Freestanding wood stove in chimney fireplace?

[IBobthebuilder]

Bought a house and want a better set up for heating, next winter season is the goal. Slowly learning about chimneys and my setup. Split level. Thermostat is on the third floor. Middle floor drops a decent amount and first floor on the concrete slab is around 45-48 at all times. Insulation/doors/windows will be addressed when the time comes, built in 1967. Fire place is on the first floor slab. Pictures attached with what I’m working with. Plan is to cut the fireplace opening to floor level and fit a blaze king 40. If I end up keeping the fireplace the same id consider the princess as an insert. Less time throwing wood in is my goal if anyone is curious of my choice for freestanding and heat output. My questions, besides opening it all up and fitting it inside. Making sure the 8inch liner fits all the way up. Any other issues or things I should consider that you all see and know that I don’t?

Along with removing both side flues on top of the chimney. Instead of just capping them. Make it flat like the rest. Would I need to add a barrier/plate inside the chimney to prevent drafts and cold air from coming down beside the liner?

 

[EbS-P]

BK doesn’t recommend stoves in fireplaces as it affects how the tstat operates. How tall is the chimney? Can you fit an 8” insulated liner?

There is this option for an insert if it fits.

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

 

[stoveliker]

I agree with ebs-p. BK won't operate well it it is even a little tight.
Also, making the fireplace larger to accommodate a stove may affect its mechanical integrity?


Put an insert in, that is why they exist.
Also, go with one with a 6" flue. That doesn't limit your choices in the future.

Finally, why not line the flue, make a thimble on the middle floor where you spend most of the time? Install a free stander there and close the fireplace on the slab.

 

[corona5k1635]

Bought a house and want a better set up for heating, next winter season is the goal. Slowly learning about chimneys and my setup. Split level. Thermostat is on the third floor. Middle floor drops a decent amount and first floor on the concrete slab is around 45-48 at all times. Insulation/doors/windows will be addressed when the time comes, built in 1967. Fire place is on the first floor slab. Pictures attached with what I’m working with. Plan is to cut the fireplace opening to floor level and fit a blaze king 40. If I end up keeping the fireplace the same id consider the princess as an insert. Less time throwing wood in is my goal if anyone is curious of my choice for freestanding and heat output. My questions, besides opening it all up and fitting it inside. Making sure the 8inch liner fits all the way up. Any other issues or things I should consider that you all see and know that I don’t?

Along with removing both side flues on top of the chimney. Instead of just capping them. Make it flat like the rest. Would I need to add a barrier/plate inside the chimney to prevent drafts and cold air from coming down beside the liner?

I live in your neck of the woods (just outside of Philly) in a 2400 ft^2 home. It is a split level. Thermostat on the 3rd floor. Middle floor drops a decent amount (8 stairs) and first floor (3 more stairs) on slab, built in 1964. Sound familiar? Insulation is crap. Added R60 blown in cellulose to the attic after complete clean out and air sealing though. With that done, I put an insert into the fireplace on the first floor slab. Regency 2450hi is the model. The thing makes massive heat. My IR gun shows surface top temps (STT) of 800 regularly on a full load with the air control fully shut. If I jam it full of wood I can get a good 8 hours of burn from 800 cruising slowly down to 400 when it's 25 degrees outside. Yet, on a sub-20 degree day, I have not been able to get that lower room above 66-degrees (portable thermostat placed on the opposite side of the room, 16 feet from the insert.) Today, high of 46-degrees and sitting in the room right now with that thermostat reading 73-degrees. Noticed you said that lower room is 45-48 degrees all the time. Sounds like mine, but worse. Mine is 57-degrees all the time when it is 25-45 degrees outside while my furnace (forced hot air) is running according to that thermometer on the 3rd floor set at 68-degrees. Unfortunatly, my 2nd level (the biggest open floor plan space) is just as cold. I wake up each morning after that furnace has been running all night and its 57 degrees on that 1st floor. BAH. (I only burn my insert from 4pm - 12am because it is not efficient enough so I'd need to load it full 3-4x per 24 hour period but not really interested in that.)

I say all this because your situation seems similar. I tell you I was very disappointed when I put in the insert and couldn't get the room to become like a sauna. I want 85-degrees in there. I work hard to get my wood all bucked nice, split, stacked, tracked, categorized... and then seems like not enough. I believe it is a combination of (1) insert losing too much heat up the chimney & (2) bad insulation. My chimney is on the side of the house, so, exterior as they call it. It's outside the envelope of the house. Not so good for keeping that heat in.

I am about to crush my lack of heat by putting a Blaze King 40 (which is a free-standing stove) in my big open floor plan 2nd level because that's where my family really wants to spend most of their time. That's my solution because adding insulation ain't gonna be cheap, and this will be way more fun. Also, all that insulation... I did the attic but now there's the freezing cold floor of the 2nd level, all the walls, the windows. yuck. I'm planning to produce a lot of heat, then perhaps work on more insulation to keep it in. First order of business is to produce enough heat tho...

You also say "less time throwing wood in"...yes thus the attraction of the BK40. I am planning for the same reason.

