Prepping a fireplace for a stove
Discussion
The photo that Paul put up, shows approximately the kind of size you could have if you took that lot out. There would then be no problems of air gaps and combustible material. Easy to cast a concrete hearth ready to bed on your chosen finished surface of slate etc.
If you leave it in, are you going to be able to tidy up those fireplace walls or will the stove installers do it?
If you leave it in, are you going to be able to tidy up those fireplace walls or will the stove installers do it?
Mr Magooagain said:
The photo that Paul put up, shows approximately the kind of size you could have if you took that lot out. There would then be no problems of air gaps and combustible material. Easy to cast a concrete hearth ready to bed on your chosen finished surface of slate etc.
If you leave it in, are you going to be able to tidy up those fireplace walls or will the stove installers do it?
To be honest, the main reason for going down the small stove route was to retain the existing surround. It's 150 years old and one of few genuinely original features still retained in the house. Other option was to to just refurb everything and carry on using as an open fire, which I love but will admit, doesn't actually give off that much heat. If you leave it in, are you going to be able to tidy up those fireplace walls or will the stove installers do it?
The stove installer is going to tidy up the rear of the opening. I forget the exact details but essentially it sounded like repointing but with maybe fire specific mortar. It'll largely be invisible so as long as it's tidy and safe, I'm not too bothered.
Mr Magooagain said:
The photo that Paul put up, shows approximately the kind of size you could have if you took that lot out. There would then be no problems of air gaps and combustible material. Easy to cast a concrete hearth ready to bed on your chosen finished surface of slate etc.
If you leave it in, are you going to be able to tidy up those fireplace walls or will the stove installers do it?
Taking it out would ruin quite a nice fireplace though, I wouldn’t do it.If you leave it in, are you going to be able to tidy up those fireplace walls or will the stove installers do it?
We have a similar fireplace, and have a quote for someone to put a hobbit stove into it too.
ozzuk said:
Did the installer also comment on the chimney flue and ventilation in the room? It was a key part of our install when going from open fire to stove, width of flue and an airbrick in room.
It’s a little stove, and from the age of the fireplace the house probably has enough ventilation to support it Gad-Westy said:
dickymint said:
I posted a screen grab of your stove manufacturers installation guide - it states 150mm either side and 100mm to rear - any other 'recommendations' are irrelevant.
However if your HETAS installer signs it off then it's extremely unlikely that building control will visit and check.
Cheers. That gap is to combustible materials which if I’m reading it correctly is not the same as an air gap. And actually even then, only with additional heat shields. I have no combustible material anywhere near it but I also don’t have 100mm+ air gap. But as you say, I think I’ve engaged the right people to do this so, though I’ll proceed with caution, I’m not especially worried about it. However if your HETAS installer signs it off then it's extremely unlikely that building control will visit and check.
Instructions ................
https://salamanderstoves.com/documents/04-hobbit-s...
In particular page 4 and section7.3 Safety clearances......
The stove must be installed with the following minimum safety clearances from
combustible materials.
Side 400mm
Rear 450mm
If the stove is to be installed in a non combustible recess it is recommended that
100mm clearance is left at the back and sides for maintenance and to allow air to
circulate around the stove.
I'm convinced you'll be fine just make sure a HETAS guy installs it.
dickymint said:
I've re-read their website technical stuff and I think the 150mm either side and 100mm rear measurements apply to the flue and not the actual appliance. I've also found their Installation and Operating
Instructions ................
https://salamanderstoves.com/documents/04-hobbit-s...
In particular page 4 and section7.3 Safety clearances......
The stove must be installed with the following minimum safety clearances from
combustible materials.
Side 400mm
Rear 450mm
If the stove is to be installed in a non combustible recess it is recommended that
100mm clearance is left at the back and sides for maintenance and to allow air to
circulate around the stove.
I'm convinced you'll be fine just make sure a HETAS guy installs it.
