Which soapstone for a small adobe house?

[fossil]

Do we know that the wall is solid masonry and not adobe over a framed wall?

Solid...dirt!

The real adobe deal: 4 x 10 x 14" mud bricks, mortared with mud, covered in metal lathe and plastered. The stove is going in the house's 'new' addition (1970's). The other 2/3 of the house has ~22" double-thickness walls (including interior) which I was told were made of terrones: sod blocks cut from the banks of the Rio Grande back in 1905. Supposed to be even stronger than adobe since the still-living plant roots would persist a few weeks, growing into adjacent blocks, fortifying the mortar. Lotta history in this place!

Well, I'll be. Can't be too many like that around. (Don't say "Lotta"...makes me want a big Blake's cheeseburger). :lol: Lobo Rick

 

[chile verde]

Well, I'll be. Can't be too many like that around. (Don't say "Lotta"...makes me want a big Blake's cheeseburger). :lol: Lobo Rick

I'm in the far N Valley, quite a mix of both older adobe and newer faux-dobe, though recently there's gaining popularity amongst DIY'ers for oldschool adobe, rammed earth and strawbale. Pretty exciting community to inhabit, constructionwise. My house was amongst the first to rebuild after the 1904 flood devastated the area.

I should post some pics of the ubiquitous round stovepipe holes in my ceiling, some of my rooms even have one in 2-3 corners! Some appear scorched. Looks like they moved their chimney around (wonder why?), and had a small stove in nearly every room. There is no attic crawlspace, just 1-2' or dirt piled atop matted grass, which pokes out between holes in the decking. Every once in awhile I discover a small cone of dirt on the floor...

From what I've heard Blake's has gone downhill. They're good, but pricey for what you get...anymore I only go for the Peach milkshakes (when in season).

 

[chile verde]

Update!

We're going w the Fireview. One quick question before we order our stovepipe:

The pipe will run parallel to the wall, 5 " away for the entire distance (70"). The wall is non-combusible adobe/plaster. Should we go single or doublewall? My concern is causing plaster cracks from the high T: what sort of temps should I expect to generate along the pipelength?

 

[fossil]

I'd go double wall, personally...not so concerned about what's happening outside the flue, but inside. Some folks insist on single wall, thinking they get some extra heat into the living space from the stovepipe. Well, they probably do. A little. Your stove is the source of heat for the living space, and it's important that the flue gases maintain some heat as they travel up to daylight (minimizes the likelihood of creosote condensing out on the flue interior walls). My choice would be double wall stovepipe (also called connector pipe) from the appliance to the transition to Class A chimney at the structure penetration...which is going to bea whole other interesting aspect of the installation in your rather unique case. Rick

 

[chile verde]

I'd go double wall, personally...not so concerned about what's happening outside the flue, but inside. Some folks insist on single wall, thinking they get some extra heat into the living space from the stovepipe. Well, they probably do. A little. Your stove is the source of heat for the living space, and it's important that the flue gases maintain some heat as they travel up to daylight (minimizes the likelihood of creosote condensing out on the flue interior walls). My choice would be double wall stovepipe (also called connector pipe) from the appliance to the transition to Class A chimney at the structure penetration...which is going to bea whole other interesting aspect of the installation in your rather unique case. Rick

Good stuff!

Makes me wonder: if the pipe is only 5" away from a high thermal mass wall (12" thick mud brick), I'm thinking the wall's radiant heat might contribute to the pipe's average T.

THe 6-8" adapter, where it enters the finish ceiling support, cannot be screwed tight (female bit enters box flush). Should this be a concern?

 

[ddddddden]

Well chosen! The FV is a very nice stove. +1 for double-wall pipe. I run insulated flex pipe through my chimney, so I can't tell you precise temps, but judging from the heat @ the flue collar/appliance adapter junction, I'd say that the proximal pipe gets "pretty f'in h0t" when the bypass is open and venting directly into the flue for ~ 45 mins to get the stove up to temp after a cold start. Pipe temp will drop after cat is engaged, this is when the double-wall comes in handy to keep your draft going. BK *strongly* recommends double-wall pipe for their cat stoves. If you don't want to go double, they make heat shields for single-wall. I recommend the heat shield for the back of the stove too. . .I think this stove might throw more heat off the back than the front! p.s. the sale ends Nov. 8. . .

 

[fossil]

Well, without digging out an old dusty Heat Transfer text from my UNM days, I can't imagine that wall being much more than a heat sink, so far as your stove is concerned. It's going to be a significant radiator only when it's temperature has climbed to exceed its surroundings...and while that's happening, it's constantly conducting heat through itself toward the (presumably much cooler) exterior surface of the wall. I wouldn't give a whole lot of thought toward considering the wall part of the home heating system. Rick

 

[leeave96]

Well, without digging out an old dusty Heat Transfer text from my UNM days, I can't imagine that wall being much more than a heat sink, so far as your stove is concerned. It's going to be a significant radiator only when it's temperature has climbed to exceed its surroundings...and while that's happening, it's constantly conducting heat through itself toward the (presumably much cooler) exterior surface of the wall. I wouldn't give a whole lot of thought toward considering the wall part of the home heating system. Rick

+1 on the heat sink. You might consider the rear heat shield option from Woodstock to reflect some of that heat into the room vs back into the wall. They are painless to install to the stove.

Having said that - get yourself prepared because you stove you are buying is without a doubt one of the best EVER made, looks great and will last for many many many years.

BTW, what color did you get?

Enjoy!
Bill

 

[chile verde]

We're going w the Honey-glo. Our LR is pretty dim: hopefully it blends right in w all the exposed beams, brass-finished hardware, etc.

I took apart the existing 8" pipe to see what's going on at the ceiling. Turns out rather than adjust the last section length to fit flush, they merely flipped it upside down and slid the male end up into the chimney. No wonder I was always getting puffs of dust!

I spoke w a local sweep about single vs doublewall (amongst other things). He's seen tons of stoves placed beside adobe walls and said that singlewall would help heat the room, and w a scant 5" separating it from the adobe, the plaster effectively reflects a good deal back into the room. He also mentioned that a reflector can be installed behind the pipe if it later became an issue. $200 difference...I think we'll go single!

Just one unresolved item: who wants to buy my old fireplace?
(broken link removed to http://albuquerque.craigslist.org/for/2681785422.html)