Hi Everyone, I'd really appreciate your thoughts on installing a small Defender 2 wood stove in my century home. I have a brick chimney, not lined but 2 bricks thick, as far as I can tell, that has a vent hole for a stove. My house is 180 years old and I'm guessing the chimney is slightly newer at around 150 years old. The chimney is in very sound condition. I was hoping to be able to easily run a vent pipe down it but after inspecting it fully I found that the chimney width reduces down to just 4.5" wide, pleased see attached pics.
I'm guessing you are going to tell me what I don't want to hear that there is no solution short of running a new vent pipe up through the ceiling and roof, which I definitely don't want to do because I want to retain the charm of the old house. Does anyone have any thoughts on how I might be able to solve this frustrating problem? Can I still use the chimney without a vent installing a vent pipe? Does it make any difference that it's a smaller wood stove which won't be producing as much heat as a larger one? I'm not sure it makes much difference but I read that older bricks are actually a good thing because they are fired harder when made. Interestingly all the bricks in the house were made on site.
Any advice you can give would be VERY much appreciated. I was really excited to get this stove put in but now it seems like that won't be possible, hoping you can all tell me otherwise. Pics attached for reference.
![Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help! Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help!](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/267/267329-c896359151eb8eae0ef53575657e7519.jpg)
![Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help! Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help!](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/267/267330-4e59d8b19f9487b68e1bcb65c10b3769.jpg)
![Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help! Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help!](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/267/267331-301424212cf008b390a7f86e68703fcf.jpg)
![Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help! Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help!](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/267/267332-78c8983789f6e52b962be8e879fc0f19.jpg)
![Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help! Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help!](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/267/267333-f6deb92ce074f71dbe7c5724761caee5.jpg)
![Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help! Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help!](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/267/267334-c4ff922fa7ae3f5aceffa1e501bb6a12.jpg)
![IMG_3613.jpg IMG_3613.jpg](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/267/267328-0c26e89d7f0a3af0c55ba69f414f22dc.jpg)
I'm guessing you are going to tell me what I don't want to hear that there is no solution short of running a new vent pipe up through the ceiling and roof, which I definitely don't want to do because I want to retain the charm of the old house. Does anyone have any thoughts on how I might be able to solve this frustrating problem? Can I still use the chimney without a vent installing a vent pipe? Does it make any difference that it's a smaller wood stove which won't be producing as much heat as a larger one? I'm not sure it makes much difference but I read that older bricks are actually a good thing because they are fired harder when made. Interestingly all the bricks in the house were made on site.
Any advice you can give would be VERY much appreciated. I was really excited to get this stove put in but now it seems like that won't be possible, hoping you can all tell me otherwise. Pics attached for reference.
![Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help! Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help!](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/267/267329-c896359151eb8eae0ef53575657e7519.jpg)
![Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help! Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help!](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/267/267330-4e59d8b19f9487b68e1bcb65c10b3769.jpg)
![Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help! Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help!](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/267/267331-301424212cf008b390a7f86e68703fcf.jpg)
![Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help! Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help!](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/267/267332-78c8983789f6e52b962be8e879fc0f19.jpg)
![Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help! Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help!](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/267/267333-f6deb92ce074f71dbe7c5724761caee5.jpg)
![Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help! Venting Wood Stove Into An Old Chimney. Help!](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/267/267334-c4ff922fa7ae3f5aceffa1e501bb6a12.jpg)
![IMG_3613.jpg IMG_3613.jpg](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/267/267328-0c26e89d7f0a3af0c55ba69f414f22dc.jpg)