Youve quoted the 'back and side' clearances, they are from the back and side of the stove. Instructions ................
https://salamanderstoves.com/documents/04-hobbit-s...
In particular page 4 and section7.3 Safety clearances......
The stove must be installed with the following minimum safety clearances from
combustible materials.
Side 400mm
Rear 450mm
If the stove is to be installed in a non combustible recess it is recommended that
100mm clearance is left at the back and sides for maintenance and to allow air to
circulate around the stove.
I'm convinced you'll be fine just make sure a HETAS guy installs it.
After all there's no such thing as a back and side of a round flue pipe....
Gad-Westy said:
Our exiting open fire is going to make way for a wood stove. Due to be installed in September.
The existing fireplace was a bit of an odd mix. The fire surround is nice and probably original to the house. The mantlepiece is not original but doesn't offend so can stay for now. But the hearth had been nastily rendered and painted black. Mrs GW started chipping the render back and uncovered the original tiles but sadly many were damaged or missing so a restoration isn't on the cards.
We want to retile it with recreation tiles in the original style but this time we'll tile all the way to the back where the fire itself used to be. I was intending to just use self levelling compound on top of the existing tiles to achieve that. But....
I need to widen the whole hearth by a few inches. Partly that's to clear the existing mantlepiece as that overhangs slightly at present but also to accommodate our new tile pattern with no cuts.
I could presumably do this with timber given how far that will be from any heat and it will be tiled over. But, there will be a gap behind the timber at each side (maybe an inch or so) that I'd need to something about before using levelling compound. Any suggestions? Open to the idea of a totally different plan as well if more appropriate.
When putting these camping/boat stoves into old fireplaces people often bring them forward to get enough gap to prevent the excessive heat build up that will eventually crack them. The existing fireplace was a bit of an odd mix. The fire surround is nice and probably original to the house. The mantlepiece is not original but doesn't offend so can stay for now. But the hearth had been nastily rendered and painted black. Mrs GW started chipping the render back and uncovered the original tiles but sadly many were damaged or missing so a restoration isn't on the cards.
We want to retile it with recreation tiles in the original style but this time we'll tile all the way to the back where the fire itself used to be. I was intending to just use self levelling compound on top of the existing tiles to achieve that. But....
I need to widen the whole hearth by a few inches. Partly that's to clear the existing mantlepiece as that overhangs slightly at present but also to accommodate our new tile pattern with no cuts.
I could presumably do this with timber given how far that will be from any heat and it will be tiled over. But, there will be a gap behind the timber at each side (maybe an inch or so) that I'd need to something about before using levelling compound. Any suggestions? Open to the idea of a totally different plan as well if more appropriate.
They seem to be popular because people want to avoid the hassle of removing the fireplace but to be honest it's a really simple DIY job that then allows for a wide choice of normal house stoves that don't run on twigs and kindling and require filling every half hour.
If this is a sort of forever home and the plan is for the log burner to supply heat into the home then just do it properly as it's not remotely difficult and the upsides are manifest but if it's just for show and a bit of fun for the aesthetic then ask the stove company regarding gaps not the fitters. The latter do not give two f
ks but the people selling it while also not giving two fks are the ones with the customer liability so are most inclined to at least pretend. Plus, they have tonnes of client pictures of none compliant stoves so are clearly very happy to use the pictures to sell more stoves so shouldn't have a problem emailing you back that it is all cool and the gang. Gad-Westy said:
Just to clarify again. The intention here is to keep the original surround because we want to not because it's easier. That bits not up for negotiation. I'd rather have an open fire with the existing surround that take it out to fit a larger stove.
Look for an inset stove then?Gad-Westy said:
Just to clarify again. The intention here is to keep the original surround because we want to not because it's easier. That bits not up for negotiation. I'd rather have an open fire with the existing surround than take it out to fit a larger stove.
Do that then, open fires are lovely, and currently you can still get proper house coal if you know who to talk to!
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