So I recommend you look seriously into a free-standing stove because I haven't been able to get enough result from my insert. Keep that heat INSIDE your home!

 

[1870farmhouse]

I live in your neck of the woods (just outside of Philly) in a 2400 ft^2 home. It is a split level. Thermostat on the 3rd floor. Middle floor drops a decent amount (8 stairs) and first floor (3 more stairs) on slab, built in 1964. Sound familiar? Insulation is crap. Added R60 blown in cellulose to the attic after complete clean out and air sealing though. With that done, I put an insert into the fireplace on the first floor slab. Regency 2450hi is the model. The thing makes massive heat. My IR gun shows surface top temps (STT) of 800 regularly on a full load with the air control fully shut. If I jam it full of wood I can get a good 8 hours of burn from 800 cruising slowly down to 400 when it's 25 degrees outside. Yet, on a sub-20 degree day, I have not been able to get that lower room above 66-degrees (portable thermostat placed on the opposite side of the room, 16 feet from the insert.) Today, high of 46-degrees and sitting in the room right now with that thermostat reading 73-degrees. Noticed you said that lower room is 45-48 degrees all the time. Sounds like mine, but worse. Mine is 57-degrees all the time when it is 25-45 degrees outside while my furnace (forced hot air) is running according to that thermometer on the 3rd floor set at 68-degrees. Unfortunatly, my 2nd level (the biggest open floor plan space) is just as cold. I wake up each morning after that furnace has been running all night and its 57 degrees on that 1st floor. BAH. (I only burn my insert from 4pm - 12am because it is not efficient enough so I'd need to load it full 3-4x per 24 hour period but not really interested in that.)

I say all this because your situation seems similar. I tell you I was very disappointed when I put in the insert and couldn't get the room to become like a sauna. I want 85-degrees in there. I work hard to get my wood all bucked nice, split, stacked, tracked, categorized... and then seems like not enough. I believe it is a combination of (1) insert losing too much heat up the chimney & (2) bad insulation. My chimney is on the side of the house, so, exterior as they call it. It's outside the envelope of the house. Not so good for keeping that heat in.

I am about to crush my lack of heat by putting a Blaze King 40 (which is a free-standing stove) in my big open floor plan 2nd level because that's where my family really wants to spend most of their time. That's my solution because adding insulation ain't gonna be cheap, and this will be way more fun. Also, all that insulation... I did the attic but now there's the freezing cold floor of the 2nd level, all the walls, the windows. yuck. I'm planning to produce a lot of heat, then perhaps work on more insulation to keep it in. First order of business is to produce enough heat tho...

You also say "less time throwing wood in"...yes thus the attraction of the BK40. I am planning for the same reason.

So I recommend you look seriously into a free-standing stove because I haven't been able to get enough result from my insert. Keep that heat INSIDE your home!

Where outside Philly? I’m in Kennett square. Did you run a single pipe or insulated pipe up your chimney?
Dies your insert have a blower? Did you use the blower?

 

[corona5k1635]

Where outside Philly? I’m in Kennett square. Did you run a single pipe or insulated pipe up your chimney?
Dies your insert have a blower? Did you use the blower?

I'm in Dresher. Insulated pipe up the 15' chimney, excellent draft...too much I'd say. Yeah I have a blower and it is an absolute must. It is always on. Always on high. Works really well!

 

[1870farmhouse]

I'm in Dresher. Insulated pipe up the 15' chimney, excellent draft...too much I'd say. Yeah I have a blower and it is an absolute must. It is always on. Always on high. Works really well!

Any photos of your system? Did you diy the install?

 

[corona5k1635]

I did not do the install myself. Used a dealer, Estates Chimney. They did a very good job. Here's some pictures of the original open fireplace and then you can see they had to cut the metal firebox set up of that original chimney. I had asked them to install a block-off plate but they ended up not doing it since it would void the warranty. But, you can see it is largely blocked off anyhow by that original metal plating.

 

[kborndale]

How would a block off plate void the warranty? Sounds more like they just didn't want to be bothered with it.

 

[corona5k1635]

How would a block off plate void the warranty? Sounds more like they just didn't want to be bothered with it.

They said it would keep the firebox warmer/hotter than it is rated for. Yea, I was disappointed.

Then I did in fact have to make use of that warranty because the door wouldn’t seal properly so the unit would over-fire on a full load no matter how early I shut the air. They replaced the entire unit under the warranty. Big hassle for everyone but that’s how it is

 

[kborndale]

They said it would keep the firebox warmer/hotter than it is rated for. Yea, I was disappointed.

Then I did in fact have to make use of that warranty because the door wouldn’t seal properly so the unit would over-fire on a full load no matter how early I shut the air. They replaced the entire unit under the warranty. Big hassle for everyone but that’s how it is

That was a lie, a block off plate does not void your warranty.

 

[begreen]

That was a lie, a block off plate does not void your warranty.

Indeed, that is BS.

 

[corona5k1635]

That was a lie, a block off plate does not void your warranty.

That is sad for me