replacing 1980's heatilator fireplace insert with a new wood stove.

[Me78569]

Our house has an old Heatilator metal liner fireplace which is piped into a Cinder Block with Clay Flue chimney.  It burns through wood like it is going out of style so I would like to get something more modern in with a bit longer burntime.  I can't do an insert replacement as the heatilator front opening for the firebox is 20" tall and all of them I can find at 22" required to fit.

 

I was looking at this from Menards. USA made and heats 1800 sq/ft which our heated area is ~900 sq/ft

It is 27" deep and 28" wide and 31" tall

https://www.menards.com/main/heating-cooling/fireplaces-stoves/wood-stoves/pleasant-hearth-wood-stove-1-800-sq-ft-with-variable-speed-blower/mws-1800/p-1560752890938-c-6884.htm

 

 

 

 

Here is what I am working with.   My plan at this point is to remove all the brick I have circled in red and then refinish the interior wall with some stone looking stuff. 

 

 

Depth of the area is ~34" from the front face

 

 

 

And here is the backside in the garage.

 

 

 

Couple questions I have from folks that might know is should I run a flexible 6" steel liner up inside the clay or just run a 6" to 9x13" adapter for the clay flue?  

 

The entire area where the current fireplace sits is cinder block and concrete so I don't forsee any issues with the stove sitting in the nook, but the nook is only ~55" tall so that would leave 20" between the top of the stove and the top cinder blocks.

 

Anything else I am missing here?  I don't really want to go through the effort of tearing out this old heatilator without good results.

 

 

[Tractorman]

Have your checked Regency for fireplace insert.  It looks like these dimensions would possibly fit.  They are made in Canada.  You can still get non-catalytic wood stoves and fireplace inserts that pass the 2020 EPA emissions.

 

I have been using Regency wood stoves ( the free standing FS2400 wood stove with glass door) for years, using it for the main source of heat every winter in the Portland, Or area.  One of them I used for twenty years with no problems.  Glass always stays clean.   In my opinion, the Regency stoves are excellent quality.

 

I have since moved to Baker City, Or (much colder winters) and built a 2250 sq ft house in 2020.  Purchased a new Regency FS2400 non-catalytic wood stove and I am heating the whole house with that stove - I only cycle the furnace once a month or two for exercise.   Going into the third winter now.  

 

I would talk to the pros about whether or not to use a chimney liner.  I do know that old chimney flus can be a fire hazard risk.

 

- John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Me78569]

Ill look into regency, 

 

I think I will just do a flue liner, it is cheap peace of mind and makes it easy to never think about it again.

[Mopar1973Man]

Do not use the stainless flex or stainless pipe. I had my past renter (Eileen's Son - Jacob) which managed to melt that stainless flex tube and drop the entire chimney liner back down inside the damper inside the chimney. Mark my current renter pull it all out and replaced the bottom half with all steel pipe and adjustable elbows and now its working again. Mark complains about being too hot now.   

[Me78569]

I think I have decided on a blaze king or brolet brand.   

 

Gotta find dealers, but I like the blaze king long burn times.

Edited November 12, 2022 by Me78569

[JAG1]

I used metal black matt chimney and every year it kept burning thru. Went to Stainless 6 inch and it's still good after 22 years. Have to bring a magnet before you buy and test for the better stainless it will not attract much at all.

[Mopar1973Man]

6 minutes ago, JAG1 said:

Have to bring a magnet before you buy and test for the better stainless it will not attract much at all.

 

Be aware stainless does NOT hold up to the same amount of heat that steel can. I found out for my last person that was renting my guest house was burning the fire so hot that the pipe melted. The entire stack was stainless and the first 3 of pipe from the stove melted and collapsed. I'll never use stainless again being the melt point is much lower than plain steel pipe. Now it replaced with steel and working great once again. 

Edited November 12, 2022 by Mopar1973Man

[JAG1]

1 hour ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Be aware stainless does NOT hold up to the same amount of heat that steel can. I found out for my last person that was renting my guest house was burning the fire so hot that the pipe melted. The entire stack was stainless and the first 3 of pipe from the stove melted and collapsed. I'll never use stainless again being the melt point is much lower than plain steel pipe. Now it replaced with steel and working great once again. 

My steel pipe rotted out every year. Was a bad experience. I surmised that the wood had a lot of acid, burning mostly Douglas Fir. Went to buy stainless steel and found a lessor brand, I think Simpson, claimed to be stainless but in fact was not according to the magnet. Went to a well known professional Solid fuels distributor and got Stainless that did not magnetize at all. I was lucky to get it. We have had deliberate chimney fires to clean it out and no trouble for many years. Can see pipe all the way to the ceiling for twenty feet before it goes thru the ceiling and roof. So get the good stuff. cannot remember the manufacturer but it's called 'chimney liner' masons use going up the chimney which I used for stove pipe. So hard to cut it's a bearcat to go thru it. Nothing soft about it. All these years and no sign of deterioration.

 

You must of had Simpson brand, Mike.

Edited November 12, 2022 by JAG1

[Mopar1973Man]

Found the old pipe this was my stainless pipe and how it failed. Like I said stainless will melt and fail so be very careful. From what I remember it was 904 stainless stove pipe seamless as you can see the pipe got hot and start to distort. 

 

[JAG1]

Mike if you could, please put a magnet to it and tell me about the amount of attraction. Mine has little to no attraction if any. been on my continually used Stove for 22 years and no deterioration whatsoever.

 

What are those orange red pock marks up near the top? look like some kind of deterioration. Mine has nothing to indicate it's thinning/ flaking from the inside etc.

 

I am pretty sure that Creosote is highly corrosive and that's what caused yours to go thin and flake away inside if not almost pure Stainless steel.

Edited November 12, 2022 by JAG1