Options for fireplace without Chimney

[Michaeld1344]

Hello,
When I bought my house 3 years ago, there was an old pellet stove installed. It was pretty worn out and I've since taken it out. I'm looking to replace it with potentially a wood stove insert. The fireplace is only a brick fireplace and does not have a true chimney as the pellet stove just vented horizontally out of the house. The space above the fireplace doesn't go anywhere, it just dead ends a couple feet up.



Could a wood stove insert work here with an external metal chimney?

My house's primary heat source is a heat pump and I'm looking to supplement that during the cold parts of the winter and my wife and I just enjoy the coziness of having a wood heat source. Let me know if anyone has any suggestion for this application. Thanks!

Fireplace dimensions are W=34" H=26.5" D=18.5"

 

[begreen]

A wood insert needs to be installed in a true masonry fireplace. This looks like more of a brick alcove. What is unknown is how it was constructed and the amount of masonry between the interior and the surrounding combustibles.

 

[Michaeld1344]

The sides of the opening are made of full size cinder blocks, 8" thick. I'm not sure what's behind those. Above the opening there are cinder "beams" extending the full width of the fireplace and which extend 8" high with additional masonry structure on top. The back wall is just one layer of brick to the outside.

 

[begreen]

The heat loss in the back of the cavity must be high with only one layer of brick. An insert is designed to vent straight up. Rear venting would require a freestanding stove.

 

[Michaeld1344]

Ah okay. Yeah, it's a weird design. I can't imagine it was original to the house. It must have been a modification someone made at some point.

Do they make freestanding stoves that could fit in a space like that? I was hoping to go with a wood burning stove over a pellet stove since I have a lot of wood on my property.

 

[begreen]

The 26" lintel height will be the determining factor followed by the mantel clearance requirement. The Jotul Rockford F35 with the short leg kit might work, but the hearth would need an extension at the floor level and it needs 20" from stovetop to the mantel.

 

[Michaeld1344]

Thanks for your help! I think I could raise the mantle if needed.

I will look into the Jotul Rockford F35. I saw you recommend MF Fire Nova series on another thread. I'm wondering if that might be an option too.

 

[begreen]

I think the Nova series are top-vent only.