Ripping out a gas fireplace, putting in a wood stove.

I started up a thread on this project that I'm just breaking ground on over on the "other" site, and figured I'd get the FHC perspective.

We moved here to the eastern panhandle of West-by-God-Virginia a little over a year ago from California, and although it was an extremely mild wonder by most accounts, I was very displeased with the electric heat pumps and gas fireplace combo that the house came equipped with. Anytime the temp dropped below the mid-20s, those damm pumps ran almost non-stop. Now, don't get me wrong...they did a pretty good job of keeping the house warm, but between the noise, the constant blowing of air out of the registers, and the $700/mo power bill, they were killing me.

The gas fireplace looked nice, but contributed zero in the way of heat, despite absolutely drinking propane.

I decided somewhere in mid-January that I would harken back to my youth in the Sierra Nevada mountains of Northern California, and put in a wood stove.

Figured I'd kick off the project sometime in mid-summer, and in the meantime started scrounging and stockpiling wood.

Fast forward to mid-July, and I just started demo work this past weekend.

Here was my view at dawn on Saturday morning as I began the removal of the 2' bump out that was housing the gas fireplace:

 

Before you tear everything apart, consider a pellet stove. I think it would be better for venting purposes and I hear that you get some decent heat form them now-a-days.

Myself, I would go with a wood stove too as the fuel is much easier to split and stack than those dammed pellets!

Just a thought.

Will be interesting to watch the progress.

 

Something that needs your attention, before you do anything rash, is the vent differences you are looking at between your probably 3 or 4 inch gas rated vent and a 6 inch vent rated for wood heat. The gas vent will not be adequate for any stove both because of the temperatures involved and the sizes. Before you jump in with both feet, check the price of running a wood heat vent in your existing fireplace location. At $700 per month it may still pay off in a year or two but don't let the fact that you have a gas burner mislead you to believe you have a chimney. You do not right now.
Another consideration is the hearth needs of a stove. Some stoves require a minimum R value for the space directly under them and it is not just a spark resistant surface. Others, like my little Napolean, can get by with just a spark resistant hearth. You also need to consider clearances to combustibles. A wood burner will probably intrude into your living space further than you might expect unless you have spent a lot of time doing your research by reading the installation instructions for various stoves.
Another consideration in the near term is the wood itself. Most wood is not worth much in terms of heat until about 3 years after it has been cut and stacked for drying. Some varieties can be ready in as little as 6 months but that would mean it is already too late for most of the coming winter even if you have those woods. Some cord wood sellers use terms like seasoned to describe wood they cut last week and let sit in their pile for the whole time since then. Don't be a sucker for that kind of wood seller. The first year for a new stove owner can be a real trial because they either face having no wood to burn or having wood that is really too wet to burn well so they get huge builds of creosote in the chimney and stove pipe.

Please don't think I want to discourage you in the direction you are going but I don't want you looking for unicorns either.

 

Could you show a pic of where the stove would go? The front side?

You should be able to put a wood stove in there. You'd need to run a full chimney though, which is pretty easy with the metal chimney kits.

 

Thanks for the concerns, gents...I ran out of time drafting the first posting, so here is a little more info on the project:

I am rebuilding the bump out to accommodate the new stove...just got the footings inspected and passed yesterday, so I'm clear to pour on Friday. My interior dimensions of the new alcove (after the stonework is complete) will be 60" wide x 32" deep x 90" high. The new chase will accommodate the 8" class A chimney pipe I'm installing, and of course will conform to NFPA code and manufacturer's specifications.

Here's a couple of shots from this past Saturday:





And here's a shot of my wood hard this far...I am fortunate to have a number of friends with local farms, and was able to harvest some mulberry, cherry, hackberry, and walnut that was felled 3 years ago...I have at least 4 cords of wood that's already in the sub-20% range. I'll be moving about 5 cords into the shed around the end of September.

 

Saturday AM before the demo:



Current view:

 

Handsome little lad you got there!!! Hope he's gonna get to help carry some wood in for you, my little one is almost 2 and can't come outside without asking to help me out. Im liking the build so far! Looks like we got a couple people putting in stoves this year and luckily the wood is in place. I have optimal wood and then some subpar, not the best but can't be the worst as they have been split soonest as possible when I acquired it. Also was cut last year so left in the round but in the height of the dry summer.
You Should do fine with the wood, not always is it Possible to go the driest way on short notice but I would just keep going for the next two winters if I were you. I've taken to getting some scrap non treated lumber a lot and if this can be found in your area easily, could set the balance with your other wood a bit. Mosty stud and beam cut offs are your best bet!
Sorry if I missed a post but did you mention what stove you were putting in? Good luck and keep us updated!

 

I think what your doing is brilliant! side benefit of helping to teach Lil ones a work ethic as no wood is easy!

 

Wish I could include the pix in my reply but that's a beautiful view!

 

That was a factor...I have 3 sons under 6...they won't have many memories that predate wood cutting with Dad!

 

It's the Blaze King, King Parlor...the local hearth shop that I ordered it through just happened to get a second model in the exact configuration as mine for their floor model:

 

Are you going to run the new chimney chase all the way to the roof? I hope so. The chase will be sided with vinyl or some sort of stone veneer?

 

Yep, 3' above the ridge. Vinyl sided, unfortunately...can't justify that much stone work, but I am having the alcove pimped out with dry stacked ledgestone

 

Sounds like you have things well in order here...carry on...
Oh, and no need to post "over there" anymore...we got this!

 

Bad Raingerbait
Bad Rangerbait

 

Footings are poured and will be ready for framing up the floor starting tomorrow AM...thank God that part is over; that's some tough, dirty work!

 

Hope you got that saddle located perfectly! I'm a fan of bolting those in later.

 

Hit it perfectly this time, but I think I'll bolt it next time...too much stress.