Can I use a top vent stove in this situation

[Rebaroo]

Hello,
I have been lurking, reading, studying, and now down to just needing to ask. We had a 1970's wood burning fireplace with an interior chimney and metal firebox over cement block. Twenty some years ago we changed to a gas insert and are now ready to do what I wanted to do in the first place -hopefully put in a wood burning stove.
My first question is, with the below dimensions, if we can partially set one back in and have a top vent vs rear vent.
Height of opening is 30"
Width in front is 36"
The metal liner begins to angle back 14" into the 22" inch deep box and the width at that point is 32"

The chimney entrance is also at 14 from the front of the fireplace. It goes up straight quite a ways but somewhere beyond where we can see, we know that it jogs over to what had had once been the corner of the room, and is in the corner of a second floor room. (There is now an 8 ft addition which places the fireplace in the center. The chimney is within the house with room built on the other side of this wall on both first and second floors.

We would like to supplement our heat when -20, but would like to heat as much as possible. The main area we are heating, was calculated to a need of 10 kwh, a lot of windows on the south, well insulated.

With all this said. We both really want/like the wood stoves, no lack of dried wood and a constant supply of oak. However, if we are making this harder than it needs to be and we should do an insert, we are open to what would best heat this large of an area without relying on a fan running all the time. We also don't want to be heated out of the room, as this is our main living area.

First photo is 22 years ago, along with direction that the chimney goes. Dropped floor has been raised. 2nd photo size of room without the eat in kitchen (to the right) doors to the left go to an office and to the front entry (leading to upstairs), 3rd photo is what we are seeing and wondering if we can go straight up from a stove pushed partly in.

Open to all ideas, suggestions, etc.

 

[Rebaroo]

I should also include that the "look' we are trying to achieve, along with heat, is what is shown in the photo for @EbS-P profile. Also, outside air can be brought in via the old ash clean out.

 

[bholler]

I should also include that the "look' we are trying to achieve, along with heat, is what is shown in the photo for @EbS-P profile. Also, outside air can be brought in via the old ash clean out.

Yes it will be possible but an insert will work much better than a freestanding stove inside a fireplace

 

[begreen]

The Jotul F45 with the short leg kit has a height of 26.5" so that would work.

With 30" clearance an insert body without the surround would also work. EbS-p also has this type of installation with a Drolet insert.

 

[Rebaroo]

Thank you both for your reply. Am I accurate in thinking that inserts that stick out will heat more? And would an insert without a surround have improved convection vs with the surround? Also, would the Blaze King Princess insert be the appropriate size for this room or the Ashford, in your opinion? Any other suggestions for this size room that also qualify for the tax credit? (Regency 2500, Lopi ? etc)

 

[weatherguy]

Thank you both for your reply. Am I accurate in thinking that inserts that stick out will heat more? And would an insert without a surround have improved convection vs with the surround? Also, would the Blaze King Princess insert be the appropriate size for this room or the Ashford, in your opinion? Any other suggestions for this size room that also qualify for the tax credit? (Regency 2500, Lopi ? etc)

I have a free stander sticking out from my fireplace, I like it better than the insert I had. Nothing wrong with an insert though.

 

[Rebaroo]

Is it the set up in your profile photo and is it a Woodstock Progress? I had looked at that but didn't think it could work with the side door load and being pushed back for the vent connection. May I ask how far back inside yours is, please.

 

[begreen]

Thank you both for your reply. Am I accurate in thinking that inserts that stick out will heat more? And would an insert without a surround have improved convection vs with the surround? Also, would the Blaze King Princess insert be the appropriate size for this room or the Ashford, in your opinion? Any other suggestions for this size room that also qualify for the tax credit? (Regency 2500, Lopi ? etc)

Inserts that project out onto the hearth generally radiate heat better even when the blower is off. A flush insert really needs a blower to convect the heat. A BK Princess may work, but it is likely to be pushed hard due to the extreme cold temps MN can see. For this application, a non-cat or freestander may be better. Something like the big Osburn 3500i or PE Summit insert will put out more heat for those -20 days. The big Jotul F55 will just squeak in with the short-leg kit.

 

[Rebaroo]

Inserts that project out onto the hearth generally radiate heat better even when the blower is off. A flush insert really needs a blower to convect the heat. A BK Princess may work, but it is likely to be pushed hard due to the extreme cold temps MN can see. For this application, a non-cat or freestander may be better. Something like the big Osburn 3500i or PE Summit insert will put out more heat for those -20 days. The big Jotul F55 will just squeak in with the short-leg kit.

