Problems I found during remodeling Heatilator ST36B

[FamilyZoo]

Glad I found this forum! Sorry for this long post.

I am in the middle of remodeling and have come across some issues with our Heatilator ST36B see through 36 inch wood burning fireplace.

Background. We live just north of Jacksonville, Fl. We have been in the house for 2 years. The home was built in 1992. Neighbors had told me that the fireplace was seldom used. We have used it about a dozen times in 2 years. Fireplace was installed during construction. Much of the interior was completed by the first owner and as I have been remodeling, I have found that he didn’t do many things correctly so I decided to tear out the drywall around the fireplace to inspect.

What I found.
1. There was not a half inch clearance between the firebox and the framing. So I cut the lower framing 2x4’s away from the box.


2. The exhaust duct work is about an inch/ not 2 inches from the framing at the ceiling. (framing is 22 ½ inches vice 23 inches)


3. The holes where the gas lines would go (gas knock out) were plugged with fiberglass insulation that started to char.


4. There is a light switch next to the fireplace that didn’t operate anything (I figured it was for a potential blower/fan) I found the electrical wires (live) on top of the firebox bundled up.


5. Outside air ducting ends at the side of the attic it is not piped for fresh air.


The unit is 15 years old, I am not confident of its integrity and the install. Should I replace the entire thing? We want a see through fireplace and if we replace it, I would like to go bigger (recommendations?)……………… or should I just try and fix everything?

I had a salesperson tell me that blowers/ fans are not worth it and that they seize up and rattle.

Pictures of everything here: http://www.burgett.us/fireplace/index.htm

 

[elkimmeg]

Add this to your problems

picture 10 air duct in the ceiling within 10' of the fireplace


I noticed not one 2/4 stud having a grading stamp Meaning it is probably utility grade material which can't be used in structural supporting situations

Not one of the trust roof rafters had lumber grading stamp and the material looks like utility grade What tipped me off was the amount of dips and wavy roof sheathing

The roof sheathing is rated for 16" on center support not 24" and a few roof clips does not make it code compliant. Pretty evident with that amount of warping on the roof.

Pretty easy to figure out.. Are those engineered roof rafter trust?
Again I did not see any stamps or are they site built? Only engineered trust can be used with 2/4"s and at that spacings

Your fireplace is also a cheap builder's special Not a High efficiency one most of the heat is going up that chimney.

It is classified as decorative, therefore it does not qualify for any efficiency rating.

The chimney itself does not meet the 3/2/10 rule therefore it is not code compliant .

The air intake within that chase can not be common flexible bath fan exhaust vent. Within the chase it has to be hard piped. I willing to bet there is a very combustible plastic liner core in that tinfoil flex meaning it is combustible

According to NFPA 211 That chase is required to being sheathed inside with one hour fire rated Sheetrock. Did you strip it out or was there any in there?


Welcome to the hearth

 

[jtp10181]

I can't believe you didn't get smoke back in the house with that thing. It is very hard to get ST units to draw correctly. Personally I would tear the whole thing out and replace it with a single sided unit.

Or better yet! I just had a good idea. You could tear the whole thing out and put a freestanding stove there in its place! That would still make it visible from both sides, it would be efficient, and it would look great.

 

[elkimmeg]

I second JTP advice . Rip it out. It is not installed correctly, really not a high quality unit, and about 15 years old ,it owes you nothing.

 

[FamilyZoo]

Are there decent fire view multi sided stoves?

We dont intend on using the fireplace or stove a a primary or secondary heat source.

 

[GVA]

You could try the regency 2 sided
(broken link removed to http://www.regency-fire.com/Gas/Panorama/P121/)

 

[jtp10181]

If you are not looking to use it for heat, what is your goal of having it (or using it) at all? To look at the fire? Hmm.... maybe a gas unit would be better? But a gas unit would produce some heat back into the room. Unless you put in a wood ST (or use the existing one) with a gas log. Down side of that is instead of smoke coming back it will be CO and soot.

I hate to sway you away from what you want but really, ST wood units are very hard to make work correctly. If you have used this one without any smoke coming back into the house you have a rare situation.

 

[FamilyZoo]

I noticed not one 2/4 stud having a grading stamp Meaning it is probably utility grade material which can't be used in structural supporting situations

Not one of the trust roof rafters had lumber grading stamp and the material looks like utility grade What tipped me off was the amount of dips and wavy roof sheathing

The roof sheathing is rated for 16" on center support not 24" and a few roof clips does not make it code compliant. Pretty evident with that amount of warping on the roof.

Pretty easy to figure out.. Are those engineered roof rafter trust?
Again I did not see any stamps or are they site built? Only engineered trust can be used with 2/4"s and at that spacings

I did some research, the rafters are engineered. Scared me at first after reading this, but felt better when I found this out. Typical house in this area has engineered truss with 24" on center ( no snow to support).

 

[FamilyZoo]

If you are not looking to use it for heat, what is your goal of having it (or using it) at all? To look at the fire? Hmm.... maybe a gas unit would be better? But a gas unit would produce some heat back into the room. Unless you put in a wood ST (or use the existing one) with a gas log. Down side of that is instead of smoke coming back it will be CO and soot.

I hate to sway you away from what you want but really, ST wood units are very hard to make work correctly. If you have used this one without any smoke coming back into the house you have a rare situation.

We have no gas lines where we live, but we do have 5 acres of heavely wooded land that we are slowly clearing. We would use the fireplace on really cold nights.... in the 40's or below (dont laugh- brrrrr :lol: )

What would be the best ST model wood fireplace that would give us the least problems? We have considered a stove, but the current remodeling we have done would make it look like an after thought.

 

[jtp10181]

An open face ST unit will usually be nothing but trouble. None of them are going to give you much, if any heat output. Most open face units actually account for a net loss of heat in the house. They suck heated room air out the chimney with the exhaust and then fresh air to replace that leaks in the windows/door/makeup air/etc...

As I said, if you have used that unit and not had smoke back you have a rare situation. If you want heat out of it though don't hold your breath. The area around the unit will get a little warmer and the rest of the house will actually get cooler in most cases.

The problem is not with your particular ST unit, but with the whole concept. There is such a large area for smoke to escape that any slight change in air pressure on either side can make smoke spill out one side or the other. You do have one thing going for you though, since its not on a wall between two rooms (two pressure zones), but seems to be on the side of a larger room (or two rooms open to each other).