Stove clearance - nothing combustible!

[BasementBurner]

Hello, I've been doing a lot of reading on the forum and have learned a lot, I think. I have a question, and first, some background:

Objective: install a wood stove in my basement for some fire-watching and a little heat in the winter

I live in a 60's ranch home, masonry chimney with two clay-tile lined flues (6.5x10"?), one of which had been used for the furnace and the other for the fireplace.

1) I recently chiseled out and removed a prefabricated metal firebox from my basement. It was the home's only fireplace. My basement has a poured concrete wall down the middle of the space, into which this unit was installed, putting it near the chimney in the middle of the house.

2) There was mortared concrete block surrounding the backside of the unit, as well as going over the top, which included a shaft of block connecting the output from the firebox to the chimney flue. They had filled the space just above the stove with brick and concrete rubble, which I've also removed. I've never seen anything like this online!

3) My plan is to remove the remainder of the block and re-build some block walls so it's more of a traditional space to slide in a stove. I would love to have the stove set in to be flush with the poured concrete so it doesn't stick out into the room.

4) I have access to the flue (it stops about 5 feet off the floor.)

As I look over the codes and specs for stoves (I haven't purchased one yet) I see plenty of guidance concerning stove clearance from combustible materials, but no guidance on what clearance a person should have between the stove and, say, brick or block if there's nothing behind it.

I wish I had photos. The attached photo is essentially my goal, except imagine the wall being bare concrete and the inset portion would be cinder block Maybe down the road I'll tile or something.

 

[webby3650]

It sounds like you are removing the structure that is holding up the chimney. You had a heat-form firebox, surrounded by masonry. That was very common. It’s built like a masonry fireplace, just utilizing a metal firebox rather than firebrick. The masonry below is typically holding up the the entire structure. Be careful!

 

[begreen]

Just to verify, when you say prefab do you mean a heatform metal fireplace or a Zero Clearance fireplace? Is the chimney metal or masonry?

Clearances are measured to combustibles. If there is nothing combustible, then the stove can go right up to the wall, allowing a little room for maintenance if there is a blower on the back.

 

[bholler]

Hello, I've been doing a lot of reading on the forum and have learned a lot, I think. I have a question, and first, some background:

Objective: install a wood stove in my basement for some fire-watching and a little heat in the winter

I live in a 60's ranch home, masonry chimney with two clay-tile lined flues (6.5x10"?), one of which had been used for the furnace and the other for the fireplace.

1) I recently chiseled out and removed a prefabricated metal firebox from my basement. It was the home's only fireplace. My basement has a poured concrete wall down the middle of the space, into which this unit was installed, putting it near the chimney in the middle of the house.

2) There was mortared concrete block surrounding the backside of the unit, as well as going over the top, which included a shaft of block connecting the output from the firebox to the chimney flue. They had filled the space just above the stove with brick and concrete rubble, which I've also removed. I've never seen anything like this online!

3) My plan is to remove the remainder of the block and re-build some block walls so it's more of a traditional space to slide in a stove. I would love to have the stove set in to be flush with the poured concrete so it doesn't stick out into the room.

4) I have access to the flue (it stops about 5 feet off the floor.)

As I look over the codes and specs for stoves (I haven't purchased one yet) I see plenty of guidance concerning stove clearance from combustible materials, but no guidance on what clearance a person should have between the stove and, say, brick or block if there's nothing behind it.

I wish I had photos. The attached photo is essentially my goal, except imagine the wall being bare concrete and the inset portion would be cinder block Maybe down the road I'll tile or something.

View attachment 216811

Those block you want to remove are probably at least holding up the clay tiles and any rubble fill they out in around them. And at worste are part of the chimney structure. To remove them you would have to start at the top removing the clay and anything else in there. It could be done but probably not worth the trouble. You will probably also need a stainless liner for the chimney.