Englander NC30 - Alcove Install

Hi guys. First time poster here. I am about to purchase and install my first wood stove. After weeks of researching, I have decided on the Englander NC30 to heat my 2,200 sq ft. two story 1884 drafty house. My house has a hearth and fireplace that looks as if it has never had a chimney attached it. I think it was designed with the idea that an external chimney would be added on one day, but it never happened.

The area behind the brick face is completely hollow from the ground to the ceiling, and is 21" deep to the rear exterior wall of the house.

The opening of the fireplace is 27" Wide, 28" High, and 21" deep (to the rear wall, not the brick as pictured). I am planning on removing the vertical bricks above the opening of the fireplace, which will increase the height to 37".

I have several questions about installing the stove in a alcove like setting such as this:

1. Is 27" wide enough of an opening to put this stove? According to the spec on Home Depot, the stove is 24.25" wide, which would give a gap on both sides of the stuff of just under 1.5". Is this acceptable since brick is a non-combustible material, or do I need to remove brick on the sides to increase the width?
2. If the stove height is 29.5" as listed on the Home Depot spec, that will give the top of the stove a clearance of 22" under the wood mantle. I have searched around and there doesn't seem to be an actual spec for clearance to a wood mantle. What are your opinions on this? Is 22" an acceptable distance. The mantle sticks out 9 1/2" from the face of the brick which is pretty far. Maybe I could create a heat-shield that diverts the hot air outwards as it rises to the heat doesn't just linger under the mantle?

I'd be happy to hear any tips and tricks from others who have installed a free-standing stove in an alcove. I would like to have the front half of the stove in front of the brick face, and that might be necessary for clearance anyway from the rear of the stove to back wall (which will be brick lined). Has anybody taken measurements of the top of the stove, from the rear face to the center of the flue? That would help me greatly to get an idea of where the stove will sit depth-wise.

 

I've noticed that the NC30 seems to go on sale for prices as low $600. If anybody currently knows of a deal, I'd love to hear about it as right now I am only seeing it listed at ~$1000 in various places.

 

Welcome, Somebody will chime in with more NC30 knowledge.

 

Welcome aboard jjspierx .
Have you taken a look at the manual? I'll post up a link if you'd like.
Here's their Tech. support dept. #......800) 245-6489

 

Yes, I have it already and have looked through it. It doesn't have detailed dimensions of the unit it self, just the overall width, height and depth. And the installation instructions don't really discuss an alcove style install. I have seen pictures around a few forums of people who have installed this stove in an alcove and I was hoping they might have insight on more detailed clearances, how hot the brick get's in the alcove, how much distance they have from the sides of the stove to the wall, etc...

 

Thanks! Happy to be here. My family had (and still has) a Blaze King when I was growing up and I always took having a wood stove for granted. Now that I am all grown up and own a house I have missed it, and am looking forward to having a wood stove in my house for years to come so that my kids can take it for granted as well, until they move out.

 

I could have sworn there was a section on alcove installs in the manual, but I don't see it.
Here's the manual.

 

Running a tube stove is going to be a bit of a learning curve after a BK. NC30 is a great stove and should serve you well.

 

Even if ~1/2 of the stove sits in front of the brick face of the alcove? I also thought the brick in the alcove heating up would provide radiant heat that I could push out into the room if I wanted with a blower or fan.

 

I'd give them a call.

What's the plan to support everything above that after those get removed?
That's a very small opening for the 30. The top plate of the stove is 29" from the floor if the leg kit is used. I can't see the pipe collar on mine anymore....I'm using 2X wall pipe, so not sure how tall it is if that's included, but another 1/2" is about right.

 

There is a steal support under the vertical bricks at the top of the fireplace opening currently. The plan would be remove those vertical bricks, and move the steel support up to where the new top of the opening would be. If I need to I can remove half a brick width on each side to widen the opening as shown in the attached picture.

 

Attached image with current dimensions, and image of dimensions after removing the vertical brick, and half-brick width on both sides.

 

Is the stove taller or shorter with the legs vs. the pedestal?

papadave - Do you have a picture of your setup?

 

You're already aware that the stove won't fit very far into that opening as is. Have you studied what's behind the brick work on the side of the opening and what will happen if you take those away? There's liable to be some framing there (which is combustible), and then there's the issue of how far forward the stove will sit on the hearth. You need a minimum of 16" of non-combustible material in front of the stove (not quite sure where that's measured from).
I have pics on here, but I can post up another. BRB

 

Before I closed the air (ignore the dust and stuff).

 

Yes, the light color brick in the opening will be removed and replaced. It is barely in place as it is, I can move it by hand without tools. I was planning on have the brick in the alcove go straight back along the sides all the way to back wall, and then line the back wall (leaving a 1" gap) with brick as well. The distance from the front face of the brick to the back wall is 21", so I will lose a couple inches by adding brick back there.

 

This is what it looks like behind the brick work. I was assuming I'd be using double or triple walled piping off of the stove, a few feet up, and then 90 degree through the outside wall, and then up the side of the house from there.