finding a stove to fit standard fireplace opening

[maggie73]

We have removed our gas back boiler and firefront in the livingroom, having installed a new condensing combi in the loft. The fireplace opening is 16" wide by 22" high and 18" deep, which from what I have read, is the british standard opening. The brickwork at the sides of the opening seem to have been mucked about with, especially where the pipes were pushed through and into the cavity wall space, and some are quite loose: the bricks at the back of the fireplace look as if they havent really been touched.
The house was built in about 1860 but "renovated" in the 60's so I really dont know what would happen if we started pulling bricks out!
We would like to install a stove but obviously it would have to be a fairly narrow stove, and even then I am finding that there are HETAS requirements regarding the minimum fireplace opening width ie there are plenty of narrow stoves, but they seem to require roughly an additional 15cm clearance on each side, which I just dont have with the current opening. It is a small room and we want to push the stove as far into the opening as we can to stop it intruding too much in the room.
My question is - do we really need to abide by the HETAS requirements: Im sure I have seen friends' stoves crammed into small openings? What if we rendered the brickwork with fire cement first?
We are on a bit of a budget, with a baby on the way in a few weeks time, but definately need to do something with the space before winter!

 

[Cloudscape]

How big is the room, and how far away from the stove will you be able to sit? I'm only asking because stoves put out a lot of heat, so something that would fit your fireplace would be surprising effective. Our stove is 17 inches across (made by Dovre). We've had to learn how to get it to 'slumber'. When it was blazing it was so warm, everyone fell asleep. :? The room's about 14ft x 14ft. The stove can heat it easily. The only thing is, I suppose, that our stove sticks out into the room, so we get the benefit of a lot of the heat radiating off the casing.

 

[maggie73]

The room is about 15 x 10 feet, but would probably be leaving the door open at times to try and get heat to radiate through to the kitchen. Although I know there are alternatives, such as an inset stove, or actually placing one in front of the fireplace opening, I would really like it to fit more into the opening to save space in the room. I did read that there should be a minimum 80mm clearance to non-combustibles all the way round the stove to allow warm air to circulate, but I also read that if you dont leave enough space then the stove could overheat and crack. Is this true do you think?
There is a HETAS professional just a few miles away, who I have also e-mailed so will try phoning him today as I am sure he will be able to put me straight. In the meantime, any suggestions appreciated.

 

[AMc]

I would have a chat with a local installer and find out what they recommend. I know there are 'built in' stoves that can be fitted but I don't know more that Anglia Woodburners up the road had one on display.

IMHO you'd be crazy to break the HETAS regulations - a stove that can't breathe or could overheat is a poisoning or housefire waiting to happen.

When it was blazing it was so warm, everyone fell asleep. :?

Don't forget to get a carbon monoxide alarm then!

 

[Flyfisher]

IMHO you'd be crazy to break the HETAS regulations -

IMHO too. Although I guess it depends on your own competence. But, personally, I don't 'do' combustion appliances of any description (except open coal fires).

 

[maggie73]

Ive arranged for the local sweep to come along on Monday and remove the old gas liner (if we dont manage ourselves before then), test the chimney for draw, sweep, and hopefully issue a HETAS certificate. He says if that all is fine, he can then discuss my options with me, but reckoned by the age and construction of the property that there should be a much wider opening behind what we have now. He can use mirrors to look for lintels but said that obviously we dont know whats been done when the renovations were carried out. Im not planning on getting a botch job done - I just wondered what would happen if you did try to squeeze a stove in, rather than leaving the required gaps. I just have visions of dust and devestation when this baby comes along!