Wood to Gas, and back to Wood.

[Paulypoppins]

Good day all!

This is my first post on here and I'm excited to start interacting with all of you!

So, here's my story, followed by one or two questions:

The house my wife and I bought about 5 years ago had a gas insert installed in the living room connected to the chimney that runs up through the middle of the house. About 4 years ago, the county cut down two very large trees on my property and left us with the wood. Yay! I've split most of it and it's piled all over my property and I've been using it for awesome campfires in our big fire pit out back. I've been wanting to get the gas insert out and put a wood burner in there.

I contacted the previous home owner and he informed me that there used to be a wood burning insert installed and that in the late 80's, he had it removed and that's when the gas unit showed up.

About a month ago I got the ball rolling. Called the insurance company informing them of my intentions ($50 extra a year), had the gas line to the insert disconnected, removed the gas insert and had an WETT certified home inspector come to the house to inform me of my next steps based on what he saw....

Oh, first what I saw: After removing the gas insert I was able to see the liner within a liner heading up the chimney. The bigger one was dirty and was obviously the one that was used so long ago for the wood burner, the smaller one within was connected to the gas unit. So, this is where I am right now. He told me that I'll need the Stainless liner through the existing chimney and that I'll have to have the inside of the firebox relined. I've attached photos of the firebox as you can see there has been some work to customize the shape to accommodate the gas unit that was in there, but you can definitely see evidence of some of the original brick in certain spots.

The Wood insert that I'll be putting in is smaller than the gas one I took out, so there would be room to reline the firebox with something, but my first question is if a relining is necessary given the history of there being a wood burning insert in use previously. OR would it be best for me to chip away all of the cement material to reveal all that's behind it? AND if I indeed should reline the firebox, what material would be best? The inspector mentioned metal, he mentioned firebrick. I want this to be a safe install, but don't want to over build (or overspend) if it's not necessary.

Kind thanks in advance!
Paul McDonald

 

[begreen]

If relining is necessary metal or cement board (if allowed) would seem the simplest material to work with and would reduce the interior dimensions the least.

 

[Toomb]

Why do you have to reline it? Is it a masonary chimney? Did the previous owner frame in to accomadate gas insert?

 

[Paulypoppins]

I'll be contacting the local chimney sweeps, and i'd like to not pay for new bricks if it's not needed. I might chip some of the cement away first. If it IS firebrick, I shouldn't need any relining, right?

 

[begreen]

Seems like a reasonable approach.

 

[Paulypoppins]

I've been thinking. In noticing the dirty pipe that clearly got that way from the wood burner, I see that the same dirt is on the cement that is all inside the firebox. Wouldn't that suggest that the cement in the firebox is what was there when the wood insert was in there? I've attached a photo. Thoughts?
Oh, and the liner attached to the gas insert is clean inside and out.

 

[begreen]

Some exploratory surgery should clear up what's under the cement skim coat.

 

[Paulypoppins]

Okay, I chipped away some of the cement and it appears to be firebrick behind. I'll attach the photo. Please tell me what you think/advise.
Thanks!

 

[begreen]

I don't see anything that would prevent an insert going in without relining. If this is an exterior wall chimney you might want to line the inside of the fireplace with insulation board like micore or roxul board. That together with a damper sealing block-off plate will keep the insert hotter.

 

[Paulypoppins]

I don't see anything that would prevent an insert going in without relining. If this is an exterior wall chimney you might want to line the inside of the fireplace with insulation board like micore or roxul board. That together with a damper sealing block-off plate will keep the insert hotter.

It's an inside wall. The block off plate should still help though, 'eh?

 

[bholler]

I dont like the pvc pipe in the floor that the gas line goes through though

 

[Paulypoppins]

Yeah. Should remove that, right? Fill it with what?

 

[begreen]

It's an inside wall. The block off plate should still help though, 'eh?

It won't hurt but most of the heat in the masonry should eventually be returned to the interior of the house.

 

[Paulypoppins]

The chimney guy came today and he was Negative Nelly. I was hoping for a solution-sided "here's what we have to do" guy. First of all he didn't like the cement. He didn't like the firebox without knowing that it's all firebrick underneath. Then he was going on about the wood above the fireplace that's nailed in place, but to what underneath, I don't know. He figured the heat from the wood insert going through the liner inside the masonry chimney inside the bricks of the chimney running through the house would surely ignite the wood. THEN he saw that the clay coming out the top of the chimney was 8x8 and not 8x12. (Like that is somehow my fault) And that getting a 6" liner through there would be really tough. (That's when I said: "that's why I called you, you're the pro")

I DO want things to be done safely. That's #1! And I know that's possible. Just tell me how.

Oh. I emailed the previous home owner again to see if his wood burning insert was installed within the CURRENT setup. That should get me to the next step. I'll attach a photo of the area above the fireplace so you can see the wood. I know you guys will have solution-sided and safe opinions of what my next step should be.

Thanks in advance!
Paul

 

[bholler]

I DO want things to be done safely.

Well some of his concerns are valid but if he just removes the old clay liners and puts in an insulated stainless liner there should be no problems. And yes if it was me i would also insist one confirming what is behind the cement parge coat