[Boydrone]

Hi all, I've been on the forum for quite some time now but haven't had an opportunity to post until now. So I finally made an account!

I've recently moved into a new place which required some rushed remodeling, so I think I made some mistakes in an in-wall gas fireplace, which I really need to work on resolving ASAP due to cold drafts penetrating the family room.

So here it goes, the situation:
my wife and I moved into a home which had a fireplace that took up too much of the room, so I decided to remove it and install an in wall fireplace, but not install it into the wall since it would require too much in stud removal and jack stud assembly. so I replaced the drywall with the fire board drywall and installed it on that surface instead.

For reference, the fireplace we purchased and installed is the Brigantia perfection model.

I had a contractor come in and install it of course, but he botched the job, so I had to let him go halfway through.

One thing I know he didn't do correctly was:
1) install any insulation between the gas fireplace and the drywall
2) seal the fire stop to the drywall
working off of his ques, I followed suit in a hurry, but now that I research the subject, I think I need to remove the unit and install with insulation.

Questions:
1) Can anybody offer any insight on this subject?
2) what are the standoffs on top for? They seem really tall to protect from any safety hazard and fire.

I built a floating casing around the fireplace with what is supposed to be a zebra wood mantle top cover, but I haven't installed that yet since I may have to redo some of the install. I can post pictures of this as well if anybody is interested.

A part of me wants to install the unit in the wall, but I'm not sure my wife would like that since the current design has grown on her a little.

Thanks for any feedback that you can provide in advance!

Abe

 

[Mingledtrash]

My personal opinion is, I would never advise someone that has no experience to diy a gas fireplace. It is to easy to screw up burning and/or blowing up your house or killing occupants from CO poisoning. you need experience dealing with plumbing, framing and hvac.

Pictures would be a big help. You will need to find the manufactures spec. for the clearances. You definitely do not want to just be filling up the space with insulation with out knowing what the clearances are. usually the fireplace chase is left uninsulated to allow for air circulation.

The long and short of it is fireplaces are not good way to heat or keep your house insulated they must have a draft in order to vent the gasses. most old wood fireplaces have built in damper to regulate the air flow up the chimney even with this damper they still suck. unfortunately a lot of gas fireplaces have no damper.

Where i live we have a couple companies that install fireplaces thats all they do. They dont do the framing they just come in, install fireplace, vent, and hook up gas. I would recommend getting all the framing ready and then find a professional to do the install, gas, and venting.

http://www.maxwellfireplace.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Perfection-Manual.pdf

 

[jimn]

Find the installation manual. I find the manuals for these devices are absolutely critical. They contain all the necessary clearances etc., all of the safety precautions etc. fireplaces are both a fire hazard and and potentially lethal if not installed correctly.

 

[Boydrone]

Fireplace project evolution

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies! A couple things:
1) Thank you for your insight. Its greatly appreciated! The last thing I want to do is cause harm to our dwelling or my family. We have two baby girls in the house too, so I don’t take this install lightly.
2) After discussing this project with a couple of friends that are in the construction business, they did recommend similar approaches you’ve mentioned.
3) We had a really cold day yesterday. My wife had to cover up the fireplace with blankets (the unit is deactivated with the gas off as well) due to the cold penetrations. Further to removing the frame of the unit, I discovered some frost build up on the inside of the unit. So… the unit is definitely coming down… the glass and the metal surround were very cold as well, akin to holding an ice cube in your hand, not cool.

Anyhow, this is how I’ve decided to proceed:
- I’m going to remove the unit myself since shutting off the gas supply is straight forward and no harm can be done there.
- I’ll likely prep the area for a framer to come in and install jack studs as the instructions advise. (I’ve attached an excerpt of the manual in case you are at all interested)
- I’m also going to look into getting a permit if required in the city I live in to get this project done right.
- Once the framing, drywall and mudding is done, I’ll probably insulate and prepare the area myself and seal it accordingly as the instructions advise. Or alternatively, call someone in to insulate it since I’d like to get some other things looked at anyhow.
- I’ll have a pro come in from a local fireplace shop and perform the install. We have a number of these in the area as well. Initially, I used the contractor which the manufacturer was affiliated with in the area, big mistake…

My concerns so far are:
1) Getting a permit sounds like a PITA to me…
2) I’m not sure if we have electrical going through the wall above the fire place which may impede jack stud installation…

 

[Boydrone]

What kind of insulation is that and why is on the fireplace? is it simple to reduce drafts or eliminate condensation?

 

[Mingledtrash]

What kind of insulation is that and why is on the fireplace? is it simple to reduce drafts or eliminate condensation?

Its a draft blanket its just for when you are not using the fire place to reduce heat loss.