Old house new fire advice

[EatenByLimestone]

I only used my ash pan on my Century. Every other stove came with a very small one. The century’s was the entire pedestal!

 

[bigealta]

I use my ash pan every week. I love it as it keeps the house much cleaner. Shoveling ash gets dust everywhere even if you are super careful.

 

[stoveliker]

I use my ash pan every week. I love it as it keeps the house much cleaner. Shoveling ash gets dust everywhere even if you are super careful.

No. That depends on ones draft. I shovel ashes when I still have some glowing coals (24/7 burning makes that necessary). Any ashes that fly out of the bucket in front of the stove get directly sucked into the stove and go up the chimney.

I don't need to be very careful...

So, if one shovels with a cold chimney, and has draft inversions, one has to be careful indeed. Other situations can be very different.

 

[30WCF]

The Englander I used to have had a plug in the bottom to dump ashes into the pedistal. Oddly, it wasn’t over the pan. 50% of the ashes went into the pan, 50% went on the floor inside the pedistal base.
I just scooped them if and when I needed to.

 

[bigealta]

No. That depends on ones draft. I shovel ashes when I still have some glowing coals (24/7 burning makes that necessary). Any ashes that fly out of the bucket in front of the stove get directly sucked into the stove and go up the chimney.

I don't need to be very careful...

So, if one shovels with a cold chimney, and has draft inversions, one has to be careful indeed. Other situations can be very different.

Yeah my draft is ok. Just ok. But i used to mostly shovel with a cold stove (Jotul 3). The very fine dust ash would get into the room and the air. Even with the bucket in the stove while shoveling. And i was very careful. The ash pan for me, in my f400, is a huge winner. And it doesn't seem to make much if any difference in burning as the gaskets are all good and there are no air leaks.

Emptying the ash pan is also much faster than shoveling.

 

[Usurper]

Thanks everyone, by the looks of it this would suit our situation great.

Century Heating FW2900 Wood Stove | Wood Burning Stove - Rockford Chimney

The Century Heating FW2900 Wood Burning Stove is an affordable larger medium size stove with high heat production.

www.rockfordchimneysupply.com

I really appreciate the feedback, now to save up and try get one. in the mean time i can start laying the hearth, currently i have wood flooring, i intended to put down some cement board and then thick slabs, i assume there are now issues with that? will add a photo of my tentative plans below shortly.

 

[Usurper]

Ok this wall area will be cleared of my junk.
The plan is to have the red area cement board then stone slabs, the back wall will be a heat-resistant faux stone probably, ( even though it will be stood far off the wall ) the fire will go fairly central maybe slightly to the left so the right side i can build some log storage.
i then thought instead of going straight up and out of the roof, which would require a larger outside chimney, and supports i assume, i could angle off and go parallel to the ceiling then up and out near the actual peak of the roof. this would mean i do not need supports plus help keep the chimney warmer and help with draft if i understand. ( i hope i do not look like a idiot )
My main concern as the ceiling is paneled is the box to go out , i believe the ceiling has some sort of silver shavings as insulation, so i would have to work from the outside down, i really kind of hope i can find someone local to install that part for me as i have enough stress and do not want to add more to it.
does everything above sound logical?

thank you again.
Lee

 

[stoveliker]

Your reasoning with the inside stove pipe is solid. I think this may work. Given the horizontal distance covered, how tall would this be from stove top to cap (taking 4 ft above the roof to satisfy the 2 3 10 rule )?

 

[Usurper]

I am probably not getting what you are saying, but roughly from the top of the stove ( i do not know exact height ) to the ceiling is around 9.5 ft then the transfer box and then the 4 ft outside ( the peak of the roof would be around 6 ft to the left ) that is without the parallel pipe if you mean what would the total length be with that that would be i guess maybe 6ft up from the stove , then 4 ft to the left then maybe 3 ft up to the box then outside chimney 4ft .

 

[30WCF]

You may get better draft to go straight up than having 45s.

 

[stoveliker]

That is what I meant yes.

That is borderline meeting the specs: they say it needs a 15 ' chimney. You end up slightly below that - and with some horizontal distance to cover, though it is properly angled).

