Installing a Wood Burning Stove in an Existing Fireplace

Traditional fireplaces have the best alternative in the form of Wood burning stoves. Because they are structured to perform with much better instincts and remain cleaner than the regular fireplaces, a modernly designed product.

As we know wood-burning stoves can be perfectly installed at the area of the already present fireplace (existing fireplace) that contains a chimney and enough area available for fixation. Other than these two main points few other small things also need to get checked before installation.

For the installation process, look over the suitable area under the fireplace, at the first step. Then check over the firewood, make sure to protect the walls and flooring. To maintain all these precautions, go for accurate measurements, ventilation, equipment, etc.

Table of Contents

Before installation process of the wood-burning stove, consider or check few (below described) things

There are few things that you should check in a fireplace or around the area, before the installation of a wood-burning stove there. Have a look over them;

Ventilation

Ventilation (enough air pressure) is the chief element, necessary for a fine wood-burning stove’s performance. Because a fire needs proper air pressure for its start as well as for its continued smoke rise. The room or area with less airflow will not be a good choice for this process.

That’s why must look over the ventilation of the room, where the fireplace exists. If you must want to install wood burning stove there or you have the only single option of room for the purpose, and then, first of all, make a fixation of ventilation brick (small brick) inside.

Heat Output

This factor is sometimes overlooked but is necessary to keep the room at a comfortable temperature. Although the wood-burning stoves work better than the fireplace in the production of heat amount. A larger size fireplace doesn’t mean it needs larger wood stove fixation.

For overheating prevention, or to keep the room at moderate heat/temperature, bring a stove calculator. This will help you in keeping the check over stove performance like the amount of heat it’s producing plus what’s the best level where you should keep your stove’s temperature at.

Type/size of chimney and flue

Woodburning stove’s fixation requires class 1 in both chimney and flue. Class 2 or pre-cast flue is never a suitable (perfect) option for stove work. If your fireplace doesn’t contain class one flue, then replace it with the lea level one product.

Further, look over the diameter of the flue. Around 6” diameter is suitable for the 20kW stove. 5” is also a suitable option for few stoves, but only if the manufacturers find it suitable. Plus, look over the chimney’s suitability with stove, if it’s not quite well, use a twin wall alternative.

Combustibles space

Check the spaces among combustibles (like plasterboard, wallpaper, etc.) and installing the stove (before its fixation). Sufficient space is required among both, although every stove comes along with a different fixation distance, must read the instruction on installation paper.

You are maybe having a question at this point that what if your fireplace is not of stone or bricks. Still, in that case, enough space area is necessary. Because, stove’s performance level gets down under congested spaces, due to less air circulation.

Size of wood burner plus construction regulations of the area

Not every sized wood burner gets fits inside every existing fireplace. You should look over the surround and hearth of the stove which you are going to fix. If it goes with the area of the fireplace then make a setting otherwise look over some other product.

In an existing fireplace, fixation of a wood-burning stove doesn’t require any permission. But that’s only the case when the fireplace is perfectly suitable. In case of any alteration like making a new chimney, gets permission from the area authorities.

Initial Installation points

For the proper installation process of the wood-burning stove, keep up the following steps one by one;

1- Suitable location:

look over the furniture and fireplace’s spaces, central area fireplaces should be preferred as they equally distribute the level of heat, arrange or make a set of your furniture at the proper distance from the fireplace, necessary for safety.

2- Keep the opening ready

Clear your fireplace’s opening for the stove’s installation process. Look over the opening area and the chimney at the time of the installation process. This opening will allow you to take measurements of the stove and make a smooth fixation process.

3- Take a suitable sized wood burning stove

Make calculations of the wood-burning stove and compare it with the fireplace’s size. Because different stoves come in different sizes. Select a suitable sized option that goes perfectly with the fireplace and chimney style, like the production of heat amount.

4-Design or prepare the area

Prepare the area or fireplace at this point for the stove’s installation. For instance, if the floor doesn’t contain fire-resistant material, add some under the area of fixation, add some fire-bearing material to keep the safety levels maintained in case some flame drops out.

5-Suitable wood type

Must select the right wood type; prefer the less moisture wood content. Because the wood with a high level of moisture content will not only produces too much smoke but also blackens the area around it.

6-Ash disposal plan

You know, a wood-burning stove produces a large amount of ash all the time. Plan properly how you are going to dispose of it properly because its spread will affect the cleanliness of the house. Ash remains hot and flammable for days, so handle it carefully.

7- Professional installer

Find a professional person or installer, who’ll help you in true fixation or installation. For professional help, permission is needed to be taken from authorities. A professional installer will make a perfect fixation in less time as compared to you.

8- Planning for maintenance

Once you are done with precautions and few initial steps of the process. At this point plan further that after installing process how you are going to maintain the cleanliness of the area, for instance, chimney cleaning times, wood burner inspection yearly, etc.

9- Installation process, steps

Buying a suitable wood-burning stove: efficiency of the stove highly depends on how perfectly or rightly the fixation has been done through the suitable flue. Otherwise, it’ll only be a wastage of time.
Check the flue line before the installation process (prefer a professional person for this), because the efficiency level relies on it.
Keeping the chimney swept: keep your chimney clean and in good condition at the time of installation and even after that too. The oversized chimney will not heal properly because of its area, that’s why maintaining it first for the further process needed.
While using masonry hole (that is cut above throat), above fireplace damper, make installation of the stove pipe through the usage of the chimney.
At this point seal the damper tight, to prevent or hold gases outside. Make the step done with fibrous insulation like sheet steel.
Make a fitting of fire surround: use non-flammable material for complete blockage of stack opening plus to make a fitting around flue pipe of the woodstove.
Now, make a fitting of flue outlet which can be done over the top area of the wood burner.
At this point make a fixation of the registered plate inside the frame area. The plate contains two parts surrounding the flue pipe. The fixation process can be done over both.

Benefits of retaining an existing fireplace

First of all, it’s bad to destroy the originality and classic tiles look of the house area
Keeping the fireplace means keeping the original look of the house
The most important benefit of keeping the existing fireplace is that you’ll always have the option of going back t the fireplace again
You can also change the wood burner’s place to another room easily. Also when you are shifting the house
Add up a stylish look to the area
Installation process becomes easier as most of the things are already done with the formation of fireplace

Conclusion

The article above contains complete information about installing a wood-burning stove in an existing fireplace. The information in the article is truly applicable, just requires a keen reading process. Not only contains installation steps but also has information about the initial points of consideration that are needed to be checked before.

Plus, the benefits of installing a wood-burning stove in an existing fireplace are well explained in points. The introduction part gives you an overview of the topic. So, read the article carefully for your true help.