Can I install a wood burning fireplace and or stove in an existing construction

[dougand3]

I installed a Selkirk chimney for a freestanding stove with a flat ceiling-5 ft attic-5/12 osb decked roof. Doesn't seem like cathedral would be much harder. They have good instructions here: (broken link removed to http://www.selkirkcorp.com/flashguide/english/cf/sentinel.swf)

Unless you have real cheap electricity, wood heat will save you a bunch of money. I'd bet you'd burn 8-9 mos/yr in ND.

 

[eclecticcottage]

From my research a wood stove needs to be around 7"-16" away from the wall plus the depth of the stove.

Just an FYI in case you are kicking around the stove idea. The Lopi Republic 1750 and Endeavor both only need 4 1/2" rear clearance. It's one big reason there's a Republic in my living room.

 

[eclecticcottage]

From my research a wood stove needs to be around 7"-16" away from the wall plus the depth of the stove.

Just an FYI in case you are kicking around the stove idea. The Lopi Republic 1750 and Endeavor both only need 4 1/2" rear clearance. It's one big reason there's a Republic in my living room.

 

[rwhite]

Didn't read all the responses but I would think that by the time you build a chase, chimney ect that a free standing wood stove would not take any more room than a ZC fireplace. Price everything out because I'm thinking that one you figure in construction a free standing stove and chimney will be cheaper as well, and a lot more options.

 

[Fargo]

I installed a Selkirk chimney for a freestanding stove with a flat ceiling-5 ft attic-5/12 osb decked roof. Doesn't seem like cathedral would be much harder. They have good instructions here: (broken link removed to http://www.selkirkcorp.com/flashguide/english/cf/sentinel.swf)

Unless you have real cheap electricity, wood heat will save you a bunch of money. I'd bet you'd burn 8-9 mos/yr in ND.

Thanks for the link. Good info in there. Unfortunately it looks like I will have to somehow get into the attic to install the insulation shield. I'm not sure that is possible without cutting out my ceiling. It might really suck trying to get in their. I have some concerns about making sure the shingles and flashing don't leak either, but I'm sure there are ways to deal with that.

Our electric rates are pretty decent. I have a Steffes forced air furnace that has a built in heat mass so I can store up energy in the heat sink during off peak rates of about $.05 a kwh. Peak rates are about $.09 kwh. Although we do use some heat for 6-7 months of the year, hating bills don't really get too terrible until about Dec - March. January is pretty bad. The last week we have been below zero pretty non-stop with just a little break in the day. It gets down to -25 and colder at night. So even if I only burned wood for 2-3 months out of the year it would be a big cut in heating cost.

eclectic - thanks for the tip on the Endeavor. That 4" clearance certainly helps. I didn't see a Republic on the website.

 

[becasunshine]

 

[eclecticcottage]

eclectic - thanks for the tip on the Endeavor. That 4" clearance certainly helps. I didn't see a Republic on the website.

No problem. Here's the Republic: (broken link removed to http://www.lopistoves.com/product-detail.aspx?model=247)

 

[Fargo]

I've talked to a couple of different stores and everyone thinks they can install a stove in my house even with the vaulted ceilings. I even was able to get one guy to come out and look at it. It sounds like they will have to cut a hole in the ceiling to gain attic access, but I can make the access in a closet so it should be easy to close it back up when the stove is installed. It will be messy for sure, but do able.

With that in mind I started browsing the web just to look at whats out there. I've come to a conclusion. The Europeans get way nicer looking stoves than us! We have all these old time looking things that I'd rather not have in my living room. But some of the European models are gorgeous. (I'm still talking about stove models here, stay with me guys.) Anyway, I love the look of these. I don't know how well they function, but probably still better than a fireplace and they look good doing it.

How about this Firebelly FB2. I love those clean lines.


Or this Invicta Italya. Its like a widescreeb stove. I'd love to put that thing where my TV now sits.



You guys probably already know about these. But I was just blown away by how nice some wood stoves can look. Can we get anything like these here in the USA?

 

[becasunshine]

*and* it's a BLAZE KING.

(broken link removed to http://www.blazeking.com/EN/wood-chinook30.html)

 

[becasunshine]

Smaller version of same model, if that's what you need.

(broken link removed to http://www.blazeking.com/EN/wood-chinook20.html)

 

[Fargo]

Thats not bad. Not quite as nice, but not bad.


" *and* it's a BLAZE KING. "

Not knowing much about stoves I assume you are just poking fun at the name here?

 

[becasunshine]

Thats not bad. Not quite as nice, but not bad.


" *and* it's a BLAZE KING. "

Not knowing much about stoves I assume you are just poking fun at the name here?

Not poking fun at the name.

Blaze King is one of the most popular wood burning stove brands. There's a whole thread dedicated entirely to Blaze King in this portion of this forum, and the Blaze King company vice president is a frequent participant.

Blaze King has its devoted followers- and in all fairness, some people for whom it is not their favorite stove either.

For many years people who favored stoves perceived to have more visual appeal disdained Blaze King's simple aesthetic of function over form. Recently Blaze King has come out with additional models that address the form portion of the equation as well.

When it came time for us to buy our stove (that's it in the photograph I posted earlier on the thread) we went for one of the old school Blaze King designs: we chose the Princess model. Considered a King because our location can be challenging in terms of wind chill, but the stove shop recommended against it. The King would have been too much stove for our square footage in our typical winter temps, challenging conditions or not.

We could have paid a bit more for the newer Blaze King designs but we would have gotten a smaller stove with slightly less capacity (heating per square footage, fire box, etc.) for more money.

The Princess goes OK with our decor (see photo above.) We don't mind the simple, utilitarian aesthetic, and it gave us the most stove for our budget.

Blaze King's biggest claims to fame are
1. Long burn times, thus conserving wood, and
2. Their proprietary thermostat technology, which facilitates the long burn times and also, in my opinion/experience, make Blaze King one of the easier stoves to start and operate.

We start our stove from cold and cleaned, most often on Friday evenings, and have it up, running, loaded, in a settled burn, have the house well on the way to warmed up, and have the stove turned down for overnight before we go to bed on Friday nights. This is just us, but we don't even use kindling. We use splits of adequately dried hardwood, newspaper and one (1) Super Cedar fire starter broken into a few pieces.

I remember family members fiddling forever with the old school smoke dragons of my youth, trying to get the stove started, trying to keep it lit, trying to get a good fire going, then trying not to let that fire get away from them after it got going good.

By comparison, the Blaze King is a dream.

Others will speak out about their favorite stoves as well, I'm sure, and why they prefer their brand.

If you are interested in the Blaze King, go to their site, read up on it, and visit the Blaze King thread on this forum.