Chimney and stove pipe install

[MoDoug]

Good morning!

I'm finally getting serious about installing a wood stove, I've been stuck for 2 years in the planning stage ..... Circumstances have me either installing an 11 foot chimney straight up from the stove, or installing a couple elbows and a horizontal run of about 5 feet of stove pipe and elbows to get closer to the peak of the room, which will give me a 7 foot chimney. I would really prefer to have a 7 foot chimney than an 11 foot one, for easier installation and appearance, and it would get the chimney away from the edge of the roof. Cleaning wise, the straight install would probably be a little easier than dealing with a couple elbows. Using elbows gives me a little more flexibility on stove placement. If I use 45 degree elbows with the horizontal run, it will cross over a walkway, the stove manual states “in the US the floor protector must also be positioned under any horizontal chimney run and project beyond the pipe a minimum of 2” on both sides”.

Nothing has been easy and straightforward with this project, or I'm overthinking it.... a few questions.

• opinions on the 11 foot of chimney vs. 7 foot? Does it really matter?
  
• If I do the horizontal run of stove pipe, it will run overhead of my vinyl plank flooring, which is considered combustible. Any suggestions on what material to use over the vinyl to use as a floor protection, and not become a tripping hazard?
  
• Can an elbow be connected directly to the adapter to my chimney pipe, or would I need a very short run of stove pipe?

Thank you for any help, it is much appreciated.

 

[begreen]

Most modern stoves require a 15' chimney minimum for proper draft. A straight up chimney usually costs less in parts. A 7' chimney with a couple 90º turns would not work well at all for most stoves.

What stove make and model are you considering? The manual will provide installation requirements.

 

[MoDoug]

begreen, thank you for replying. I already have the stove, it's a Pleasant Hearth, model LWS-127201 (1800 Square Foot). The manual shows a minimum of 15' from the floor to the rain cap. Going straight up, I'll have about 20' total. It's the 11 feet above my roof line I'm not excited about. If I use a couple elbows inside I can exit closer to the peak of the room, and reduce the chimney above roof line to 7'. I guess 4 feet isn't really a big difference, maybe not enough of a difference to use extra parts and elbows.

I was hoping to avoid installing that tall of a chimney because of the weight during installation, maintenance, cleaning and appearance. The tallest above roof chimney I've seen around here (northeast Missouri) is about 6 feet. Is 11 feet above the roof very common, and a needless concern? This inexperienced person appreciates the help.

 

[billb3]

In your first post you claim straight up is 11 feet then in the second you claim 20. Which is it ?

 

[begreen]

Ok, I understand. An interior chimney is going to perform better and stay cleaner. 20' is what we have and it works great. That said, I agree about not wanting to have an 11' shiny pipe above the roof. We have 7' with a single brace. The alternative option with a five foot horizontal run should be avoided. It will kill draft and can be a creosote accumulator. What are the alternatives? Can you post a picture of the location and maybe a sketch of the proposed options? Are there any alternative locations that would simplify installation?

 

[MoDoug]

billb3, my first post was confusing, the chimney above the roof line would be 11'.

begreen, I'm locked into the stove location. We added a room onto our small log home, and this is where the stove has settled at... I've attached 2 pictures.

Pic 2 shows the roof lines, the room addition is the lower roof, the higher roof peak is within the 10' mark to which I need to go 2 feet over for the chimney pipe, this is where the 11' of pipe above the roof comes in. By going straight up from the stove, the pipe will exit the roof at about the end of the board laying on the roof.

Pic 1, shows the location of the stove in the house. It will be next to a walkway to the left, this would have been the horizontal run to get it closer to the roof peak, besides the reasons you mention for this being a bad idea, my wife has since also expressed displeasure with having a floor protector across the walkway. So going that direction is not going to happen.

I considered trying to go to the right of the stove, with a shorter (32”) horizontal run, but that isn't gaining anything. I'm not a fan of horizontal runs either, but if I did any I would keep as much up flow as possible (45 or less degree turns).

I considered a through the wall install, but that would give me even more outside pipe...

One thing in my favor, the chimney pipe is perfect for a northwest wind.

Do I have any other options I'm not thinking about?

 

[begreen]

OK, I see the dilemma, though putting the stove further into the room or at the opposite end would help.

At this current location I would site the chimney closer to the ridgeline of the addition with an interior offset in the stovepipe from the stove location to accomplish this.

 

[MoDoug]

begreen, thank you for confirming what I thought my options are. Placing the stove at the other end of the room was the original plan, but that changed... This post was a hail Mary pass hoping for a solution I wasn't thinking of. I think by a short offset and slightly cheating on the 2 foot over 10 foot rule, I can get the chimney down to about 9 foot over the roof. It's that or bail out on this project, which my heart is set on.

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

 

[MoDoug]

begreen, or anyone else,

Another question, can an offset come back over the stove and slightly in front of it? Are there any concerns from the standpoint of a possible creosote leak, or any other reason? I am using double wall pipe and the pipe will be about 8' over the floor protector. My thought is it's ok, as long as all connections are square and secured. By running my offset over the stove I'll have more room above my roof to install my chimney support rods.

 

[begreen]

Yes it can. A properly installed stovepipe should never drip anything.