# Can woodstove share same chimney as pellet stove?



## sportbikerider78 (Jun 23, 2014)

First time posting...so go easy on me guys if I butcher any terminology.   I have lurked this site for months and have learned a great deal...so thanks.  

Syracuse, NY.  Home was built about 18 yrs ago and everything seems to code, including the 6" piping that the previous owners woodstove was attached to.  I replaced the small woodstove this last winter with a pellet stove to reduce our oil heat (water baseboard) consumption.  The pellet stove is great, but I have more hardwood than I know what to do with because I have been clearing some acreage for a better view.  I want to burn wood for about 3 months of the year, when it gets really cold.

Option 1:
The pellet stove sits in a great hearth area with its back to a block wall.  The other side of that block wall is my living room.  I want to build a small hearth and place the woodstove there.  I would love to punch into the block wall and use the existing 6" piping the pellet stove is attached to.  
Clearly, I would not use both of them at the same time as the pellet exhaust gases are under slight pressure, not just draft.  I think this would force smoke/air into the vent, then into the woodstove and cause an unfavorable condition like smoke in the house and bad fumes...and some stink.

Option 2:
Relocate the pellet stove to another area of the house and put the new woodstove there.  This might seem like the easiest solution, but the place where the pellet stove currently is, really is the best place for it.  My wife loves it there and it heats this space well.

So my main question is this.  Is option 1 even possible?


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## fossil (Jun 23, 2014)

Anything's possible, but your option 1 is dangerous and in most places illegal.  Don't hook up two solid fuel burning appliances to the same flue.  Option 2 is the best bet so far as I can see from the info provided.  That's the one I'd explore further.  Alternatively, you could leave the pellet burner where it is and install the woodstove elsewhere with its own new separate flue.  Rick


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## webby3650 (Jun 23, 2014)

You definitely don't want them running together in the same flue. Actually I'm pretty sure that pellet stove shouldn't even be running on that 6" flue without a liner. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. But I don't think a pellet stove is supposed to be connected to a naturally drafting flue unless its lined with pellet vent/liner all the way to the stove.


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## sportbikerider78 (Jun 23, 2014)

I checked that out before installing the pellet stove.  The manual says its ok.


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## sportbikerider78 (Jun 23, 2014)

Thanks for the heads up guys...looks like i'll be punching another hole in the roof, if i want to keep the pellet stove in its current location.  Not the end of the world.


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## webby3650 (Jun 23, 2014)

sportbikerider78 said:


> I checked that out before installing the pellet stove.  The manual says its ok.


That's good. Mine wouldn't allow it.
Everybody should have a few chimneys through the roof anyway!


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## BrotherBart (Jun 23, 2014)

webby3650 said:


> Everybody should have a few chimneys through the roof anyway!


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## webby3650 (Jun 24, 2014)

Wow! That's a first!


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## chimneylinerjames (Jun 24, 2014)

Is the flue an 8x8"?


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## prezes13 (Jun 24, 2014)

I was under the impresion that pellet stove doesn't need a flue a spark arestor is good enough?  If that's the case it would be much cheaper to relocate the pellet stove.


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## webby3650 (Jun 24, 2014)

prezes13 said:


> I was under the impresion that pellet stove doesn't need a flue a spark arestor is good enough?  If that's the case it would be much cheaper to relocate the pellet stove.


It needs a flue. No pellet stove is vent free. It would be cheaper to relocate if the vent can go straight out a wall.


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## chimneylinerjames (Jun 24, 2014)

If the flue is large enough you can run both stainless steel liners inside the same flue.


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## webby3650 (Jun 24, 2014)

chimneylinerjames said:


> If the flue is large enough you can run both stainless steel liners inside the same flue.


That would be a tough one to top out! Not sure how that would be done.


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## bholler (Jun 24, 2014)

If it was big enough it could be done you would need to make a custom top plate and use a multi flue cap.  It would need to be at a minimum an 8 by 12.  12 by 12 would be better.


