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Old 02-01-2010, 05:13 PM
 
Location: Mountains of middle TN
5,245 posts, read 16,372,831 times
Reputation: 6130

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Thought of this thanks to the other fireplace thread!

When we bought our house I was so excited to have a fireplace. I'm from south Florida - we don't have many down there!

Shortly after moving in we had someone come out to clean it (the house had been vacant +15 years) and found out the insert is cracked top to bottom and if we use it we could burn down the house.

We had other things that topped the list of must do's, so this had to wait. We're finally getting around to working on the fireplace and the den. We've started tiling the floors in the room. Once they are done, I'd like to re-do the fireplace. I"m thinking covering the brick with a tumbled stone, maybe a grey - blue shade to match the center piece in the tile? Any thoughts? I just hate brick.

This is it. Forgive the mess. Like I said, the room was a store room. It's a wreck.

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Old 02-01-2010, 06:39 PM
 
Location: Eastern Washington
17,128 posts, read 56,809,984 times
Reputation: 18419
Your question is not clear. Are you saying the masonry is cracked?

An open fireplace is not worth much as a heater. A good high-efficiency insert can be put in, and probably a flue pipe could be run inside the existing chimney if it's cracked so badly it's unsafe.

You could just have someone fix the masonry.

I would definitly put an insert in that fireplace, but I am Mr. Practical, not so big on the ambiance of a fire, I want it to heat the house.
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Old 02-01-2010, 06:49 PM
 
Location: Virginia
65 posts, read 370,622 times
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A nice gas log insert could give you ambiance and heat. For facing your fireplace, you may want to look at Eldorado Stone. Although we have not used it yet, my husband is investigating as a possible solution for our brick fireplace (picture in other post). We are also having to consider the mammoth size.
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Old 02-01-2010, 07:56 PM
 
Location: Ridgewood
302 posts, read 2,226,978 times
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I would get a second opinion from a chimney sweep. It's unlikely that the clay liner is cracked top to bottom.

As long as you're changing the fireplace front, there is insufficient clearance to wood above the fireplace opening. A mantle that extends out that far should be at least twelve inches above the opening.
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Old 02-02-2010, 09:51 AM
 
Location: Mountains of middle TN
5,245 posts, read 16,372,831 times
Reputation: 6130
Quote:
Originally Posted by M3 Mitch View Post
Your question is not clear. Are you saying the masonry is cracked?

An open fireplace is not worth much as a heater. A good high-efficiency insert can be put in, and probably a flue pipe could be run inside the existing chimney if it's cracked so badly it's unsafe.

You could just have someone fix the masonry.

I would definitly put an insert in that fireplace, but I am Mr. Practical, not so big on the ambiance of a fire, I want it to heat the house.
The masonry is ugly, but ok. It's the clay inside that's got the crack top to bottom. I guess the pipe thing that the smoke and all goes up?

The insert will definitely be cheaper. They quoted us a third of the price to do that. I've always wanted a wide open real wood burning fireplace though. But in all honesty, if it's not real efficient and we're looking to sell, there's no point fixing something that will cost more money that fewer people will want I guess. I keep looking at it as 'my' home, which it is, but only for a few more years. Actually maybe only for another year. Guess I need to be thinking what 'most people' prefer instead.

Quote:
Originally Posted by GoodGollyMolly View Post
A nice gas log insert could give you ambiance and heat. For facing your fireplace, you may want to look at Eldorado Stone. Although we have not used it yet, my husband is investigating as a possible solution for our brick fireplace (picture in other post). We are also having to consider the mammoth size.
Gas is a huge no-no in my house. It may be what most people want, but in this case I won't do it. I'm terrified of gas. Irrational, I'm sure, but I just won't be comfortable in my own home knowing it's there. So, we'll definitely go with the wood burning insert. I'll look into the Eldorado stone though. Is that a brand?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bergenite View Post
I would get a second opinion from a chimney sweep. It's unlikely that the clay liner is cracked top to bottom.

As long as you're changing the fireplace front, there is insufficient clearance to wood above the fireplace opening. A mantle that extends out that far should be at least twelve inches above the opening.
I"ll see if hubby can get someone out for a second opinion then. The guy told us there was a large fire in it at some point and that's what caused it. And I believed him. I mean, look at that poor thing! It looks like there was a huge fire in it!!

If we do the insert could we keep the mantle? I don't want to lose it. I like my mantle. Or maybe put something along the bottom to make it more resistant to the heat from the fire?
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Old 02-02-2010, 07:18 PM
 
Location: Eastern Washington
17,128 posts, read 56,809,984 times
Reputation: 18419
Think logically. There are risks associated with anything you do or fail to do.

That said, gas woudn't be my first or even 10th choice, gas-burning fireplace inserts are a faux gadget for people who want to fake a fireplace and are allergic to the work involved in burning wood.

A good insert would not bother your mantle, it would have the capability of heating the house, good for any time you might get cold weather and a power outage. Maybe that's rare in your part of FL.

Not certain if it would pay on resale though. Talk to a realtor, maybe the one you worked with when you bought the house?
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Old 02-03-2010, 07:13 AM
 
Location: Floyd Co, VA
3,513 posts, read 6,353,930 times
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My fireplace has an insert and it does put out a good amount of heat when the blower motor is running. Of course in a power outage when I've got no heat from the heat pump and really need the the blower doesn't work.

I too love watching the fire, but mine has cast iron doors. So once in a while after I have a good fire going with wood that's not sending out sparks and embers I'll open the doors a bit, even though it does cut efficiency. I don't know if you can get glass doors on an insert.
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Old 02-03-2010, 09:47 AM
 
Location: On the plateau, TN
15,205 posts, read 12,034,168 times
Reputation: 10013
If you decide on a woodstove with a stainless steel flu...from the pics provide...your hearth won't stick out the required 18" minimum in front of the stove....

If I was going to sell, I would not go to a great expense.....period....
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Old 02-03-2010, 09:54 AM
 
424 posts, read 2,335,871 times
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I agree, put an insert in. But I've always lived in cold places where we use fireplaces for heat, and fireplaces aren't efficient, just pretty. So it depends what you need it for.
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Old 02-03-2010, 01:57 PM
 
Location: Eastern Washington
17,128 posts, read 56,809,984 times
Reputation: 18419
There are many good inserts on the market like the QuadraFire, that have glass doors, very good efficiency and safety.

I don't know how much this would help, zugor, but there are self-powered fans available from Plow & Hearth, etc. on the market. These, IIRC, are made in Canada, they use the temperature difference between the base of the fan and the body to generate a small electrical current.
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