- Nov 27, 2012
- 0
Question:
I'm looking for a device one can insert in line with a wood stove exhaust stack to exchange heat to either forced air or water. Do you sell or know of such a product? I'm trying to find a way to distribute the heat of my woodstove to the rest of the house.
Answer:
There are such items made- but they have their problems. The biggest concern is that by extracting heat from the exhaust gases- the gases are cooled down too much- resulting in excess creosote and tar in the chimney and formation of corrosive acids in the flue. Also- if your stove is a newer (more efficient model)- then it is difficult to get too much heat from the flue. As far as heating water- you could wrap soft copper tubing around the pipe- and then place another layer of larger pipe around it. A circulator or convection loop could remove the hot water to a tank. But- again- you will not be able to rescue enough heat to heat any area--just help with your DHW (Wash water- etc.).
I'm looking for a device one can insert in line with a wood stove exhaust stack to exchange heat to either forced air or water. Do you sell or know of such a product? I'm trying to find a way to distribute the heat of my woodstove to the rest of the house.
Answer:
There are such items made- but they have their problems. The biggest concern is that by extracting heat from the exhaust gases- the gases are cooled down too much- resulting in excess creosote and tar in the chimney and formation of corrosive acids in the flue. Also- if your stove is a newer (more efficient model)- then it is difficult to get too much heat from the flue. As far as heating water- you could wrap soft copper tubing around the pipe- and then place another layer of larger pipe around it. A circulator or convection loop could remove the hot water to a tank. But- again- you will not be able to rescue enough heat to heat any area--just help with your DHW (Wash water- etc.).
