan? That would be a necessity to help circulate the air. Otherwise heat will pocket at the peak.

 

[yooper08]

If aesthetics is what you are really going for and you really like the way it is now, a chimney top damper may be a good idea. That at least seals off the chimney while not in use until you find something you really like later on.

That said, the one wall of firebrick that we can see in the photo looks pretty clean. Does it look like the previous owners had fires in the fireplace? Just looking at the one side you've shown us, I don't see any smoke/soot above the opening which could indicate the fireplace drafts fine with a fire - if they had fires.

I ask this because aesthetically, if you really liked the double-sided fireplace to begin with and liked the idea of using the fireplace as is, it could be fine to use as is. The chimney top damper would then be an easy, low budget way to take care of this. Just know that this wouldn't give you any meaningful heat.

Going the insert route and getting a screen that fits in the insert's opening would set you up to use it more as a fireplace and then you could just close the door to really get the heat whenever you wanted to. Begreen mentioned closing up one side or using metal to close it off. Maybe another option could be a large cast iron fire back?

 

[webby3650]

The truth is: see through masonry fireplaces rarely work. Physics come into play here, your house makes a better chimney than that little clay flue. Smoke will take the path of least resistance. Closing up one side is the most practical thing to do if you intend to use it for woodburning. Keep in mind, fireplace doors aren't meant to be used with the doors shut, unless you spring for ceramic glass. Very pricey! So that's not really an option for closing in one side. Setting a stove inside the opening would be the easiest option in my opinion. Jotul stoves for instance are finished on both sides, so it would look good from both openings.

 

[Destructor]

I agree that a free standing wood stove or insert would be your easiest and best option. It’s too bad all that expense went into a type of fireplace that rarely works. With that style interior a Rumford would have been a great fireplace, though inefficient compared to stoves, you would have got a fireplace that throws heat and if used long enough would have heated up the surrounding masonry.


A decorative perforated grill on the back side would look descent and let heat out. With no damper getting a liner up the chimney should be straight forward, I would hope who ever built that installed at least a 12” X 12” flue.