Wood Stove Installation

[MattyD90]

Hello all. New to the forum.
Just bought a house 2 years ago and been wanting to replace this prefab fireplace that I have. I'm looking to go with a free standing stove, since most of the wood inserts that will actually fit inside my prefab have a way to small firebox.
I was wondering if it possible to rip out the pre fab and re finish the opening to be safe for a free standing unit. I've seen people do this with traditional masonry fireplaces but haven't seen any info on prefab types.
Any info would be helpful.
Thanks

 

[begreen]

Welcome Matty. There have been a few tear-out conversion projects posted here. It can be done, but requires careful planning and selection of the stove due to clearance and alcove requirements. Only certain stoves will have an alcove requirement that will work within the confines of a chase. An alternative would be to extend the hearth, maybe at floor level and install a freestanding, rear-exit stove. Or you could replace it with a high-efficiency, EPA zero-clearance fireplace that would fit in the existing space.

Here is a teaser for you to stimulate ideas.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/pictures-of-wood-stoves-in-alcoves.105795/
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/got-a-deal-on-a-kuma.93021/
a work in progress:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/out-goes-the-heatilator-in-goes.115102/

 

[MattyD90]

My hearth is at least 20". I think I'll be ok in that area. I'm wondering what type of materials I would need to reconstruct the opening.

 

[begreen]

First you need to determine the dimensions of the rough opening. Then you need to decide on the stove or new ZC fireplace that will fit within that space, honoring required clearances. That will determine how the alcove will get reconstructed.

 

[MattyD90]

I think my biggest concern is whether or not a wood stove is safe to use even when all the recommended clearances and dimensions are met, new chimney liner installed, proper fire proofed alcove. Based on the fact that its a framed chimney.

 

[begreen]

That's a reasonable concern. If the chimney is class A HT pipe then it would be ok to connect to it. But the odds are that it is not. Most of these ZC units went in with lower temperature rated pipe. In that case the solution is to replace it with new class A pipe of the proper 2100F spec for wood stoves.

Or, with a freestanding stove in front of the unit you could drop a stainless liner down the existing chimney and connect that to the stove.