Wood stove pipe size VS draft

[HawkinsHollow]

I like the idea about putting single wall 6" inside the 8" chimney, because that stuff is expensive. so if you can reuse it why not.

There is a fire in my home. I would be an absolute jerk about making it right. Just my opinion.

I do agree with this comment though. I am reinstalling my wood stove in my house as we speak. And I have revisited the installation specs for my stove. I am making sure I am doing it 100% by the book. I'm even throwing a little extra margin of error in there to be on the safe side.

 

[dodge man]

Is triple wall used? When my fireplace was put in I’d swear it’s triple wall.

 

[KennyG]

I'm all for being safe but I think the current recommendations/requirements for flue pipe are a little excessive. I've got two wood stoves, one EPA and one not. They both have single wall pipe in the heated space. One goes into a masonry chimney and one goes into double wall in the enclosed attic space. I've never had an issue with creosote or draft in either one.

 

[BnRidge]

I'm all for being safe but I think the current recommendations/requirements for flue pipe are a little excessive. I've got two wood stoves, one EPA and one not. They both have single wall pipe in the heated space. One goes into a masonry chimney and one goes into double wall in the enclosed attic space. I've never had an issue with creosote or draft in either one.

I think some of the requirements stem from not average use, but "in the event of a chimney fire". Most class A insulated stainless pipe is rated at 1000f continuous, yet chimney fires can be in excess of 2000f.

After witnessing neighbors burn their places down (one has burned out two buildings and is now working on the house), and listening to relatives talk about how they operate their wood stoves and furnaces, and that cutting wood in the fall to get ready for winter is standard practice (it's dead and down so it must be dry right?), and my own parents going berserk when I said I was putting in a stove after their own experiences of chimney fires while growing up, I get the feeling there is a sort of brain dead disconnect that happens - I got to calling it reverse logic. I got a creosote log for Christmas once out of concern for my safety, that should fix what will eventually happen. The thing disappeared, not sure what happened to it, but it wasn't burned I know. Describing what I do falls on deaf ears, so I don't anymore and just listen and nod. My son in law just this fall got done splitting this winters wood. He's not a dumb guy, why would he do such a thing. Hmm.

 

[jk96]

I just finished cutting this fall for the year after next. Our fireplace is double sided so double the work to clean the glass. Well seasoned wood keeps the glass clean so much longer.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I have to admit I am not the greatest about keeping wood in a 2 year rotation. But my wood all gets at least spring, a blazing hot summer and all fall to dry out. I need to put the moisture meter to it. I clean my flue every year and have never had an excessive amount of creosote, so I feel pretty good about it. I definitely have friends that just finished splitting their winter wood, I just don't get it.

 

[otlski]

Is triple wall used? When my fireplace was put in I’d swear it’s triple wall.

Yes, I have triple wall stainless for the roof-breach through an A-Frame roof and the outside portion. Double wall black for the 25 foot exposed interior run.

When I was looking to buy the triple wall the stove dealer said there was no such thing as triple wall - he never saw it in his 30 years of experience. I told home that I had it in a previous stove install I did. He didn't believe me.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I'd keep the "too big" stove and just make smaller fires or be hot. Adding some thermal mass somehow might help the hot/cold of a big stove. I had a big stove in my cabin in Oregon (years ago). It was perfect at full chooch when it was -10 outside. But you had to keep the fires small and short if you just wanted to take the chill down a knotch on a rainy morning. I put a bunch of brick around it for thermal mass. I prefer more short hot fires rather than a constant slow simmering fire. Keeps the chimney clean.

I should make a thread about my stove dilemma as not to derail the OP here.

I'm a fan of the big stove too. Just looking at it, I don't think the builder was familiar with the code. 8 inches off that wall and you could build a firewall assembly that would allow a 4" clearance to the back of that stove. It's 3 feet to combustible surfaces. Firewall assemblies are more permissive. Shortening that diagonal stack would be a plus too. Reclaim some room. Use the unnecessary bricks from the front to build a thermal mass hearth on either side of the stove.

A large firebox is really handy if you heat with wood. Large hunks will hold a fire overnight. The bigger that lump of charcoal the better.

 

[ultrarunner]

I have to admit I am not the greatest about keeping wood in a 2 year rotation. But my wood all gets at least spring, a blazing hot summer and all fall to dry out. I need to put the moisture meter to it. I clean my flue every year and have never had an excessive amount of creosote, so I feel pretty good about it. I definitely have friends that just finished splitting their winter wood, I just don't get it.

Worse are renters that took fresh cut branches and called telling me the fireplace is no good…

They also had part of a branch extending into the living room because it was too long… can’t make this stuff up.

 

[BnRidge]

Just looking at it, I don't think the builder was familiar with the code.

