Has anyone here ever measured the temperature of the wall over their fireplace or woodstove when it's going full bore? I'm redoing the insulation above an older masonry fireplace which currently contains a gas insert, and when the insert temp reads 500F, the wall and studs 21 inches above the firebox reads 80F.
I'd like to use foam insulation board there, because it's a much better insulator for walls than fiberglass batts or mineral wool, but it starts to melt at 160F.
So if the gas insert were removed at some future date, and the fireplace converted back to woodburning (which is unlikely), or a woodstove were added (slightly more likely), would anyone expect that temps greater than 160F would be seen on the wall over the firebox? That sounds high to me, but I wanted to ask those with more experience burning wood. Thanks.
I'd like to use foam insulation board there, because it's a much better insulator for walls than fiberglass batts or mineral wool, but it starts to melt at 160F.
So if the gas insert were removed at some future date, and the fireplace converted back to woodburning (which is unlikely), or a woodstove were added (slightly more likely), would anyone expect that temps greater than 160F would be seen on the wall over the firebox? That sounds high to me, but I wanted to ask those with more experience burning wood. Thanks.
