We recently replaced our oil boiler with a heat pump and now need a heat source for our basement. Trying to decide between pellet stove and wood stove. The previous owners seem to have had a wood stove. There is a brick-lined embrasure in the wall 31 1/4″ wide and 28″ deep. It has a 6″ vent pipe in chimney running up the side of the house. In the research I’ve done, it seems that clearances for a stove of either kind are 6″, but I’m unclear if that is to a combustible wall, or if we could still put a wood fireplace at least partially into this embrasure. There are pellet stoves that are less than 20″ wide, but no wood stoves that I can find in my price range. Does anyone know if the clearance requirement applies to a masonry wall? Thanks!