Osburn Everest 2 vs Lopi Large Flush Wood vs other?

[woodburner69]

Good Morning!

We just purchased a new house that has a natural gas insert in a masonry chimney. We are looking to get something that sits inside current masonry chimney.

I have done some research over the past week and have narrowed it down to the Osburn Everest 2 and Lopi Large Flush. I spoke to a contractor about it and he seemed to think it was unnecessary to get this level of product.

Here are some considerations I have, for what I am looking for:

• Size of house is about 2700 Sq feet
• Interested in burning wood as a way to heat the house in the winter, but also for the atmospherics when we are sitting in the living room
• Something that burn with the doors open or closed (with a fire screen)
• Looking for something that could last most of night on an efficient burn
• I like the idea of a fresh air intake

Am I over engineering this solution? Should I just go with a fireplace insert? I cannot tell if the Lopi does an open door burn?

Thanks for reading!

 

[kborndale]

Have you had somebody out to make sure you can safely put an insert into that fireplace?

 

[stoveliker]

That brick is a facade (veneer) I believe. I suspect you don't have a masonry fireplace. In which case you can't put in an insert.
You may need a zero clearance fireplace if you want wood fire.
Or you demolish all there is, and put a freestanding stove in - which will heat better (especially when the power is down).

 

[woodburner69]

There is a brick chimney that goes from the foundation to the roof, is that not a masonry chimney? Is the veneer brick maybe a chimney corbel?

@stoveliker the free standing stove is better than zero clearance for heating because it doesn't need a blower?

 

[stoveliker]

A chimney is not a fireplace; if there is a real and functional brick fireplace (as in "put wood in the hole and burn it"), then you can use an insert.

The right hand side corner looks to me like drywall with brick veneer.

I think you may have a thimble (place where flue pipe could go through the wall) and a masonry chimney, but not a masonry fireplace. Instead you have a framed corner structure with a gas fireplace. An insert can't be put in there, but a zero clearance fireplace can.

You have a significant home (2700). Any stove will be in principle a room heater. And it'll provide heat without fan noise (some stoves more with fan). An insert (or zero clearance fireplace) will need a fan to provide significant heat and will still be a room heater. So power outages means less heat unless you have a battery or generator hooked up.

But there is another thing: having a large home and a room heater, you'll need to get the BTUs out of the room so as to heat the rest and not cook out of the room. There are zero clearance fireplaces with ducted systems to move heat elsewhere.

Finally, your chimney should be inspected - and most likely needs an insulated stainless steel liner, if you do go with a stove. Insulated for better burning behavior as well as safety (and code compliance).
(ZC fireplaces often have their own requirements for flues).

So, I second kborndale: have a person come and inspect your chimney (needs to happen anyway) and tell you what the options are based on the structure you have now.

 

[Trevor Tahclep]

Good Morning!

We just purchased a new house that has a natural gas insert in a masonry chimney. We are looking to get something that sits inside current masonry chimney

• Something that burn with the doors open or closed (with a fire screen)
• Looking for something that could last most of night on an efficient burn

Am I over engineering this solution? Should I just go with a fireplace insert? I cannot tell if the Lopi does an open door burn

• View attachment 332167

- There is a big difference between a masonry chimney and a masonry fireplace.
- Something that burns with open doors will send the interior heat up the chimney and cool off the house.
- Yes, start by bringing a pro in to analyze everything before hand, you will eventually need to do it anyways, that is your first step.

 

[begreen]

Just to clear up some possible confusion. Marketing sometimes calls a Zero Clearance fireplace an insert. It is not. An insert is a wood stove designed to be inserted into an existing fireplace. All inserts can be installed in a masonry fireplace, but only some can be installed into a ZC fireplace, and then only if the fireplace manufacturer has specifically permitted this in its documentation.

The first step here is to identify what is currently installed. It looks like a ZC. If so, the manufacturer's model number is often on a metal tag in the door channel. See if there is an ID label there. Is there a brand named at the lower right corner of the front shroud?

 

[woodburner69]

I so greatly appreciate all the help!

I couldn't get a good photo of the brick internals of the living room fireplace/chimney. However, I was able to remove the hearth from the basement and this photo. @stoveliker and @begreen This is the internals of the basement. So I think your assessment was spot on about it not being a masonry fireplace.

These two photos are of the unit installed in the living room. I couldn't find any more branding beyond it being a Lennox. The two pipes appear to go to a front grill. Is that because this is a "ventless" fireplace and doesn't actually use the chimney?

 

[stoveliker]

I believe Lennox has both ventless (i.e. vented into the room) and direct vent fireplaces.
I suspect the two pipes are not exhaust, because I don't think gas fireplaces need a large exhaust flow. Instead it's likely they are depositing heated room air back into the room.

But I don't know enough about gas fireplaces.

In any case you need someone coming over to inspect the flue, and they can lay out the options you have.

 

[begreen]

If the choice is to burn wood, then this fireplace is not an option. It would either need to be removed or a freestanding woodstove installed in another location in the house.