What to do with pre-fab fireplace

[pahbi]

Hello,

I apologize if this has been asked before, but my search skills aren't very good.

I would like to purchase a wood pellet stove insert, but I have a problem. I have read that generally, you cannot put a wood stove insert into a pre-fab fireplace.

So my question is this:

Would it be cheaper for me to get a free standing pellet woodstove and place it somewhere else in the house, or convert the pre-fab fireplace into a masonry fireplace?

I'm guessing it would be cheaper to install a free standing pellet woodstove.

Thanks in advance,
- P

 

[BrotherBart]

Folks will chime in, but I think you are going to find that most pellet inserts can be used in a pre-fab fireplace. Not near the brutal radiant heat and chimney issues that you encounter with a cord wood stove.

Look at the manufacturers' sites and manuals for models you are interested in. Offhand I know that Regency sells their pellet inserts for factory fireplaces, aka pre-fabs.

 

[johnoutdoors]

I just had this issue. My pre fab zero clearance was not big enough for a Mt Vernon. I pulled the firebox, cut the chimney, pulled the SS liner, built a box out of 2x4s, lined it with cement board, and put a new chimney chase cover on to eliminate the drafts and leaks. It works as a built in stove now with a direct vent out the side of the existing chimney chase. After seeing how much room I had in the chase and how it was framed, I think the better decision would have been to open it up and see what I had first, rather than having the dealer measure and tell me what would fit. If you're committed to swapping, that's the route that I would go if I had the chance to do it over. I would have gotten a bigger stove that would have given me a chance to get more heat up to my second floor. My wife loved the look of the MV, so it wasn't a bad option, but I would have liked to have all of the information before I made the decision.

 

[lazeedan]

I agree. Should be an easy install.

 

[pahbi]

Sounds like I still will be able to do this then. I really only want a wood stove for supplemental heating for a few rooms.

If I get a qualified reputable company to do the installation, they should be able to do the job of either installing a compatible wood stove or modifying the existing fireplace to bring it up to spec.

- P