Wrapping It Up

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Yes, you could, but I have three suggestions for doing so, all of which pertain to the unit's durability and maintenance. First, don't place the rigid mortared masonry in direct contact with the bulk of the insert. Instead, leave space to allow for thermal expansion differences between the insert and the masonry. Second, because you may need to do maintenance work on the heater or even replace the whole unit in the future, I'd suggest designing the installation so that the in sert can be removed with a minimum of masonry breakage. (You'll achieve some of the benefits of a masonry stove just by having the heater surrounded by brick, even if the material doesn't touch the heater and the fuel gases merely pass up through an ordinary chimney.) And finally, select a relatively rugged and simple insert, to maximize your stove's life expectancy and minimize maintenance troubles.

Most inserts have blowers that push the heat from the inner surfaces of the unit directly into the adjoining room, and I presume you wouldn't dismantle this system. However, if you want to achieve the same heat storage and slow, steady heat output that are characteristic of a true masonry stove, a unit that doesn't send as much warmth directly into the house-such as a radiant stove-may be a better choice. If you haven't al. ready purchased the insert, you could just use a woodstove.

A closing thought: The manufacturer's warranty on the insert or stove will, of course, be voided in your contemplated installation.

-Jay Shelton.

Jay Shelton is the director of Shelton Energy Research and the author of various books and articles about solid-fuel heating. For a description of the publications available from SER, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Shelton Energy Research, P.O. Box 5235, Santa Fe, NM 87502.

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