That does mean you might have to add some length outside if draft is weak (smoke roll out), or move even closer to the ridge.

But it's worth trying as you propose.

 

[30WCF]

Another consideration is a straight shot is easiest to sweep DIY, in my opinion.

 

[Usurper]

My only concern with going straight up ( again i consider myself uneducated in this ) is the length of chimney outside and the height it would have to go above to be above the ridge ( which would be within 10ft ) would be more expensive than the angled idea, plus im sure i would need to add supports. im trying to be cost effective and efficient which dont go hand in hand i am sure.
photo is approx position of the chimney ( i offset them as its easier to mark ) blue would be with the angle in the living room, red would be fairly central to the width of the roof, which does not have a massive pitch, i could go measure the angle if needed.

 

[stoveliker]

Roof braces for >5 ft chimney are common and should not be a source of leakage when installed as designed.

In the end it's a choice of cost vs most ideal install.
I believe the angled version would work, but your winters are not very cold. The higher the outside temp, the lower the draft and the more critical chimney height will be (to create draft).

Sweeping is easier straight up but can be done with an angled section.

You can always add a chimney section if needed. I.e. try out with your design and add (cost) later if needed.


That would be my approach here - unless better advice makes.me change my mind....
The reasons for that approach for me would be that it has a probability of lower cost, but doesn't do that based.on lower safety of the system.

 

[Usurper]

Thanks all, due to the pitch of the roof im wondering about straight up now, but having most of the chimney pipe inside where its warmer helps with draft, or did i misinterpret that ? i could even move the stove more towards the door i guess which would add more internal height, although not much.

 

[stoveliker]

You did not misinterpret that.
Adding height and decreasing the sloped sections will help with draft too.

Sweeping can be done from the bottom with a rotary device.

 

[30WCF]

It feels like it hurts now because it’s all at once. A single section by itself isn’t so hard to swallow.
I’d go straight up with double wall stove pipe inside and switch to class A at the ceiling. You can just meet/exceed the 10/2 rule to start with.
If it doesn’t draft well, you can use some cheap single wall to test if adding 3’ helps before spending the coin.
Double wall inside, whether you need the clearance or not, will aid in draft.

 

[Usurper]

I used Double wall in our old house, so its nice to know that its a good idea here also, i think you guys have talked me into going straight up, i can move the stove slightly left of center ( may possibly help radiate heat to the bedrooms anyway ) and see how it drafts, knowing my luck well get the warmest winter ever in the south and i will not use it once hahaha.

 

[stoveliker]

I'm not sure what the consensus is about stoves near walkways (the door). I'd keep some distance between that corner of the hot stove and the path walking towards the doorway.

Don't want to run into that with anything/when carrying something.

 

[Usurper]

Offsetting the fire to the left and assuming with the fire hearth adding 3 inches in height to the century FW2900 making it 35inches tall , that give me exactly 8 foot to the cathedral ceiling. i THINK at that position the exterior portion would need to be 4ft to be 2ft taller than the apex of the roof, which would mean no brace if i read correct. that only brings me to around 13ft with the transfer box.
is this is issue? i saw 15 ft mentioned above but not sure if thats a EXACT number or just a rough guide.

 

[stoveliker]

It's never.an exact number (draft measurements would be).as.the chimney height needed depends on the situation. It's solid guidance to avoid problems in most cases.
I don't know how easy this stove breathes.
Hence my suggestion to try it and add a section if needed later.

 

[Usurper]

the fire would be 21 inches away from the door, if i go more central the length of interior pipe would be closer to 7ft

 

[stoveliker]

the fire would be 21 inches away from the door, if i go more central the length of interior pipe would be closer to 7ft

That (21") would be fine for me.

 

[30WCF]

Not sure if that land around the house is yours, but looks like there is plenty of pine to burn. 👍🔥

 

[Usurper]

Not sure if that land around the house is yours, but looks like there is plenty of pine to burn. 👍🔥

Yeah we have 5.5 acres and maybe 3 is wooded. I’ve been collecting downed branches and there’s about 15 trees I’d like to eventually have felled ( another thing dictated by money ) so we have free heat at least