Top trim clearance issues - advice?

[lsirois]

I am looking at fireplace inserts and from the few that I have looked at (Jotul, Napoleon, Hearthstone), I seem to keep running into the same problem - my fireplace top trim. The top trim is 2 - 2 1/2" thick and is 36 1/2 inches from the hearth base. All of the above stoves mentioned above require much more than that - even with a heat shield. Modifying the mantel and surround is not an option - it's huge and the wife loves it!

Do any of you have any recommendations for something that will fit? Lopi seems to have a few "small" inserts that seem like the top trim would not be a problem. How is that brand? The VC WinterWarm might also be an option...seems relatively small though with 30k BTU/h max. House is ~3000 sqft. I am certainly not looking at heating the house with an insert, but I would like something more efficient than the current fireplace and that can produce quite a bit of heat.

Thanks!

 

[begreen]

Have you looked at flush inserts like the Lopi Declaration and Avalon Perfect Fit?

 

[tickbitty]

I think that's just a bit too short for the mid-sized Lopi inserts, but the small ones (Answer and Republic 1250i) would fit. They would give you good zonal heat though definitely not whole-house heat.

If you have square footage available in front of the fireplace you could get a premade hearth pad to sit in front of the fireplace, then get a nice freestanding stove that you could tee out the back and up the chimney maybe? So you could keep the whole mantel intact?

 

[lsirois]

Thanks for the input! I did think about having a stove in front of the fireplace, but that did not fly very well with the "boss" ;-) There's the Regency I1200 that also seems like it could work. Regency, Lopi...both companies are pretty good? Any reason why I should pick one over the other?

 

[tickbitty]

Regency and Lopi are both very good companies. Avalon stoves are also made by Travis, that makes Lopi, and they may offer a couple options that might fit too. I would just go with whichever one has the largest firebox and still meets your clearances. Actually I just checked and the Avalon Ranier (their medium insert) JUST makes it at 35 5/8" (with mantel shield.) Those stoves are neat because the insert is the same as the freestanding, you just add legs.

You might be able to do one of the box store stove inserts too, Englander (same as Summer's heat) or a Drolet or Vozelgang, for considerably cheaper, (check the clearances though, I don't know!). But Since you can squeeze that Avalon Ranier in there, that's what I would do! Your Lopi dealer might sell them.

 

[tickbitty]

Scratch that, I think you get a lower clearance with the Regency Medium and it's got a 2.3' firebox. Nice size for an insert!

 

[lsirois]

I looked at the specs for the Regency I2400 (medium) and it does look like I would have enough distance between the insert and trim, but my trim is 2 to 2 1/2 inches thick and not 1 1/2" as specified...although my trim would be 6" higher than their spec. I wish they had a little graph showing how thick the trim can be as we move away from the insert.

 

[tickbitty]

hmm, that's a bit tougher. Have definitely seen some inserts done with shields on top and sides, almost like a picture frame of shields around the fireplace opening or around the surround. Complicates things but done right I think it can still look nice. Will see if I can find one of those images for you.

 

[lsirois]

Out of curiosity,.....lets assume that I find a stove that I like and that could fit except for the distance to the upper trim, but the manufacturer does not list a heat/mantel shield as an option in the instructions manual. Does that mean that a heat shield option is out of the question?