It's in!!! Homestead Hearth Mount w/surround PICS Attached

[thinkxingu]

Hello There,
Unit got installed today--installers were great, even put on the surround for me (that I bought off eBay for $50, by the way!!).

Looks so much better than I thought it would, and now I'm off to start a break-in fire (I know, I know--I need a heart extension and thermometer. Thermometer is here, extension on its way).

Thanks for all the help everyone; I'll post my reactions sometime soon.

S

PS Puppy seems to like it so far!

 

[Wet1]

Looks good.

Do you have enough clearance to combustibles? Not enough protection in front for my liking! Did they put an insulated block off plate in your fireplace? It looks like you could lose a lot of heat out the back of the stove to the bricks behind it...

 

[TreePapa]

Nice looking setup. Congratuations.

Until you get your hearth extension built, perhaps you can use a fire-resistant hearth rug

http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Fireplace-Accessories/Fiberglass

since your need for thermal protection there is prollly minimal, you reall just need ember protection.

Peace,
- Sequoia

 

[3dogsrule]

Waaa! You have exactly what I wanted!! My first problem was with those 4" legs you've got the hearth is supposed to have an R value of 6.6 which I couldn't get to. Then with my ZC I had trouble getting the stove scooted back far enough with the 6" legs. Now I'm worried about having a Tee to clean out.

So with your surround, can you just unattach that and clean out the tee? Or do you not have a tee?

Karen

 

[thinkxingu]

*I'm within a couple inches of what's needed for the mantle, so I might create my own shield (the mantle's only three inches deep, though, so I'm really wondering if I should bother).

*Also, I've got a 48 x 18 hearth extension on order--that should be to your liking, no?

*As for the block-off plate, since there would be a lot of work to get an insulated liner in (the flue barely fit the liner), the installer suggested that it might be better to let the chimney be warm so as to prevent condensation/creosote buildup/draft issues in the liner. He offered to do it, and had the materials, but he recommended against it. Do you agree? So you know, the chimney is only about 15' tall from where the stove sits.

*I have a tee at the back of the stove--the surround unscrews, so it's a snap to get to the installer said.

S

 

[meathead]

looks great man

 

[edthedawg]

still ain't seen where anything present or planned meets the R 6.6 requirement for them shorty legs.

8-/

 

[Wet1]

Sorry, I didn't notice the hearth extension was on the way.

You're going to have a lot of heat behind that stove which will be sitting in the existing FP. I'd do whatever I could to get that heat out of there and keep it from going up the chimney. I'd insulate the flue (around the SS liner). I'd seal the base of the flue and insulate with perlite poured in from the top. I'd also consider putting a blower in behind the stove to pull the wasted heat out of the FP as much as possible. Otherwise, you're going to give away a lot of btu's to gods creatures.

 

[thinkxingu]

Edthedawg, are you talking about under the stove or in front? In front, it needs R2.5, which a hearth extension pad would work. Under the legs, the manual says "A
noncombustible floor, such as a slab, cement, or stone hearth. (A noncombustible floor will not ignite, burn, support combustion, or release flammable vapors when subjected to fire or the anticipated heat from your stove.)" Doesn't my brick hearth fit that description?

S

 

[edthedawg]

...since there would be a lot of work to get an insulated liner in (the flue barely fit the liner), the installer suggested that it might be better to let the chimney be warm so as to prevent condensation/creosote buildup/draft issues in the liner. He offered to do it, and had the materials, but he recommended against it. Do you agree? So you know, the chimney is only about 15' tall from where the stove sits.

whoops missed this part - you getting this installation inspected by local building official? insurance co. involved yet?

needa check your code requirements. Might require a blockoff of some sort. Generally they are desired and/or required. I think you might suffer w/out one. this is acting like an insert, to some extent - it's well documented that inserts throw more heat w/ blockoff plates installed - even w/ short stacks on 'em.

what's sealing the top of the flue liner to the chimney?

 

[meathead]

still ain't seen where anything present or planned meets the R 6.6 requirement for them shorty legs.

8-/

Wood panneling on the walls and brick cross laid over brick = late 50s or 60s construction - which means that hearth is most likely brick down to below floor level and then solid cement all the way down...probably a multi flu chimney with another flu opening below that one in the basement. R value shmar value - back in the day they just made the whole hearth out of stuff that can't burn.

I'm guessing...?