Thank you - it seems that inserts that are large enough for us, are also ones that won't qualify for the tax credit. (although not the final determining factor, but efficiency is). I am seeing that many of the stoves/inserts that I was looking at just aren't big enough. Would even the Progress Hybrid be too small? The height of the Jotul Oslo is 28.5" and is a hybrid. Has that model and technology begun to prove itself? Would that put out enough heat? We do know that we will have to supplement when it gets into the bitter cold so have been weighing that into the equation.

 

[EbS-P]

Doesn’t get any bigger than this. And SBI says it qualifies for tax credit. Does it fit?

Blue Ridge 500-I | Wood Stove EPA

Blue Ridge 500-I High-Efficiency Wood Insert - EPA Certified - Heats up to 2,700 sq. ft. - 22" Logs - Up to 10 hour burn time - Proudly made in USA.

www.englander-stoves.com

This is a Drolet 1800i no surround

 

[begreen]

Thank you - it seems that inserts that are large enough for us, are also ones that won't qualify for the tax credit. (although not the final determining factor, but efficiency is). I am seeing that many of the stoves/inserts that I was looking at just aren't big enough. Would even the Progress Hybrid be too small? The height of the Jotul Oslo is 28.5" and is a hybrid. Has that model and technology begun to prove itself? Would that put out enough heat? We do know that we will have to supplement when it gets into the bitter cold so have been weighing that into the equation.

The new F500v3 has had a rough start and mixed reviews. It's too early to say whether it will finally settle down, but it has a smaller capacity and is mostly a side loader, which doesn't make it ideal for this situation. The cat needs at least seasonal cleaning if not more frequently. It's easier to remove the top to do this which may be awkward if the stove is deep in the fireplace.

It's easy to get too hung up in efficiency numbers but the difference between 73% and the tax credit threshold of 75% is really trivial. Focus on the right stove first. That said, so far the Osburn 3500 insert ticks all the boxes.

 

[Rebaroo]

The new F500v3 has had a rough start and mixed reviews. It's too early to say whether it will finally settle down, but it has a smaller capacity and is mostly a side loader, which doesn't make it ideal for this situation. The cat needs at least seasonal cleaning if not more frequently. It's easier to remove the top to do this which may be awkward if the stove is deep in the fireplace.

It's easy to get too hung up in efficiency numbers but the difference between 73% and the tax credit threshold of 75% is really trivial. Focus on the right stove first. That said, so far the Osburn 3500 insert ticks all the boxes.

Thank you, and @EbS-P thanks for the photo. I have been looking at the sizes of both the Drolet and the Osburn. Based on the measurements provided on the website, we will have to cut out portions of the metal heatilator to get them to fit. Is this a problem? We have had a very difficult time getting these answers from local businesses - chimney companies, not returning calls, not showing up for appointments, dealers not interested because we aren't getting gas insert, or are booked with installs past Christmas. We have even been told that if we TOUCH the metal insert, the chimney will collapse (I can't make this up) It's been ridiculous. My husband is capable of doing the instal, we just need to know if we are limited by this metal box.

 

[begreen]

If it was built properly, it's ok to cut out the back part of the heatform-style fireplace. There are several threads on this topic. Some of them may help answer questions. Search on heatform in this forum. Here's an example:

HEATFORM FIREPLACE

I have a 37" heat form fireplace that we put in our house when we built it in 1987. We had never had it cleaned or inspected until yesterday and there are rusted holes in the tubes and on the front. Can we repair the holes and put in a wood burning stove without having to tear everything out...

www.hearth.com

 

[Rebaroo]

Thank you!

 

[Rebaroo]

If it was built properly, it's ok to cut out the back part of the heatform-style fireplace. There are several threads on this topic. Some of them may help answer questions. Search on heatform in this forum. Here's an example:

HEATFORM FIREPLACE

I have a 37" heat form fireplace that we put in our house when we built it in 1987. We had never had it cleaned or inspected until yesterday and there are rusted holes in the tubes and on the front. Can we repair the holes and put in a wood burning stove without having to tear everything out...

www.hearth.com

We just heard back from a local chimney/fireplace business and said that since we put slate over the vents of the old heatform (when we had converted it to gas 22 years ago) , that it is now combustable and unable to have a wood insert. Your opinion please.