Hearthstone Heritage in fireplace?

[drsmith01]

Hi all (first post)...
I have a large fireplace in my living room (overall, 8' wide and 15' high to the cathedral ceiling peak) that has served well for about 30 years, but I think it is time for a change. This year, I installed a high efficiency heat pump to replace the old oil-fired furnace, and I am contemplating installing a wood stove in the fireplace for better efficiency and emergency backup in case the electricity ever goes out on a cold day. I am thinking about a Hearthstone Heritage stove, which seems like a nice option. I found a box that is close in size to the firebox and placed it in the opening to get an idea of how it would fit (see pic). The mantle would be removed - or possibly replaced by a non-combustible one, and I would add a 16 inch extension hearth on the floor below and pull the rug back. My thought is to place the stove such that the glass would be about 2-4 inches from the front of the hearth (which is 16" deep). That would place most of the firebox (12-14 inches) in front of the brick face, and would leave plenty of space behind for the chimney liner (12-14" to the rear wall of the fireplace). The gap to the brick at the top would be 1-3/4 at the sides and about 3 inches in the middle.
I am wondering whether anyone here sees an issue with any of this. The one thing that is not great is that the side door would probably be unusable (only 10" clearance at the sides), but I am also wondering whether the rear edge of the door might just clear the brick if the stove is placed as far forward as possible. Perhaps someone who has a Hearthstone Heritage 8024 could tell me how far the rear edge of the side door is from the trim edge at the top or bottom of the stove.

 

[begreen]

It's good to make a mockup to check the fit. There will need to be ember protection at the floor level.

 

[drsmith01]

It's good to make a mockup to check the fit. There will need to be ember protection at the floor level.

Yes, I will add ceramic or stone tiles... perhaps some that match the oak floor color and install them flush to the surface.

 

[begreen]

Is there a blower option for this stove? I'd want one in this situation. For a freestanding stove, definitely insist on an insulated block-off plate to seal off the damper area when the liner is put in.

 

[drsmith01]

Is there a blower option for this stove? I'd want one in this situation. For a freestanding stove, definitely insist on an insulated block-off plate to seal off the damper area when the liner is put in.

Thanks... There is a blower option, It is not cheap, and has to be installed with an optional rear heat shield in place, since it blows air up between the heat shield and the back of the stove and then out at the top. One thing I have wondered about is the noise factor with such a blower. I saw one video where the owner said they generally only leave it on at night because of the noise.

I asked the local dealer if they do that damper sealing and insulation, but they said no - they just install a chimney cap. I agree that sealing the damper area would be important to prevent heat from going up the chimney. I suppose I could do it myself if they won't (I noticed several diy damper sealing posts on this site).

 

[duramaxman05]

You can't go wrong with the heritage stove. They perform very well. They are nicely built and hold the heat for quite a while. We just took ours out during the house remodel. We used it for 6 or 7 years. Ours has the rear heat shield and the factory blower. They are a little noisy but I didn't think it was too bad. The air output is ok. All in all, we loved the little stove.

 

[drsmith01]

You can't go wrong with the heritage stove. They perform very well. They are nicely built and hold the heat for quite a while. We just took ours out during the house remodel. We used it for 6 or 7 years. Ours has the rear heat shield and the factory blower. They are a little noisy but I didn't think it was too bad. The air output is ok. All in all, we loved the little stove.

Sounds good... thanks... I will consider some options for air circulation

 

[drsmith01]

Ok - after more than a year of missed shipping dates and delays from the manufacturer, the stove finally arrived today. When uncrated, it had a couple of large chips on the top of the frame. Total bummer. The installer said they were there before they uncrated it - poor shipping protection by the manufacturer (am I wrong in asking for a discount?). I could have refused it and waited another year, I suppose. Installation was not without it's problems, but after multiple measurements and discussion it ended up where I wanted it with the pipe connection in the back. A few more small chips were added by the installers en-route from the van to the fireplace (this is normal?). The chips were much more obvious after "repair" with the enamel paint (second photo - not a good color match). I thought the installers were going to have a heart attack with all the gasps and groaning that took place when getting it up the porch stairs and again up onto the hearth (I even said a little prayer for them - which seemed to help). Anyway, it is in place and the break-in fire was a success!

 

[begreen]

That's a shame. Is this the Seafoam enamel? Here is the touchup, part 90-58061. The dealer should provide you a bottle for free IMO.

Hearthstone Enamel Touch Up

Rocky Mountain Stove your Fireplace Store, has a great selection of Fireplaces, Gas fireplace inserts, Wood Stoves, Gas Grills, Smokers and BBQ's, Pellet Grills, from Hearthstone, Regency Fireplaces, Morso, Rais, Enviro and Jotul stoves, We also carry a wide selection of Chimney, Hearth Pads and...

www.rockymountainstove.com

 

[drsmith01]

Yes, it came with the stove, but the bottle looks different.