Removing zero clearance fireplace

[electricboogaloo]

I'm remodeling a place that I own. There's an old wooden fireplace (zero clearance fireplace ZCF) there, but core requires a heart and I don't want one. As a result, I'm looking at changing the thing to electric. There's no gas in the building so gas isn't an option.

You can see the fireplace in the picture. I want to put in either a 36" insert or a 40" wide flat electric fireplace. It seems like I can cut out the metal walls of the ZCF and I'd have enough room for the 36" based on the specs. For the 40, I'd have to cut out the sides of the ZCR itself and probably some of the masonry around it. There's 3 flutes going up through the area (I'm on top, 2 below) and I'm not interested in messing up anyone else's chimney.

I'll have someone block off the flute entirely and stay with the electric.

Does anyone have any advice on this? Is cutting out any of the masonry a bad idea? Esthetically the 40" will look better. I've been mostly looking at Amantii but if anyone has any other suggestions that would be great.

 

[begreen]

If a full replacement is desired then it will take opening up the wall enough to detach the ZC cabinet from its framing, removing the flue, capping the hole in the top flashing. Not as showy as the Amantii, but maybe consider putting in an electric fireplace insert instead of total removal?

 

[electricboogaloo]

Is there any code reason why that would have to be done? It seems like I could just have someone cut away with the sides, cap the chimney, put up a fake wall there and do the Amanti. None of it is likely to increase the resale value so I'm not keen on the amount of work it will take to get rid of the ZCF. With the way the hardwood was put in it seems like some of that would have to be removed as well.

 

[begreen]

Do you mean just building a wall in front of it that seals in the existing fireplace? Are there any wall hanging fireplaces that would cover the existing opening?

 

[electricboogaloo]

If you look at the picture you can see what I'm talking about. Removing the side walls on the inside of the fireplace would give enough space for the 36" Amantii or similar. I could cut out the sides and knock out some masonry (what I imagine is masonry) in order to put in something wider.

I can't get rid of all of that metal, so my thoughts were to put down some quarter or half in slats and have some friends do the new drywall wall. The fireplace could go into hole in the new wall and into the opening that was the fireplace.

Like this without the tile...

https://www.houzz.com/photos/25890876/Sherbourne-Circle-transitional-family-room-orlando

 

[begreen]

Sounds dubious. It's unlikely that there is any masonry there. If the sidewalls of the ZC are removed what supports the weight of the chimney pipe on the top of the fireplace? Why can't all the metal (the entire fireplace +chimney) be removed?

 

[bholler]

remove everything it is the right way to do it