 

[edthedawg]

Yeah I just re-read the manual. For the raised hearth, w/ a confirmed R2.5 pad you're ok. And if the existing hearth is over 9" tall, even better. These puppies throw a lot of heat out front, for sure.

And this is good only if that existing hearth truly has no combustibles underneath it... 9" thick brick and mortar alone only gets you about R 2 at best... Manual clearly wants R 6.6 there...

"back in the day" they didn't have today's testing standards and mfr requirements to conform with...

 

[meathead]

Yeah I just re-read the manual. For the raised hearth, w/ a confirmed R2.5 pad you're ok. And if the existing hearth is over 9" tall, even better. These puppies throw a lot of heat out front, for sure.

And this is good only if that existing hearth truly has no combustibles underneath it... 9" thick brick and mortar alone only gets you about R 2 at best... Manual clearly wants R 6.6 there...

"back in the day" they didn't have today's testing standards and mfr requirements to conform with...

Probably won't even sneak R2 out of it...

So that's the question - is there wood under them thar bricks or is she solid masonry all the way down to the dirt?

 

[thinkxingu]

Hello,
The chimney goes all the way to the basement, where there's a brick wall and hearth for another stove. All I can see is that the hardwood floor does not go under the hearth, so I assume it's brick all the way. There is no inspection necessary here in NH, but the installer was looking for things to make sure it looked good (he's the one who said I can't use just a rug in front), and he seemed satisfied (although 'iffy' on the hearth shield.

Question: If the chimney cavity becomes filled with heat from the room/pipe/stove, how much would I actually lose in use without a block-off plate? I spoke to 4 installers and no one does that in our area--I wonder why.

S

 

[meathead]

You mean "back in the day" before they had to comform to our testing standards they built you a safe hearth? impossible!

You'll be happy you have a block off plate - A LOT of heat will sneak around behind that thing and get yanked up the flue. Installers don't do block off plates...? Did you try saying "yes you do, give me one"? It might work.

 

[Wet1]

Question: If the chimney cavity becomes filled with heat from the room/pipe/stove, how much would I actually lose in use without a block-off plate? I spoke to 4 installers and no one does that in our area--I wonder why.

S

Why, because they couldn't give a rats azz if you lose your heat or not. In your setup, I wouldn't be surprised if you'll lose an additional 15% to 25% to your FP/flue as it's configured now.

 

[edthedawg]

Yeah not buying, measuring, fitting, cutting, bending, drilling, and installing a big, sharp, awkward piece of sheetmetal for customers who generally have no clue what it is, in a region that doesn't enforce code compliance...

hmmm...

lemme think on that one a bit... why wouldn't they do that...

 

[BrotherBart]

There is no code compliance issue with that install as far as a block off plate is concerned. The codes call for preventing room air intrusion into the flue gas stream. The full liner takes care of that just fine. Code calls for a block off plate with a direct connect but not with a full liner.

Anybody wanna show me code sections that say differently, go for it.

 

[meathead]

There is no code compliance issue with that install as far as a block off plate is concerned. The codes call for preventing room air intrusion into the flue gas stream. The full liner takes care of that just fine. Code calls for a block off plate with a direct connect but not with a full liner.

Anybody wanna show me code sections that say differently, go for it.

I'm not saying he has any code issues - just seems like a lot of good heat would find its way up the flue. Even with a top plate sealed up nice and tight, seems like a lot of heat would head in that direction that could be thrown out into the room with a low angled block off plate.

 

[thinkxingu]

Gee, and I thought I was cynical!! I just lit my first break-in fire, and it's got great draft (I thought it would be an issue since it's 55 here, but it's working perfectly), so maybe I'll 'wait and see.'

S

 

[meathead]

Gee, and I thought I was cynical!! I just lit my first break-in fire, and it's got great draft (I thought it would be an issue since it's 55 here, but it's working perfectly), so maybe I'll 'wait and see.'

S

It'll heat the place

 

[heatwise]

verry,verry nice, looks great, pete

 

[BrotherBart]

Enjoy. It is a great looking stove and installation.

 

[thinkxingu]

Alright, alright--would it work to seal it up with insulation? I'm fairly certain I'm not interested in what it would take to create a block-off plate, and I gotta say that the installers' points made some sense to me.

S

 

[Wet1]

Your installer was being lazy and sold you a line, I'd do it right and save the btu's... but that's just me.