The 1850s farm house here had the brick chimney tuck pointed and stainless pipe installed for a future wood stove. It's mortared in on top and below with just a small stub to tie into in the basement, and clean out tee just below. All mortared in and looks like they did a good job. Being particular about the details I had a look just in case a wood furnace or stove was installed for in the future. The entire run is un-insulated, and has pipe joints facing up and in, the pipe above down and out. So whatever it is used for, gas oil wood or coal, condensation creosote ash and soot etc would migrate outside the pipe and drip down the outside. Red tagged the works as do not use. It needs to be pulled and redone. Whoever the handyman was knew masonry, but not vent piping.

 

[ultrarunner]

I’ve seen wood stoves installed with the stove pipe to my mind reversed….

Instead of the lower slipping into the upper the lower slips over the upper.

I asked the sweep and he said it prevent liquid running down the inside of a section of pipe to daylight.

I then asked about smoke getting out and he said it won’t and that is the magic of draft…

 

[jk96]

I’ve seen wood stoves installed with the stove pipe to my mind reversed….

Instead of the lower slipping into the upper the lower slips over the upper.

I asked the sweep and he said it prevent liquid running down the inside of a section of pipe to daylight.

I then asked about smoke getting out and he said it won’t and that is the magic of draft…

That is the correct way to install from everything I've read. Male end points toward the wood stove.

 

[Rockbadchild]

I’ve seen wood stoves installed with the stove pipe to my mind reversed….

Instead of the lower slipping into the upper the lower slips over the upper.

I asked the sweep and he said it prevent liquid running down the inside of a section of pipe to daylight.

I then asked about smoke getting out and he said it won’t and that is the magic of draft…

yeah its all about keeping the creosote inside the pipe if not it leaks outside, drips on the pipe, on the floor and it is stinky/messy.

 

[BnRidge]

I then asked about smoke getting out and he said it won’t and that is the magic of draft…

Backpuff on a stove is something that can happen. Snuff the fire too quickly, unburned fuel accumulates, when it does get air it can let off a flash of flame in the firebox and flue, and put momentary pressure in the pipe and stove instead of a vacuum. It did that once here, and the whole works looked like a cartoon with smoke blowing out of every orifice, ones you wouldn't think should be there.

 

[CalG]

Backpuff on a stove is something that can happen. Snuff the fire too quickly, unburned fuel accumulates, when it does get air it can let off a flash of flame in the firebox and flue, and put momentary pressure in the pipe and stove instead of a vacuum. It did that once here, and the whole works looked like a cartoon with smoke blowing out of every orifice, ones you wouldn't think should be there.

The orientation of the pipe section connections will not change this. ;-)

 

[HawkinsHollow]

That is the correct way to install from everything I've read. Male end points toward the wood stove.

On the Duravent DVL double wall pipe I am in the process of installing the female end points towards the stove. And regardless, if you have creosote liquifying with enough volume to actually run out the bottom of the pipe you are doing something way more wrong than having your pipes in the wrong orientation. Larry said it best above...

People who burn wet wood should not burn wood.

 

[CalG]

On the Duravent DVL double wall pipe I am in the process of installing the female end points towards the stove. And regardless, if you have creosote liquifying with enough volume to actually run out the bottom of the pipe you are doing something way more wrong than having your pipes in the wrong orientation. Larry said it best above...

Tell me about that "wrongness" when it's 30 below, and the stove is running with all it's got just to keep the wife happy.

This was from two winters past, a cold snap...

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Tell me about that "wrongness" when it's 30 below, and the stove is running with all it's got just to keep the wife happy.

This was from two winters past, a cold snap...

Ouch!
Do you feel like your wood was seasoned adequate? Also maybe it has something with the horizontal section of pipe. The creosote that does accumulate runs to the bottom. Not sure.

 

[Rockbadchild]

On the Duravent DVL double wall pipe I am in the process of installing the female end points towards the stove. And regardless, if you have creosote liquifying with enough volume to actually run out the bottom of the pipe you are doing something way more wrong than having your pipes in the wrong orientation. Larry said it best above...

it can happen very much with a stove that is over size for the area or when it is not very cold out and it runs choke even with dry wood and high ambient humidity and low atmospheric pressure it will generate creosote it might just be once or twice a year but every once in a while the stars aligned and it dose … I always make sure it is properly oriented because once it start leaking out it is not fun to turn around lol

 

[CalG]

Ouch!
Do you feel like your wood was seasoned adequate? Also maybe it has something with the horizontal section of pipe. The creosote that does accumulate runs to the bottom. Not sure.

There is seldom need to fire the stove hard enough to get the creosote running. But there is always "some" deposits in any flu pipe.

Heck, I cleaned the stuff out of the pellet stove pipe just before the weather turned. Yup, there was "some" build up even in there. (It's warned about in the operators information, so I don't take any blame for it. Creaosote JUST IS! ;-)
I've lived with it for over 40 years, and kind of like the aroma, Reminds me of a smoky Scotch/

Lagavulin anyone?