The Holbrook House

While I wanted to focus on the Murdock we had two other wood stove inserts to install and the family room fireplace to prep. The work never seemed to end but there would be fire soon and I pushed forward.

The family Room:

The family room was to be the easiest, so I thought. With the liner at the top of the throat(area just above the firebox)I began to pack the end with Roxul, a rock wool that can handle thousands of degrees of heat. There are a few kinds and the one I was using was not insulation, it’a made for fireblocking. I had a 9×12 rectangle flue and a seven inch round liner so we pack around it so the gas/smoke has to go into the liner and I picked a point where the transition would not cause turbulence. This is a nasty process on your back with mask, goggles and hood wrapped tight this stuff is itchy and it just keeps falling on you while working in a fogged mask.

We originally started with an 8inch liner but it got stuck. We had taken a run to Olympia Chimney to get a smaller size. I wish I had tried a rectangular shape because it would have provided a bit more draft but its very unclear if we could have pulled even that into place. When the 8 inch liner got so stuck we almost had to dismantle the stack above the roof to get it out. This really heavy liner was dangling precariously and if left this way would have toppled the stack anyway. Johnny C took one chance at trying to use the lift to pull while he essentially gave it a bear hug. He was very concerned as this not a safe endeavor so he would not allow any help. I was joined by his son and a few others below as he gripped the liner while the machines hydraulics put him and the liner under strain trying to lift the liner. Luckily it worked before we had to resort to any more emergency options like a sledge hammer and Johnny took a sigh of relief.

Now finally one evening I was home alone and decided it was time to light a fire. Had we not lined this chimney after inspecting it, we would not have found a DIY hole in the brick that would have certainly burned the house down. Always line your chimneys! There was an opening in the bedroom above with a tin cap covering it – completely dangerous an irresponsible(the second like it I found). With the liner there is no such outlet now in which to worry about the condition of the chimney as long as it structurally sound. So I started the fire and quickly learned that it was not drafting properly and smoke started to fill the room. I tried adjusting the damper and location of the wood. I quickly fabricated a steel surround from some sheet metal knowing that the smaller the opening of the firebox would allow a smaller liner like I had my box needed 10inch and I was fit with a 7inch. This actually worked and we had a nice but yet now very smelly house. Gorette was not home and when she returned I had to convince her that smell was a one time thing.

I had a choice to find an antique decorative surround or have one made. But the house smelled so bad I felt I needed a more trusted solution. I researched a fan called Enervex it sits on top of the chimney and is controlled from a dimmer style switch next to the chimney. Seemed like a great idea but a big investment given this not a Home Depot fan and install was not going to be plug and play.

So I rush shipped the fan to the house and back up the lift I went. Once secured I had an electrician do an emergency call and we carefully routed power to the attic and up an over the roof and installed to code a safety shut off. The least used switch in the house I might add.

Just in time for some cold weather we are now able to use the fireplace. We wanted this room to have the ambiance of a natural fire. In the end the fan did wonders and I see them on restaurants and even atop the White House where old chimneys get lined and have issues. There is noise from the fan that is an issue but over all a great solution. I plan to have a metal surround or doors to enclose the fire that added border will reduce then opening size closer to what a 7inch liner could manage. I may not need to run the fan or could use a lesser more quite setting (the fan itself does not introduce any restriction when off). But besides me who’s complaining I moved heaven and earth yet again to no have beautiful fireplace not functional. That said, given the effort I understand why many others less adventurous have a few birch logs instead for decoration when the fireplace is not made safe for use. Gorette and I planned to buy a house we could safely burn wood.

The Hallway:

The hallway received a Regency 2100i and I love this brand and stove! It was not easy to source and the draft was increased as most stoves have a 30ft max chimney heigh and mine is at 45ft! I unboxed it and made a few cosmetic adjustments. to the rear to fit my Rumford openings. This is where Sharon at Hearthside in Holliston proved to be my best partner as she was aware of this potential modification. This allowed me to fit a bigger stove and my house needed the biggest that could fit. Rumfords are shallow fireboxes that maximize heat but unfortunately are limited in depth for an insert.

We would need to build a sheet metal plate above the stove called a block off plate. Above the plate is a mass of Roxul insulation and the plate keeps the heat in the room vs going up the chimney (basically into a dead space). Of course it did not take long to learn the tiles over the years had become loose and all this muscling around meant we would need to remove them an re-attach. Nothing is easy, as they say nothing ventured heb nothing gained.

Soon I was able to slide the stove in. I connected the flue and lined the stove with the fire brick and not long after that I had the door in place and a fire starting.

Then a week or so later the boys from Needham Masonry Matt and Brian were back to secure the tiles. I like tile work, but these tiles needed their thickness reduced and given I only had the originals I needed experience. I have yet to add the trim on the top and I like seeing the original ornamental box behind and sure this generates more heat but I might opt to add it for a more finished look. I would soon learn that this stove would near heat my house.

The Dining Room

The dining room almost did not get a stove and Sharon found the answer. Literally the stove is called “The Answer” by a company called Lopi. This stove was important because a 7inch liner was not going to draft. The stove uses a 6 inch liner & provides not have an open fire in a room. A safer alternative you are not committing to spend all your time in the dinning room but during coldest of winter might want more heat.

I ran into an issue here that there was to much of an offset and Sharon had me pick up an angled adapter that fit perfect

Last I added some stove paint to the pipe and the job was done.

Now all 4 fireplaces are operational. This is not one of those projects where a team comes in and checks your fireplaces and your good to go. This was a very long process with numerous resources and expertise. A typical home would no want to go through this level of disruption and it was VERY messy! Not all houses have such a hard to access roof either but I am very proud everything works. Stove stores don’t always want to sell direct and install is part of the deal. Sharon and Hearthside were good partners and Olympia chimney too. Olympia let me over order and return so I had materials on site as the lift is very $$$. You cant get the lift and then go measure and then place a customer freight order and I appreciated their understanding. Pro chimney companies did not want to bother with my project and I could not afford the specialty options. The pro could not get up the steep slate roof 4 stories to the center. Its possible, but so un-routine easier to not return my call and a few didn’t (Love you Johnny C for teaming with me!). The hall stove has gone weeks without going out and there is nothing like the glow it gives that hallways late at night. Its remarkable because this house was designed to be heated this way and we have accomplished this again. We have doors everywhere and I have mastered the flow of heat reducing the square footage at times and corralling the heat to the heat to the bedrooms for example and shutting the family room doors at bedtime.

I am so glad I did it and I am not sure how typical homeowner uninvolved would have been as successful. I could do a whole blog on had I listened to the pro vs learning and listening to the house as a good custodian. The pros mean well, but they have a modern education and cant see the long term restoration. They want to get in and out and cant see how their decisions limit future possibilities and care.