My external chimney is a giant wasteful heat sink!

[stoveguy2esw]

It's not a front loader so why the 16" front clearance?

ohh ok, looked again , didnt notice the front wasnt the loading side. my mistake

 

[mstoelton]

Why an insert and not a freestanding stove?

Because not everyone wants a big honkin' stove sticking out of their fireplace. And I am not sold on the concept that a stove always heats better, especially if the stove has no fan and most inserts do. JMHO

 

[woodgeek]

Line the back of the firebox with a couple inches of Roxul, covered with some sheet metal painted black with hi temp paint. Spiffy and energy efficient.

 

[fire_man]

Because not everyone wants a big honkin' stove sticking out of their fireplace. And I am not sold on the concept that a stove always heats better, especially if the stove has no fan and most inserts do. JMHO

I hear you. I'm struggling a little with Insert vs Woodstove. I've always been woodstove guy.

 

[Kosmik]

I don't know why more home builders don't design their homes with the chimneys located inside the house.

Simply put: Building codes, reluctance to change, commodities pricing and lack of training/education.
The one industry that is the most reluctant to change, is the 'new housing' market (save maybe the custom builders). How much has tract housing changed in the last 20 years? They're slower than Detroit with more government influence, because the taxpayer gets sucked in to being on their side (TARP anyone?)

Plus, since most all of these were built as 'fireplaces' during the easy oil of the 80's and 90's, where is the incentive?
Plenty of air for the fireplace combustion to reduce creosote problems, plenty of oil/gas for heating.

That could change as more and more converted chimneys go up in smoke.

 

[begreen]

There are lots of classic design standards that have been left behind as the necessity for good heat has given way for designer eyecandy. Cathedral ceilings and huge glass expanses are a bad idea for good home heating too, but we see them all the time.

 

[Kosmik]

I would think well placed ceiling fans would make a cathedral ceiling beneficial to convection (as long as properly insulated cathedral ceiling), but most wouldn't dare put them in because it would mess with the clean lines. And I'm sure many cathedral ceilings don't get properly sealed/insulated.

 

[DanCorcoran]

But this looks OK, doesn't it?

(broken image removed)

You even have a keystone, right over your Keystone!

 

[fire_man]

Cathedral ceilings and huge glass expanses are a bad idea for good home heating too, but we see them all the time.

Yup I got two external chimneys, lots and lots of glass, AND a cathedral ceiling in my mid-80's built house. Strike 3!

 

[GENECOP]

I don't know why more home builders don't design their homes with the chimneys located inside the house. I know it takes up some floor space, but a well built chimney can look very attractive and the thermal heat storage it provides is tremendous. Last night before I started a fire after not having burned all day long I shot my chimney with my IR thermometer and it was reading 87F. Rather than have the chimney working against you an indoor chimney works for you.

View attachment 127916

At least for us in the NY area most of our homes have full basements, setting up for a masonry chimney on an outside wall is quick and easy for our foundation guys..., flashing and roofing,,easier, all around, quicker and easier...I agree with your thinking, but that's the reason, around here anyway....

 

[bholler]

I would think well placed ceiling fans would make a cathedral ceiling beneficial to convection (as long as properly insulated cathedral ceiling), but most wouldn't dare put them in because it would mess with the clean lines. And I'm sure many cathedral ceilings don't get properly sealed/insulated.

It might make it easier to move the heat around but it adds a whole lot of cubic feet without adding usable square footage so I think it is still not good for energy efficiency.

 

[begreen]

There are workarounds for these problems, mostly involving more energy (electric fans) to attempt to balance the heating inefficiencies of a poor design. A better design it to make it so that the heat convects naturally on its own.

 

[firefighterjake]

I agree, indoor chimneys are great (except I call mine a flue, single-wall)...

View attachment 127920

Love this pic . . . looks quite cozy . . . although my wife would go nuts with the wood on the walls not "matching" up on the one wall to the next.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

Love this pic . . . looks quite cozy . . . although my wife would go nuts with the wood on the walls not "matching" up on the one wall to the next.

actually the "imperfections" are perfect to me , I flat love the wood work in that shot! wish I could do that with my study, just looks so rustically comfy

 

[DanCorcoran]

Love this pic . . . looks quite cozy . . . although my wife would go nuts with the wood on the walls not "matching" up on the one wall to the next.

Actually, they don't match up because it's a log cabin. They have to be offset at the corners (see photo of exterior).

 

[Woody Stover]

the hearth doesnt extend out far enough....wood shouldnt be stored so close to the stove either.

Yeah, it's only 8" on the front but I have a 6" flue.
I should have tidied up a bit before taking that pic. Except for that one split, the rest is almost 8", as required on the left side....fixed now. But this stove won't arbitrarily go ballistic, like some.

You even have a keystone, right over your Keystone!

I didn't even know that's what it was until begreen mentioned it when I first posted some pics.