What do I need for a new wood stove insert?

[pdilow]

I bought a house that was built around 1980. It appears I have a zero clearance fireplace? I know nothing about fireplaces so I could be wrong. I'd like to get a wood stove insert. My neighbor tells me there was one here and they took it out when they sold the house for whatever reason.

I'm trying to figure out if I can just put the wood stove insert right into whatever is already in my fireplace? Or do I need to remove the zero clearance fireplace that's already in there?

Also, it looks like the chimney already has some sort of lining. If I get a wood stove insert am I OK with what's already in there or do I need to get a chimney liner? And in the case I can use what's already there do I simply just set the wood stove insert right in there and it will vent upwards?

I've attached pictures to show what I have. Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[begreen]

The first thing to do is verify that this ZC fireplace is an acceptable model for an insert installation. Usually the make and model of the fireplace is on the front frame edge on a metal tag. If it is approved a liner will definitely be required. Another alternative with less restriction would be to drop a liner down the chimney terminated with a capped tee, the snout can be attached to a rear-vented stove. The two factors to check for that will be the lintel height clearance for the rear-vent flue and the hearth will need to be extended to meet the new stove requirements.

 

[bholler]

I agree with begreen need the model of the fireplace and it looks a little weird to me like it may have been modified already. I could be totally wrong but something just doesnt look right to me with the back panel being so low and no metal visible across the top. We need to know the model so we can see if anything was changed if it was the fireplace would be unusable. But again I absloutly could be wrong and it may not have been modified at all.