Hi All,
Long time reader, first time poster here. I've enjoyed reading everyone's posts over the past few months. It has been really helpful in getting to learn more about fireplaces and stoves. Apologies if this is posted in the correct location or there already is a thread about this topic.
I wanted to get feedback on my situation, as I am looking at replacing my wood burning fireplace with a wood stove.
The house is a tri-level with the fireplace in the family room, against the north-facing wall, that is approximately 400 sq. feet and is partially underground with the bottom of the windows being on ground level. The current fireplace is a Superior (likely from around 1984 when the house was built – model X 227433) with a blower fan. The chase is exterior and the top of the fireplace/bottom of mantle is roughly at ground level.There are not significant issues starting a fire in the current fireplace - just need to crack one of the two windows an inch and fires usually start pretty quickly.
Opposite the fireplace is the door leading down to the basement which is roughly 9-10 feet underground, with a radon extraction system and furnace. Next to the basement door are the steps leading to the main level which opens up to approximately 1,000 sq. feet.
My desire to replace the fireplace is that this beast is extremely drafty. During the typical Wisconsin winter, the fireplace feels like an open window and I suspect that the foundation wall behind it has no insulation. I built an insulation box and slide that against the face of the fireplace in the winter, in addition to stuffing a bag full of insulation up the flue just above the damper (with a big ol’ note on the fireplace glass to remind me to remove that when lighting a fire!). Not great solutions, but this worked wonders when temperatures were down to -40F.
My thought is to hire a fireplace installer to rip out the fireplace and hearth, insulate the inside of the foundation wall, create (rebuild) a brick alcove/hearth and then place a wood stove into the alcove, as opposed to just replacing the fireplace with another one, after tearing out and insulating. I am thinking that if I do a wood stove in the alcove, with the entire back wall bricked up with insulation on the other side, it will be better insulated against the bitter winters we get here and keep more heat inside the room, opposed to installing a new fireplace that juts out into the exterior foundation wall. Does this make sense?
What happens in the void behind the hearth that meets the foundation wall? Would there always be a battle in the void behind the alcove/hearth space and inside of the foundation wall with heat from the stove coming into contact with the cold that seeps through the foundation wall? Would I inadvertently be creating a breeding ground for mold with the air in that space condensing and collecting? There currently does not seem to be any moisture issues with the room where the fireplace is.
Some other information: I am currently thinking about the Iron Striker 160 – something small (and hopefully friendly) for the novice to operate. I would ask the company to do a new liner and to replace the well rusted out chase cover.
I’ve been doing a lot of research and am keen on your insights, particularly as to what happens in that void between the back of the hearth and the foundation wall. I want to ensure I avoid creating a problem area there.
Attached is a photo of the current fireplace.
Thanks for your thoughts and guidance!
~R
Long time reader, first time poster here. I've enjoyed reading everyone's posts over the past few months. It has been really helpful in getting to learn more about fireplaces and stoves. Apologies if this is posted in the correct location or there already is a thread about this topic.
I wanted to get feedback on my situation, as I am looking at replacing my wood burning fireplace with a wood stove.
The house is a tri-level with the fireplace in the family room, against the north-facing wall, that is approximately 400 sq. feet and is partially underground with the bottom of the windows being on ground level. The current fireplace is a Superior (likely from around 1984 when the house was built – model X 227433) with a blower fan. The chase is exterior and the top of the fireplace/bottom of mantle is roughly at ground level.There are not significant issues starting a fire in the current fireplace - just need to crack one of the two windows an inch and fires usually start pretty quickly.
Opposite the fireplace is the door leading down to the basement which is roughly 9-10 feet underground, with a radon extraction system and furnace. Next to the basement door are the steps leading to the main level which opens up to approximately 1,000 sq. feet.
My desire to replace the fireplace is that this beast is extremely drafty. During the typical Wisconsin winter, the fireplace feels like an open window and I suspect that the foundation wall behind it has no insulation. I built an insulation box and slide that against the face of the fireplace in the winter, in addition to stuffing a bag full of insulation up the flue just above the damper (with a big ol’ note on the fireplace glass to remind me to remove that when lighting a fire!). Not great solutions, but this worked wonders when temperatures were down to -40F.
My thought is to hire a fireplace installer to rip out the fireplace and hearth, insulate the inside of the foundation wall, create (rebuild) a brick alcove/hearth and then place a wood stove into the alcove, as opposed to just replacing the fireplace with another one, after tearing out and insulating. I am thinking that if I do a wood stove in the alcove, with the entire back wall bricked up with insulation on the other side, it will be better insulated against the bitter winters we get here and keep more heat inside the room, opposed to installing a new fireplace that juts out into the exterior foundation wall. Does this make sense?
What happens in the void behind the hearth that meets the foundation wall? Would there always be a battle in the void behind the alcove/hearth space and inside of the foundation wall with heat from the stove coming into contact with the cold that seeps through the foundation wall? Would I inadvertently be creating a breeding ground for mold with the air in that space condensing and collecting? There currently does not seem to be any moisture issues with the room where the fireplace is.
Some other information: I am currently thinking about the Iron Striker 160 – something small (and hopefully friendly) for the novice to operate. I would ask the company to do a new liner and to replace the well rusted out chase cover.
I’ve been doing a lot of research and am keen on your insights, particularly as to what happens in that void between the back of the hearth and the foundation wall. I want to ensure I avoid creating a problem area there.
Attached is a photo of the current fireplace.
Thanks for your thoughts and guidance!
~R