Englander Wood Stove in a Fireplace

[ChrisHager]

A week or two ago, I stumbled across a CL ad for an Englander Wood Stove. I checked it out and couldn't pass it up for the price, whether or not it would work for me. The seller also threw in about 10ft of flex pipe and a stainless chimney topper.

Here's the little gem:

Inside Top:

Inside Cleaned Up:

Outside (came with a blower as well):

So, I'm considering tucking this into my current fireplace if it will fit. My fireplace is pretty small so it'll be a challenge if it's even possible.

Now, let's say it fits. People with open chimney's clearly need a liner all the way up, no questions. My chimney is 'lined' with a nice pipe all the way up. I *thought* I'd be good to go - attach the flex liner from the stove to the opening of the chimney and ta-da! Well, I took the face off my fireplace, cleaned it up, and took a few measurements. Again, I might be able to get this to fit in my fireplace. My new concern, though, is the existing chimney. The liner is 6". My chimney is 9". Can these be adapted? If yes, is it safe? I'm not looking to cut corners - just wondering if what I have is doable. If it's not, that's fine-n-dandy.

Fireplace:

(Don't mind the wire - they'll be cleaned up soon! I seem to finish one project and two more pop up!)

Chimney:

Let me know what you guys think.

 

[Fyrebug]

If the stove you bought is indeed a 'stove' not an insert you must NOT install this as an insert.

An insert is certified and tested as such, comes with a blower and designed differently.

If you put your stove inside your hearth and your house burns down you have no insurance...

Use it as a stand alone stove.

 

[cowroy]

I would definitely ask your insurance co. about it. I don't have the exact same setup but very similar. I had a heatilator type fireplace and did exactly what you want to do here. I cut the legs off of it and slid it back into the fireplace then ran liner pipe up through the flu block to the top of the chimney. I just need some trim to cover up the extra space. My fireplace is much different than yours though.

 

[ChrisHager]

I'll definitely ask my insurance company. I need to call them anyway about options for my attached garage (too bad I can't use this stove out there!) so I might as well throw this one at them while I'm at it.

Hypothetically, let's say this fits and my insurance company says I can install the stove, do I need to run flex pipe all the way up?

Thanks!

 

[ChrisHager]

Cowroy, your brickwork looks almost identical to mine apart from the mantle braces. Was your house built in the early 70's? The only other difference is your fireplace opening is centered. Take a close look at my fireplace opening...

 

[Fyrebug]

I'll definitely ask my insurance company. I need to call them anyway about options for my attached garage (too bad I can't use this stove out there!) so I might as well throw this one at them while I'm at it.

Hypothetically, let's say this fits and my insurance company says I can install the stove, do I need to run flex pipe all the way up?

Thanks!

Your insurance company may require an inspector to come an verify.

Also, in the USA you are not allowed to install a wood burning appliance in a garage.

Sorry to be the bearer of continuous bad news...

You can get yourself some decent inserts for not too much money nowadays. Century Heating Wood Stove Fireplace Insert — 65,000 BTU, Model# CB00005 | Wood Stoves| Northern Tool + Equipment Why not play it safe and get the right stuff? New ones are highly efficient (as opposed to the smoke dragon you just bought). It means you will use at lease 1/3rd if not half the wood consumption of the old one for the same BTU output if not better.

Some times a good deal is not a good deal...

 

[Streblerm]

That looks like a zero clearance fireplace. many of them pull combustion air through the outer layer of the chimney. If so the chimney was designed as a package with the fireplace and is probably not UL listed to work with a sealed, solid fuel burning appliance. If you have access to the chimney anywhere it should have a UL sticker.

I went through this with my stove install and ended up pulling the existing chimney and replacing it with double wall stainless "class A" chimney rated UL 103-HT

 

[Fyrebug]

Your stove is an Englander 13-NCG made before 2004. Here's the manual... http://www.englanderstoves.com/manuals/13-NC2004.pdf

And here's their warning...

CAUTION:
This unit must be installed in accordance with these instructions and must comply with local building and fire codes. Failure to do so could result in a chimney or house fire.

It's a stand alone stove and any attempt to convert it to an insert is not to code or to MFG recommendations. Therefore no inspector, sweep, installer will certify your installation and no insurance company will insure you.

Enough said... run away from this or put the legs back on and use it as a stove.

 

[ChrisHager]

Sounds good guys. Thanks for the info. I picked this up for so cheap, I can probably make some money selling it off. I figured if it didn't work for me, someone else might have a good spot for it!

After poking around last night, I kind of started thinking it would be best to save up and do it right. Piece of mind is more valuable than money sometimes.

[snip]...Also, in the USA you are not allowed to install a wood burning appliance in a garage.

Sorry to be the bearer of continuous bad news...[snip]

You aren't the bearer of bad news! I found this out before I bought it. I was more pointing out that I wish I could use it in the garage. It would be PERFECT for that! Instead I'm looking into propane and propane accessories for the garage (if they even let me do that!).

 

[cowroy]

If my house and chimney weren't built like they are, I would not have it the way I have it now. It works and is safe in my opinion. I am still playing a little bit of russian roulette though. I totally agree with Fyrebug since you don't already have it installed.

Don't know your budget, but I am looking at an outdoor wood boiler so I can have heat for my garage too. I just recently learned ins. would not cover a garage heated by a wood stove and if that garage is attached to your house then neither is covered. I have a detached two car garage and an OWB is just the ticket to get rid of the stove, be able to heat the garage, and make the ins. co. happy in the process. May not be a good option for you, but just a suggestion.

 

[rottiman]

NC 30 sitting in fireplace. 3' of flex attached to rigid s/s liner going up thru 12" chimney. Block off plate installed above stove. Stove had rear mount blower. Works just fine. My ins co.'s only concern was that my S/S liner was installed by WETT certified installer.

 

[ChrisHager]

If my house and chimney weren't built like they are, I would not have it the way I have it now. It works and is safe in my opinion. I am still playing a little bit of russian roulette though. I totally agree with Fyrebug since you don't already have it installed.

Don't know your budget, but I am looking at an outdoor wood boiler so I can have heat for my garage too. I just recently learned ins. would not cover a garage heated by a wood stove and if that garage is attached to your house then neither is covered. I have a detached two car garage and an OWB is just the ticket to get rid of the stove, be able to heat the garage, and make the ins. co. happy in the process. May not be a good option for you, but just a suggestion.

Honestly, I don't actually NEED any of this. We have a 5 year old (or possibly newer) heat pump for our heating and a/c. Our entire house is electric. I bet you can't guess what our bill is in the winter (1,575 sq. ft. ranch)!

The main reason I wanted to burn wood is:

1. We like it.
2. I have multiple sources for wood to 'harvest'.
3. If I have free wood, why not lower the bill even more.

To improve on #3, I was looking into an insert because my current fireplace is not efficient. I go through wood like crazy and I'm losing a ton of the fire's heat and the house's heat right through the chimney. At least my neighborhood smells good though...

Heating the garage is the only REAL concern at the moment (well, my concern). I imagine an OWB would be overkill just for the garage...

NC 30 sitting in fireplace. 3' of flex attached to rigid s/s liner going up thru 12" chimney. Block off plate installed above stove. Stove had rear mount blower. Works just fine. My ins co.'s only concern was that my S/S liner was installed by WETT certified installer.

That looks nice. Your fireplace is quite a bit larger than mine! To be honest, I imagine if the Englander was in my fireplace, it would be a lot less efficient than yours - I'd have much less space for the heat to radiate out.