I've been shopping like crazy looking for the fireplace insert with the best output of heat (and that will fit in my fireplace). I'd really prefer a freestanding as I hate the idea of lose much/any heat up the exterior wall chimney and after reading the website like an addict, everyone seems to agree freestanding stove put out quite a bit more heat than inserts.
So I go to thinking... what if I (or a mason) reconstructed my fireplace to make it allow for a freestanding setup, without extending the hearth much/any. My wife doesn't want to lost any room in the living room, so I thought what if we removed the the mantle area and made the brick slant from the back of the fireplace box towards the ceiling.
I can't imagine it will cost "too" much to do the masonry work, and seeing as though inserts do cost a bit more than freestanding, I might almost make up the savings there. Thoughts?
Image key:
Red = new brick line/path
Blue = area that would be removed
Black = stove and black stove pipe
Gray = line
(broken image removed)
So I go to thinking... what if I (or a mason) reconstructed my fireplace to make it allow for a freestanding setup, without extending the hearth much/any. My wife doesn't want to lost any room in the living room, so I thought what if we removed the the mantle area and made the brick slant from the back of the fireplace box towards the ceiling.
I can't imagine it will cost "too" much to do the masonry work, and seeing as though inserts do cost a bit more than freestanding, I might almost make up the savings there. Thoughts?
Image key:
Red = new brick line/path
Blue = area that would be removed
Black = stove and black stove pipe
Gray = line
(broken image removed)