Looking to install new insert vs stove in odd sized fireplace - advice?

[Grisu]

You can check out this one here: (broken link removed to http://www.americanpanelhearth.com/Product%20Line/default.htm)
You will need a type II pad and order it through a dealer that is close to you. Ask Hearthstone if that would be ok.

 

[JimNE]

There seem to be some pretty nice ones in there. I like that some are made with real stone. There's a dealer about 30 minutes away; we'll go check it out when we get a chance... Thanks for sending the link.

 

[JimNE]

Unfortunately, Hearthstone has discontinued the blue-black for the Clydesdale, so we're getting the brown enamel instead. I have been looking into the options for the lining/installation, and I think we're going to have the Duraliner installed with a damper sealing kit with Roxul above. When I compared the cost of the Ventinox with an insulation kit, it was about the same price as the Duraliner; plus the ventinox would probably cost more to install with the increased labor.

 

[begreen]

Doh! That was their best looking color imho.

 

[dafattkidd]

The brown enamel will be beautiful. Did they give a reason for the discontinuation? I can only assume slumping sales which is surprising, because the blue black is a really nice finish.

 

[JimNE]

No, they didn't give any real explanation. We're disappointed, but we still think the brown will look really nice. I think they will continue the blue-black in other stoves; I think they just discontinued it in the Clydesdale.

 

[JimNE]

Thanks everyone for your help! We just had our Clydesdale installed today with a fully insulated flexible liner. We still need to buy our hearth extension, but that is in progress. We really like the look and quality of the stove - I am impressed! I thought you might like to see the room with the stove installed, so here is a photo...

 

[begreen]

Beautiful, thanks for posting the picture. It looks perfect in that location.

 

[dafattkidd]

looks great! Congratulations. May that stove be a blessing to you and your family. You're going to have a fun winter.

 

[firefighterjake]

Thanks everyone for your help! We just had our Clydesdale installed today with a fully insulated flexible liner. We still need to buy our hearth extension, but that is in progress. We really like the look and quality of the stove - I am impressed! I thought you might like to see the room with the stove installed, so here is a photo...
View attachment 111237

This looks like the perfect place to curl up with a book, magazine or to watch the game this winter.

 

[Tenn Dave]

Thanks everyone for your help! We just had our Clydesdale installed today with a fully insulated flexible liner. We still need to buy our hearth extension, but that is in progress. We really like the look and quality of the stove - I am impressed! I thought you might like to see the room with the stove installed, so here is a photo...
View attachment 111237

Very nice job. Enjoy !!

 

[Capt_Ron]

Beautiful insert Jim. I just bought a Clyde also in the same color and looking forward to having installed next week.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Looks great, congratulations...

 

[darkz71]

congrats, that looks great!

I'm in much the same situation as you, new here and trying to find a way to heat with wood. This site is great, I've read and read and read a lot of great stuff here.

Had any luck with reasonably dry wood? I've been checking CL and like someone posted, short of checking when the truck shows up it seems pretty tough to really tell.

 

[JimNE]

congrats, that looks great!

I'm in much the same situation as you, new here and trying to find a way to heat with wood. This site is great, I've read and read and read a lot of great stuff here.

Had any luck with reasonably dry wood? I've been checking CL and like someone posted, short of checking when the truck shows up it seems pretty tough to really tell.

Hi darkz71,

We're actually doing the first real fire in the stove today. We were warned that new stoves emit an odor as the oils etc from the manufacturing process burn off, so I didn't want to wait until it was too cold to open the doors/windows. So far, we are very happy with the Clydesdale.

As far as the wood is concerned, I just picked someone local from Craigslist. The delivered wood is all hardwood, and seasoned one year. I bought a moisture meter, and it generally reads between 18-22% moisture. I'm new at this too, but when we had an arborist on our property to give a quote for some pruning, he was curious and checked out our wood; he thought the quality was good. If you are interested, I can give you the wood guy's contact info (he's located in Billerica, MA).

Good luck,
Jim

 

[darkz71]

Hi darkz71,

We're actually doing the first real fire in the stove today. We were warned that new stoves emit an odor as the oils etc from the manufacturing process burn off, so I didn't want to wait until it was too cold to open the doors/windows. So far, we are very happy with the Clydesdale.

