Novice looking for guidance, before purchase of Jotul Castine

[Ticmxman]

New member here and would appreciate a little guidance. I am ready to buy a wood burner either a stove or an insert. House is 1950, 1500 sq. feet brick ranch, room is 13x18 with a large opening into 13x13 dining room, has a masonery fireplace that's bottom is flush with the hardwod floor has a 16-1/2 inch tile hearth, the firebox is 36wx32hx16d the box has a 1-1/2 thick wood trim 7'' from the opening. The mantel is 53'' from the floor. A sweep said the liner etc... looked like it was built by a drunk mason on a friday. We have gas logs presently and have never had a fire in it in our 12 years in the house. We plan to have a ss liner installed. We have a heat deflector that extends out 4-1/2''.

I am concerned an insert on the flush floor will be a little low to deal with so presently we are leaning towards a Jotul Castine stove, setting on some type of hearth extender that is as small as we can get by with. The Castine is 25-3/4W x 28-1/4H x 23-1/4D. We would like the stove to be as close to the fireplace as possible,but not be stuck back into the box too far, for heating and visual reasons. Heating the house is not the primary goal, secondary heat and the pleasure of looking at a fire is the goal.


The wood trim & short hearth appear to be the only clearance issues that I see and finding the right size hearth extender. I guess we could go with the shorter leg option if we had to that would lower the stove 2-1/4'' and or install the rear heat shield on the stove. Am I totaly off base regarding a insert at floor level?

Any tips on where to get a hearth extender? We think a 3' will work. Stove dealer may not have one this size.

Your suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[BrowningBAR]

New member here and would appreciate a little guidance. I am ready to buy a wood burner either a stove or an insert. House is 1950, 1500 sq. feet brick ranch, room is 13x18 with a large opening into 13x13 dining room, has a masonery fireplace that's bottom is flush with the hardwod floor has a 16-1/2 inch tile hearth, the firebox is 36wx32hx16d the box has a 1-1/2 thick wood trim 7'' from the opening. The mantel is 53'' from the floor. A sweep said the liner etc... looked like it was built by a drunk mason on a friday. We have gas logs presently and have never had a fire in it in our 12 years in the house. We plan to have a ss liner installed. We have a heat deflector that extends out 4-1/2''.

I am concerned an insert on the flush floor will be a little low to deal with so presently we are leaning towards a Jotul Castine stove, setting on some type of hearth extender that is as small as we can get by with. The Castine is 25-3/4W x 28-1/4H x 23-1/4D. We would like the stove to be as close to the fireplace as possible,but not be stuck back into the box too far, for heating and visual reasons. Heating the house is not the primary goal, secondary heat and the pleasure of looking at a fire is the goal.


The wood trim & short hearth appear to be the only clearance issues that I see and finding the right size hearth extender. I guess we could go with the shorter leg option if we had to that would lower the stove 2-1/4'' and or install the rear heat shield on the stove. Am I totaly off base regarding a insert at floor level?

Any tips on where to get a hearth extender? We think a 3' will work. Stove dealer may not have one this size.

Your suggestions would be appreciated.

If heating is not the primary goal, I would go with a nice clean, flush mounted insert with a big door window to see the fire. Here are a few that I like, your opinion may vary:

Jotul:
http://www.jotul.com/en-us/wwwjotulus/Main-menu/Products/Wood/Wood-inserts/Jotul-C-550-Rockland/

Vermont Castings isn't exactly the greatest stove brand right now, but it IS a nice looking insert:
http://www.vermontcastings.com/content/products/productdetails.cfm?id=414

Lopi:
http://www.lopistoves.com/product_guide/detail.aspx?id=219

Scan:
http://www.fireplaces-oldham.co.uk/Scan_Stoves_DSA_7.htm
https://www.mendipfireplaces.co.uk/catalog/scan-42-p-25.html

 

[Ticmxman]

I've been going back and forth insert-stove-insert-stove. My 16'' deep box limits me to a few inserts and when I saw them at the dealer I was concernd about how low a insert would be with my floor level fireplace. But it would be a cleaner look.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

The Castine has a reversible collar which allows vertical or horizontal venting which makes it your best bet for a hearth stove. Clearance is easy enough to figure out: If the top of your hearth opening is greater than the top of the collar on the stove you're in business. If it ain't you're SOL.

Also, just because your doing this for aesthetics doesn't mean that whatever stove or insert you end up with will not throw off tons of heat so be ready for that.

 

[Ticmxman]

The Castine has a reversible collar which allows vertical or horizontal venting which makes it your best bet for a hearth stove. Clearance is easy enough to figure out: If the top of your hearth opening is greater than the top of the collar on the stove you're in business. If it ain't you're SOL.

Also, just because your doing this for aesthetics doesn't mean that whatever stove or insert you end up with will not throw off tones of heat so be ready for that.

It will fit inside the 32'' high fbox, stove is 29-1/2'' high but my concern is more with the nice wood trim 7'' above and beside the fireplace if i set the stove on the hearth. Hopefully whatever I do want run us out of the room, worse case i can crack the door to the screen porch 10' away.

Thanks for replying

 

[begreen]

My concern is draft on the Castine with rear-exit, horiz. pipe, + elbow and then a relatively short flue. If this is an exterior chimney then it could become an issue on moderate days. The result would be smoke coming out when the door was opened for tending the fire. How tall is the flue?

Given that heat is not the main issue, perhaps an insert would work better for you. You have a big enough fireplace opening for several options. If you want a flush fit unit with a big fireview, maybe consider the Lopi Declaration, Hearthstone Clydesdale or the JotulC550? Or if overheating is a concern then perhaps the Hampton HI200?

If not 100% committed to wood, while at the Jotul dealer, have them show you the Jøtul GF 600 DV II Firelight burning. This is a gas stove, but has a nice flame and nice fireview.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

My concern is draft on the Castine with rear-exit, horiz. pipe, + elbow and then a relatively short flue. If this is an exterior chimney then it could become an issue on moderate days. The result would be smoke coming out when the door was opened for tending the fire. How tall is the flue?

Given that heat is not the main issue, perhaps an insert would work better for you. You have a big enough fireplace opening for several options. If you want a flush fit unit with a big fireview, maybe consider the Lopi Declaration, Hearthstone Clydesdale or the JotulC550? Or if overheating is a concern then perhaps the Hampton HI200?

If not 100% committed to wood, while at the Jotul dealer, have them show you the Jøtul GF 600 DV II Firelight burning. This is a gas stove, but has a nice flame and nice fireview.

Be serious. Nothing compares to a wood flame.

 

[Ticmxman]

My concern is draft on the Castine with rear-exit, horiz. pipe, + elbow and then a relatively short flue. If this is an exterior chimney then it could become an issue on moderate days. The result would be smoke coming out when the door was opened for tending the fire. How tall is the flue?

Given that heat is not the main issue, perhaps an insert would work better for you. You have a big enough fireplace opening for several options. If you want a flush fit unit with a big fireview, maybe consider the Lopi Declaration, Hearthstone Clydesdale or the JotulC550? Or if overheating is a concern then perhaps the Hampton HI200?

If not 100% committed to wood, while at the Jotul dealer, have them show you the Jøtul GF 600 DV II Firelight burning. This is a gas stove, but has a nice flame and nice fireview.

Thanks, the chimney is about 25' high, the first 9' is inside then 5-6 in attic then 10' or so outside. Flue is currently 8x14 clay to be lined with ovalized ss.

Inserts are still a posibility, but my lack of a raised fireplace concerns me.

We are tired of gas logs, ready for wood.