Replacing open fire with stove

Hi,

I'm thinking of replacing our current open fireplace with a stove.
There is currently a back boiler in the fireplace.

What kind of stoves are available to fit into the fireplace, and how much work is generally needed to do this ? Is it a case of removing the fireplace & back boiler, increasing the opening if necessary, fitting the new stove & fixing the flue, plastering & tidying around the insert and replacing the fireplace surround ?

I am kinda thinking about an inserted stove but would like to hear opinions on the work needed, cost and performance.

Cheers,
PK

I'm doing this at the minute.

I wanted to keep the back boiler, which had been disconnected when natural gas central heating was installed, but was led to believe that the cost of integrating all the systems wasn't worth the effort.

So the fireplace and back boiler are coming out at the minute. The work is exactly as you're describing, although the it turns out the chimney isn't well supported by the existing blockwork. I'm being charge 1600, which I feel is probably 400 too much, but the guy I'm dealing with sold me on the quality of his other work.

It should be all finished this week - I'll post a picture of the before and after if I can and breakdown of the bill.

Pique,

I was mulling over doing the same ( though in my case I dont have a back boiler )

Initial questions that I had included :

- Is the fireplace chimney entrance to low for the stove ?

...... If so how much of the chimney breast has to be removed ?

- How do you figure out if its going to work properly ?

- Isnt there a way of supplying air to the stove so that its not using air in the room for combustion ?
...... how does this work ?
...... Is it a sort of balanced flue chimney or is it a separate horizontal air duct to the outside ?

S.T. would be very interested in how you get on



Olddog

sexitoni said:

I'm doing this at the minute.

I wanted to keep the back boiler, which had been disconnected when natural gas central heating was installed, but was led to believe that the cost of integrating all the systems wasn't worth the effort.

So the fireplace and back boiler are coming out at the minute. The work is exactly as you're describing, although the it turns out the chimney isn't well supported by the existing blockwork. I'm being charge 1600, which I feel is probably 400 too much, but the guy I'm dealing with sold me on the quality of his other work.

It should be all finished this week - I'll post a picture of the before and after if I can and breakdown of the bill.

Click to expand...

What exactly is included in the work for 1600, we are replacing an open fire with a boiler stove at the min and re organising our heating system and the cost from the plummer is 4000 !! That includes a new twin coil cylinder some electrical work and conncecting the stove to the heating system. (no boiler currently)It also includes fitting a kickspace heater in t he kitchen.
Not sure about the price of the work, I thought it was a bit on the expensive side. Any views ?

I've just started remodelling our own fireplace, I've removed the ex. surround, insert, fireback and hearth, exposing the original "builder's ope". I plan to lightly chisel the rough ope with a breaker to remove the soot and give a good mechanical key to the surface. I will fit a new stone hearth, then I will scud, scratch coat and skim the recess. When this is done I will fit the stove (Waterford Oisin). I'm going to dowel and glue a stone mantle over the stove (hiding the edge of the flue gatherer). The remainder of the wall/ breast will just be painted, I'm not bothering with a surround as such, the stove is the centrepiece.

I was only made aware today that I may need to reline the ex. flue with a steel liner as the stove flue (5") is considerably smaller than the ex. flue (8"). This was an unforseen, i wonder if anyone else has done this?

deli said:

What exactly is included in the work for 1600, we are replacing an open fire with a boiler stove at the min and re organising our heating system and the cost from the plummer is 4000 !! That includes a new twin coil cylinder some electrical work and conncecting the stove to the heating system. (no boiler currently)It also includes fitting a kickspace heater in t he kitchen.
Not sure about the price of the work, I thought it was a bit on the expensive side. Any views ?

Click to expand...

Obviously I'm no expert - I'll post the itemised bill, which is pretty much stove 600, other materials about 300, I think, and the rest labour - but I'm guessing that the integration of the stove boiler to your central heating is the bulk of the cost. That's why I didn't do it. I wanted to, but didn't think the upfront cost was worth any gas bill savings.

Carpenter I think you can now buy a piece of flue or piping called a reducer which will fit your existing flue and reduce gradually to fit your new stove. Donegal plumbing and heating will give you more information on this 074 9722052. I know they do it for specific stove models so maybe its something that can be adapted to fit any stove. Have nothing to do with this company just a happy customer.

I did this about 2 years ago in our house, basically we had a new open fireplace that I modified by skimming the inside of the opening, fitting a steel register plate as a false back to hide the stove pipework, cutting a circular hole in the plate to allow the flue to pass through, mounting the stove on a stone hearth in front, running a flexible steel flue liner down the chimney and connecting the whole lot up. The oil stove cost about a grand, everything else about €200. Got a nice wooden mantlepiece (another €300) and attached it to the wall above the stove using hidden dowels. The back of the stove is recessed slightly into the fireplace opening. Great job, very happy with it although now considering changing over to a solid fuel stove (no back boiler).