As far as the wood is concerned, I just picked someone local from Craigslist. The delivered wood is all hardwood, and seasoned one year. I bought a moisture meter, and it generally reads between 18-22% moisture. I'm new at this too, but when we had an arborist on our property to give a quote for some pruning, he was curious and checked out our wood; he thought the quality was good. If you are interested, I can give you the wood guy's contact info (he's located in Billerica, MA).

Good luck,
Jim

Hi Jim,

Good for you on the fire!

I did the same thing on wood, picked a local CL guy and he turned out to be decent with slightly fat cords seasoned a year. I can't complain, but because I've also found so much free off cl I may not need any next year if things keep up. For an insert we ended up with a VC Merrimack and it just was installed yesterday. I have to figure out what to do about a hearth extension because mine is short with the insert installed. I may just pick up a slab of bluestone and lay it down on the floor with rubber or felt under it. I need to visit the stone yard Saturday and see what they have. My installer said the first fires will smell just as you said and to keep the windows open. They said six fires that go from small to large should bake off the odor causing paint

Until I do something about the hearth I can't get the building inspector to sign off so I have no idea when we will have our first fires.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Hi Jim,

Good for you on the fire!

I did the same thing on wood, picked a local CL guy and he turned out to be decent with slightly fat cords seasoned a year. I can't complain, but because I've also found so much free off cl I may not need any next year if things keep up. For an insert we ended up with a VC Merrimack and it just was installed yesterday. I have to figure out what to do about a hearth extension because mine is short with the insert installed. I may just pick up a slab of bluestone and lay it down on the floor with rubber or felt under it. I need to visit the stone yard Saturday and see what they have. My installer said the first fires will smell just as you said and to keep the windows open. They said six fires that go from small to large should bake off the odor causing paint

Until I do something about the hearth I can't get the building inspector to sign off so I have no idea when we will have our first fires.

Good luck with your Merrimack, I love my Montpelier....

 

[JimNE]

Hi Jim,

Good for you on the fire!

I did the same thing on wood, picked a local CL guy and he turned out to be decent with slightly fat cords seasoned a year. I can't complain, but because I've also found so much free off cl I may not need any next year if things keep up. For an insert we ended up with a VC Merrimack and it just was installed yesterday. I have to figure out what to do about a hearth extension because mine is short with the insert installed. I may just pick up a slab of bluestone and lay it down on the floor with rubber or felt under it. I need to visit the stone yard Saturday and see what they have. My installer said the first fires will smell just as you said and to keep the windows open. They said six fires that go from small to large should bake off the odor causing paint

Until I do something about the hearth I can't get the building inspector to sign off so I have no idea when we will have our first fires.

Congrats on your new stove! I also needed a hearth extension to meet code. I was actually originally planning on using a slab of bluestone, but after some research, I realized that it offered almost no R-value, and therefore would not meet code. All said and done, I thought it made most sense to just buy a UL-listed type II hearth extension. I ended up buying a nice slate hearth extension made by American Panel. ((broken link removed to http://www.americanpanelhearth.com/Images/Documents%20for%20site/AmPanel_HearthBro11pdf.pdf)). I would recommend that you pay close attention to R-values before you move forward with a homemade solution. I also found that we are able to get them much cheaper from local stores than Woodlanddirect.com, which seems to be the big online vendor.

Good luck!

Jim

 

[KB007]

nice looking insert. Should give you lots of heat once it get going.

As for the hearth extension, when we did our Regency insert, according to the manual, since it was in an elevated hearth, the only floor protection required was for ember protection, so I just laid some slate tiles in front of the insert. I also put in a slab of granite on top of the hearth that extended out past the hearth to get the required distances.

 

[JimNE]

Darkz71,
Others have mentioned to me that some stoves only require floor ember protection (Type I) when the hearth is elevated. I contacted Hearthstone to ask them if I could just use ember protection considering our hearth is elevated. We were told that they have not tested that scenario with the Clydesdale, and that we required thermal protection (Type II) with R-value of at least 1.0 to meet code. If your manual doesn't mention raised hearths, you might want to give VC a call to see what they require.

 

[darkz71]

Link Removed Hi Jim

Thanks for the tip on the thermal req. I looked at my owners manual and it calls for r of 1.79 16 inches out from the doors even elevated. The book doesn't say any adjustments if you are elevated more that 2.5 inches (I have 14.5). I have been thinking I will need either micore, durock, or gypsum in layers to build up the r value and then put either bluestone or other stone if we can find a good match.

 

[begreen]

In this case I wouldn't worry too much. You have a high and generous hearth. I suspect ember protection for the floor will suffice.