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## chimneylinerjames (Jun 24, 2014)

bholler said:


> If it was big enough it could be done you would need to make a custom top plate and use a multi flue cap. It would need to be at a minimum an 8 by 12. 12 by 12 would be better.



Correct.  And both can easily be made by a custom metal shop.


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## bholler (Jun 24, 2014)

yeah the cap can be bought easily as well and the top plate is not hard to make either we do all of ours


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## webby3650 (Jun 24, 2014)

And how do you keep one from down drafting when not in use? It's likely to happen if the flues aren't staggered.


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## Highbeam (Jun 24, 2014)

prezes13 said:


> I was under the impresion that pellet stove doesn't need a flue a spark arestor is good enough?  If that's the case it would be much cheaper to relocate the pellet stove.


 
I think you meant to say that the pellet stove exhaust pipe can just poke out of the wall and not need to be run up through the roof and you would be correct. This style of termination has the potential to stain your siding with soot but is often done. The pellet room guys could give you lots of examples.


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## bholler (Jun 24, 2014)

webby3650 said:


> And how do you keep one from down drafting when not in use? It's likely to happen if the flues aren't staggered



We have rarely had that issue with multi flue chimneys but in the rare occasion it is an issue we just put in a divider and that takes care of it


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## prezes13 (Jun 24, 2014)

Highbeam said:


> I think you meant to say that the pellet stove exhaust pipe can just poke out of the wall and not need to be run up through the roof and you would be correct. This style of termination has the potential to stain your siding with soot but is often done. The pellet room guys could give you lots of examples.


Yes that's exactly what I was trying to say.  Thank you for the correction.


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## Chimney Smoke (Jun 25, 2014)

I would definitely move the pellet stove and use the existing flue for the woodstove.  You can vent a pellet stove through a wall much cheaper than installing a new floor to ceiling chimney.


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## sportbikerider78 (Jun 25, 2014)

This is true.  The only new spot i have to put the pellet stove shares the outside wall with a deck.  I would not think it would be safe to vent outside to a deck, unless you went up to the roofline.


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## Owen1508 (Jun 25, 2014)

sportbikerider78 said:


> This is true.  The only new spot i have to put the pellet stove shares the outside wall with a deck.  I would not think it would be safe to vent outside to a deck, unless you went up to the roofline.


No it is suppose to be at least 7' above any "public walkway" but with a deck, depending on where it is located, you don't use it much in the winter.  So for me (IMO) if would have to be on an out of the way corner of the deck or really elevated.


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## Highbeam (Jun 25, 2014)

You could go out, then up, then bend out and hang it from the soffit so it dumps out under the gutter? Surely your gutter is 7 feet above the deck?

I hate roof penetrations. Actually, I hate roof leaks and penetrations are likely leaks.


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## Owen1508 (Jun 25, 2014)

Highbeam said:


> You could go out, then up, then bend out and hang it from the soffit so it dumps out under the gutter? Surely your gutter is 7 feet above the deck?


 
Yep


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## bholler (Jun 25, 2014)

Highbeam said:


> You could go out, then up, then bend out and hang it from the soffit so it dumps out under the gutter?


that sounds like allot of elbows to collect dust to me i would personally rather go through the eve or use long standoffs and just go out far enough to miss the eve then straight up


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## Owen1508 (Jun 25, 2014)

You'd do it with just 2 90's, or like you said out far enough before turning up.


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## Owen1508 (Jun 25, 2014)

As long as you are 7' high, you should be good with the AHJ, and try to locate it in a spot of the deck you wouldn't use in the winter.  In the summer you can remove the term. cap and plug it.


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## bholler (Jun 25, 2014)

Owen1508 said:


> New
> You'd do it with just 2 90's, or like you said out far enough before turning up



Yeah i just wouldn't want that elbow up under the eves it sounds like it would be a pain to clean.  I am sure it would work though


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