Remove old fireplace liner...or just seal it up??

[Duffield]

I am new to this posting stuff so please go easy on my ignorance. I need to hear some advice from those more experienced than I.

I am planning to put a new free-standing non-cat wood burning stove in my home.

Question is, what to do with the 50 year old fireplace and steel liner box with heat-o-lator?

Can I just weld the flue shut and seal the wall up?

Or will that just seal in the stink and odor of the old unit?

Should I tear the ENTIRE thing out including the old chimney?

Looking forward to advice.

Thanks,

Duffield

 

[Harley]

Duff - no-one's going to go hard on you here for asking questions... where are you thinking of putting in the new stove in relation to the existing setup? I was a little confused by the sealing of the damper comment.

Just trying to think about what you are looking to do... my guess (and that's only a guess) is that you are planning on putting the stove in front of the old fireplace, and maybe venting it up above where the damper is - either through a new chimney, or poking through the existing chimney above the damper?

Do you have any way of posting a picture of the current setup, and maybe drawing out what you would like to have there? That would help a lot. If the existing chimney is going to enter into the plans at all - first... get it cleaned and inspected. From there - there's probably a lot of ways you could use what you have (would likely include lining it) and get the new stove in there.

 

[jtp10181]

It might be cool to tear the whole thing out (including chimney) and then build an alcove in its place for the new stove. Run a new class A chimney and hook the new stove up to that. We did that for one customer and it turned out really nice.

 

[elkimmeg]

I'm with Harley I can't figure out the situation to answer your question. If you are thinking of installing an insert the original perfab will not qualify for most ul listed perfabs
for inserts to be installed into Is the pre fab connected to a masonry chimney and to what size flue and its condition.

In all probability the existing aged heatolater has to be removed No one can say for sure till we get more details

BTW welcome to the hearth

 

[jqgs214]

Ok, this is how I size this poster up. They have an old fireplace, they are installing a freestanding stove (not an insert). They are asking weather or not to close off the old chimney so we must assume that the new stove will be installed without using the old chimney setup. They are asking if the old prefab can be blocked off or if they should tear it out. Seems simple to me. I would tear it out for aesthetic purposes. No reason to look at a crusty old fireplace.

 

[jtp10181]

wxman has got it... except hes not planning on looking at it either. He wants to build a wall in front of it it sounds like. Personally I would just tear the thing out.