Pellet Stove Pipe Cost

[bjr]

Okay, I'm a low income person, get that outta the way. I recently moved into a unheated basement to save a little money. I was allowed to install a pellet stove. I found a used one for $200 but no flu pipe. I needed about 10' total run length with 3 90 degs. When all said and done I had fork out $400 (Sticker Shock Here) to get things connected. My question is, Is there an different brand or style of pipe beside the very expensive Simpson Dura Vent pipe? What do you guys use for flu pipe for pellet stoves? Now, I'll have wait till next month to buy pellets. bjr

 

[MossRoad]

We had a wood burner installed last year. The pipe was very expensive no matter where I looked. A local installer had it for the same price as the cheapest internet deals, and they installed the stove and pipe, through a floor, ceiling and roof for $500.00 of labor. I think we used 17 or 18 feet of the pipe and it was about $1100.00 just for that pipe.

 

[forgeblast]

The pipes are all around expensive. Then again if they fail due to being cheaply made/constructed people are getting hurt. I bet a lot of the price is paying for their liabilty insurance premiums....

 

[CurlyDave]

In many places the code requires single-wall flu in living spaces, and the much more expensive triple-wall pipe in outdoors and inside walls.

The chimney cap must be a certain number of feet above the roof. Check your local codes or check with your distributor. 10' feet of total run from a basement does not sound like you got the chimney cap high enough above the roof of the building upstairs unless you have a very unusual configuration.

I think a far more economical solution for short-term use would be either electric heaters (high electricity cost but low initial cost -- good for one or two winters) or a Mr. Heater Big Buddy propane heater. Mr. Heater Big Buddy™ Indoor/Outdoor Propane Heater — Model# MH18B | Heaters | Northern Tool + Equipment No vent, no flue, indoor safe.

 

[20 20]

The chimney cap must be a certain number of feet above the roof. Check your local codes or check with your distributor. 10' feet of total run from a basement does not sound like you got the chimney cap high enough above the roof of the building upstairs unless you have a very unusual configuration.

.

pellet stoves can vent straight out a wall they do NOT have to go above roof.

 

[bjr]

Yes, That's the configuration is horizontal direct vent ternination cap. bjr

 

[Highbeam]

The rules are completely different for pellet stoves since they are a forced air combustion appliance. Think furnace instead of wood stove.

I use ventingpipe.com for mail order pipe. Maybe check their prices but be sure that the home depot or lowes offerings are already pretty cheap. It's hard to beat a big box store.

Just hope that the used stove keeps working. There are lots of expensive moving parts and computers in a pellet stove.

 

[bjr]

Your exactly right, and that true with new $3-4000 units once the warranty's thru expensive components. Most of the old Whitfield are aftermarket will fit components one exception is the control board and then I seen a rebuild exchange for $250 on that. But this thing will go till it's time then she'll get scrapped out and I'll have get another problem child to work on. With me, I kinda do the same with vehicles, get a beater, and put it together with wreckin' yard parts. When it gets too major back to wreckin' yard for it. The expensive flu pipe was really out of character for me, but, some stuff your forced to buy new and pay the price. I did buy the horizontal pipe kit from Lowes and had to finish out the system from a western wear/tractor supply/stove type store a short piece of pipe that had some kind of oring in it so another pipe could slide into it (adjustable) was $34. The little hanger clamps was $15. I had a little electric space heater called (Milk House Heater, 1500 watts) goin' as hard as it could go and I was freezin' my tail off. This big pellet stove is a totally luxury item, I'm gettin' spoiled in my old age. I'll get by, I always do. bjr

 

[dave1949]

or a Mr. Heater Big Buddy propane heater. No vent, no flue, indoor safe.

Hey Curly Dave, I have often wondered just how safe 'ventless' space heaters really are. The code around here prohibits their use in bedrooms and bathrooms.

What's your take on this?
Dave.

