Sweeps Advice on stove half-in Stone Fireplace

[wizequack]

I posted awhile ago about our older 1300 sf two story cabin in the Cascades that needs greater efficiency from it's original 1920's masonry fireplace in the living room and wood cookstove in the always cold kitchen. Begreen and the rest of you were very helpful in getting me to focus

I asked one of the most established sweeps in our area to scope out our situation. He says the cookstove's chimney draft is too short and kinky and chimney stack is unsafe for alot of reasons (Something mentioned by Joful) So we are putting off new wood-=heat in the kitchen until a drier season and putting in a small baseboard there for quickheat when we arrive late. (little Morso or Jotul out there later when we can suffer thru a 5' hoe in the roof for several days)

Main issue is the big masonry hole in the house must be plugged. The local prosweep/stove dealer stated that a rear vent stove is better than a top vent stove in regards to cleaning because the baffle takes o bigger hit for cleaning on the top vent than the rear vent connected with a T connector. Is this accurate?
FWIW - We'd narrowed our choices to something about 28"x3 with a 1.5- 2 CF firebox, with firescreen for occasional s'mores and cooktop/winter grill capabilities for power outages. Our pictured fireplace specs are

43wide front
27"wide back
arch 30-33-30
depth = 27" bottom o box
16" @ top of box
hearth 22.5" deep

25'+ brick chimney
Stoves we're considering now are: Alderea T5 (top vent); Napoleon 1400c & 1600c (rear ven t) ; Hearthstone Shelburne (rear vent) and anything else the community here thinks we should look at. Thanks!

 

[BrowningBAR]

You can remove the baffle from the stove. Also, you can do a bottom up cleaning.

 

[webby3650]

I wouldn't let the cleaning be an obsticle for you, A pro sweep will have the equipment to clean it no matter the set-up. What stove fits best? The T-5 and the shelburn are worlds apart in my opinion. I really doubt that you will have the room needed for a top exit after the 90' is installed. Have you looked at the Jotul Oslo? This a great heater with top or rear exit and short legs if needed. But it would fit without the short leg kit. But if you have like the Hearthstone line how about the Homestead Hearthstove? It's really made for this kinda set-up.

 

[begreen]

Good to hear you're making progress in the kitchen. For the living room, the T5 would be best to top vent, directly up, with no tee in back. The baffle drops out easily for cleaning and then you have a straight shot with nothing in the way. You might also look at the Hampton H300 for that spot.

 

[wizequack]

Sorry for the delay in responding - Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. The H300's short legs and steel cooking space on the top would allow some hearth cooking which is a family tradition. We do kettle Pot roast on the iron arm now.

Begreen is the good draft goal to top vent and avoid 90 degree bends for any insert or stove going into a masonry fireplace? I can go either way with Cumberland Gap & H300. Top or back vent?