Heat Shield Importance....?

[Dustin]

I'm planning on installing a Jotul 602 CB into an existing masonry fireplace. The clearances for this stove are pretty high.

My question, when installing a free standing stove, in an existing masonry fireplace do you need to maintain "clearance to combustibles? I have an old "heatform" fireplace. Part of it was cut out in the room next door, and its all brick and rebar behind the firebox...

 

[Corey]

Yes - I would think you would always want to maintain distance to combustibles - though I don't think anything about a masonry fireplace, brick or re-bar counts as combustible.