 

[timswi]

I fully agree on the pipe expense..I bought a $4500 Quadrafire and wanted to install it myself to save a few bucks...I looked everywhere and the price was the same...Very expensive..In the end, I let the company I bought it off of install it..No regrets.

Mine is installed in the gameroom (basement) and direct vents through the block at around 8'. If I remember correctly, the pipe, thimbles and cap were around $600..

 

[CurlyDave]

...I have often wondered just how safe 'ventless' space heaters really are. The code around here prohibits their use in bedrooms and bathrooms...

The one I linked to has an oxygen depletion sensor, which is supposed to shut it off before it lowers oxygen to a dangerous level. I don't know how reliable it is, but I use one in my "Redneck Hunting Lodge" (Toy Hauler trailer) for at least two weeks per year, and it has not been a problem. Of course we leave vents and windows open at least 1 sq in for each 1000 BTU of output.

I used to sleep in a large tent with a worn-out sheet metal wood stove & had visions of the tent burning down in the night with us in in, so I consider the ventless heated an upgrade in safety.

But, you are right, it is not as safe a a proper furnace.

 

[caver]

I never understood why they only make single wall black stove pipe in 2' lengths.

 

[dave1949]

The one I linked to has an oxygen depletion sensor, which is supposed to shut it off before it lowers oxygen to a dangerous level. I don't know how reliable it is, but I use one in my "Redneck Hunting Lodge" (Toy Hauler trailer) for at least two weeks per year, and it has not been a problem. Of course we leave vents and windows open at least 1 sq in for each 1000 BTU of output.

I used to sleep in a large tent with a worn-out sheet metal wood stove & had visions of the tent burning down in the night with us in in, so I consider the ventless heated an upgrade in safety.

I've never had one, so I wondered. Obviously, there are many of them in use and I haven't heard any horror stories of people being overcome by carbon monoxide linked to these heaters.
Thanks, Dave.

 

[DennisArrow]

Dave and Curly Dave......surely not to steal this thread, which we kinda are, but; I have been using one of the wall, ventless propane heaters for several years now. We have 2 heatpumps for both levels of the house; but havent used them for several years now due to the fact that we use the wood stove instead.

The wall heater is in the rear of the house down a long hallway in what we call "the sunroom". 14X26 with MANY windows and an exterior door onto the deck and gazebo. Anyway, we use a "Vornado" 6" fan in the hall to PUSH the warm air back there and into the bedrooms down that hallway. Works really well in the bedrooms; but the sunroom has a heat loss, cold gain that when it gets down in the 30's or 20's for the day it really gets cool.

Again, we have used this small propane ventless heater for several years with NO problems. It has a pilot and thermostat that work quite well. In fact, the pilot on just makes a difference when in the 40's and 50's. Anyway, we do have a carbon monoxide alarm sensor in that room but it has NEVER alerted to anything. Yes, it does function as I last year put it down in the feed shed where the genset is and it fired right off........YES the feed room is totally vented with lathe across it's 28' length...........Just thoughts.......Dennis

 

[beersngars]

I bought a new pellet burner at Lowes for about half price a few years ago. Thought I had a real deal till I went to get the flu pipe. WOW Needed about 10', thimble, elbows, cleanout and caps to the tune of over $700. A tad more than I spent on the stove.

Bottom line, I think you will end up spending the money as there seems to be no lower cost options.

 

[Luremaker]

Last fall I installed a Grain Comfort Corn/Pellet stove in my shop and here is the vent pipe included with the stove. It goes straight through the wall.

There is a wall thimble and a length of regular 3" exhaust pipe. This came with the stove and even if you had to purchase it new is sells as a kit for around $100. The stove's exhaust exits through the 3" exhaust pipe. If it ever needed replacing all I have to do is go to my local muffler shop and pick up a replacemet. This set up is CSA/cUL approved so it was tested by the "experts" .

BTW this is my only heat source in my 2400 sq ft shop. It runs great and can burn most grains (corn, wheat, rye) and wood pellets.