I have no experience in this area and would love to know what I am missing and what it would take to install that missing piece.
Make sure u have a CO and smoke alarm in cabin
That said I would agree that the trim piece is missing. However I am betting the light shining through is not a problem. I believe that the smoke goes up through the inside pipe, then the outside pipe brings in fresh air to be burned. If you have a particularly tight structure you could conceivably burn all the oxygen and suffocate yourself. The "inside" pipe will warm up the air coming down the "outside" pipe when burning.
I would certainly check with someone more knowledgable on the subject than us on Bowsite though. Good luck.
--Jim
incorrect. the outside pipe is to protect the structure from the heat of the inside pipe. there shouldn't be any airflow from the outside to the inside of the house through that pipe. the 'air to be burned' should go through the vents in the stove doors.
I do agree that the gap is to protect the structure, no doubt about that, but I believe in this case it does double duty.
I do also agree that the vents in the doors of he stove allows air to be burned. But where does that air come from if all the windows and doors are closed and the building is tightly insulated? Oh wait, the same air you are trying to breathe?
If you look closely at bear tracks picture you can see where there appears to be a slot around he base where the pipe goes into the box, that I believe is to allow combustion air into the living space.
--Jim
make-up air should be coming in as far as possible from the combustion unit (gas/wood/coal, whatever the fuel)
You can see the large silver pipe in the back corner of the pic in the attic.
After some google work, I concur that I am missing either a complete ceiling support box or just the finishing plate if they make such a thing.
BTW, the insurance company sent out someone to take pics of the cabin and wood stove and to inspect the wood stove/chimney system. He explained the double pipe system to me and said it was done right. I just didn't think at the time to ask him what was missing at the ceiling to close that off.
Now, the cap on a flu isn't a necessity. It will keep coons, possums, big birds, etc... out but, will do little or nothing to keep the squirrels, and others out from building a nest. Quite frankly, it encourages it. Best thing you can do is burn the stove a lot to keep things out. And remove the dang cap to lower the encouragement they seek for a roof over their head.
That cap also hurts the stoves drawing potential. I realize many have a screen around them to keep out the wildlife and control sparks but, that is a freaking disaster waiting to happen. It will stop up.
I couldn't tell about the pipe damper but, here's my advice. Install one. You have to undo the pipe to put on the missing cover anyways. Install a damper or your heat is just going to go out the pipe like a fire place. Screw the pipe together multiple times at each joint f not already done. Remove the dang cap and put an extra joint of pipe in if necessary to clear the roof good. Drill lots of holes in the last few inches of the stove pipe if you are worried about sparks. And, burn only well seasoned wood. If you do, you'll never have to run a brush through it.
Disclaimer, this is only my advice. The final decision is yours. The results will be based on your choices. However, I've done it this way for 40 years with zero problems. God Bless
I am a CSIA certified sweep, and a certified installer with many companies. We have sold, installed, swept and serviced everything out under the sun. We sell and install the good stuff and sweep and service the rest! We try to make the public safer one fireplace at a time!!!
It is hard to tell what you have by that picture? I can tell you this, that is air cooled pipe and not intended to go on a free standing wood stove. You guys are correct in stating he is missing some parts...Like the entire FIREPLACE that "THAT" pipe was intended for!!! If you have a free standing stove you need to take all that out and scrap it.
The back of your stove should have a tag on it giving you make, model and serial #, as well as clearances for single wall and double wall stove connecter pipe. That is the black pipe that connects from the stove starter collar to the black ceiling support box that supports your double wall insulated Class-A chimney flue. In our opinion, 40+ years in the hearth industry, the safest pipe and best warranty is a brand called Excel Chimney, made by ICC. They will even warranty the flue pipe after a chimney fire, a fantastic and safe product. Only Class-A flue I would put in my home. Many other good brands, National comes to mind. Make sure they will warranty a flue fire in writing. That's the bench mark!
You must maintain proper clearances on the stove and flue at ALL places. Even on non combustible walls the stove needs to have the clearances met or it can overheat and crack causing the house to be at risk. Ive seen this happen. As I type this out I have a file sitting on my desk that is filled with pictures from a fireplace that was installed improperly and burned the living room wall down. It now sports a killer view of wheat field out back!
This is too easy to not do it right!!! The components, top to bottom, are made brand specific. You simply buy all your components of the same brand and they fit. NO mix or matching, it wont fit and it will not pass any type of legitimate inspection. Do not buy your components from a big box store, you are buying the bottom of the bottom on quality! Before somebody chimes in on that comment, any body wanna put their daughter in a Pinto! Gotta have a little gray in your beard to understand that one!-)
Please, please,PLEASE seek out a full time, well established, certified hearth professional to do it for you. Or to sell you the correct components so you can do it safely yourself. Good Luck! jingalls
Very good group of people as obsessed with wood fired heat as we are bow hunting. All your answers will be available there. Bring more pics from outside and inside for the best available help.
As long as the outside pipe is not actually open to the world through the roof it looks fine albeit is missing the box shown in post two or so at the ceiling.
Well, as long as it is not just single wall stove pipe going all the way out from the stove. Stove pipe is only for stove to ceiling junction - then you need a UL chimney from there on up.
I heat exclusively with a wood stove in my home and this is no place to cut corners. Check out Hearth
And codes require any flue to have a cap.
Love it!!
Thanks for all the advice everyone. I will seek out a certified sweep/installer and get it done right. I will need to go that soon as I am having the upstairs finished. I have had electricity run to the cabin and will be installing electric baseboard heating up and down. The stove will serve as a backup only and I actually hope to not use it at all. That said, I want it done right. I can't speak for the previous owners and why they did what they did.
What is the difference between the functionality of the damper that is part of the stove and the one that installs inline to the pipe?
...btw, could you give me a referral?
Here in my neck of the country, all wood stove flue's have to be triple wall. Double wall is legal for furnaces and water heaters and the such, but not for wood/coal burning stoves. The damper is necessary to adjust the air draw. If the damper is open too wide, all your heat goes up and out the flue. You need to be able make adjustments as necessary. It is also law here to have a flue cap and screen at the top of the flue (spark arrestor). The building code also requires all flues to be a minimum of 3 feet above the highest point within 10 feet of the flue. Some areas require flues to be 3 feet above the roof ridge line. Check with your local building code. Final comment, if you are seeing light showing between the roof jack and flue, seal it. Use a high temperature heat resistant caulking made for this purpose. As far as screwing the flue sections together, it only takes 3 screws evenly spaced around a flue to keep it in place, you don't need more than that. If it gives you a warm fuzzy feeling, then fill the pipe with screws. The more holes you make with screws, the greater chance of an air leak you will have. Make sure you get the installation inspected by the local code official. If you don't and there is a fire, the insurance company will claim unauthorized and illegal installation and they will not replace your home or make repairs should you be lucky enough not to burn down the structure. Just my 2 cents, take it as you see fit. Thanks for listening.
Not trying to pick a fight with any one on BS...just trying to sort out the BS on BS!-) If I step on any ones toes I apoligize, but the property and life that is saved might be your own. Please listen to me, I do not pretend to know it all. But I know the codes and why they are there. I know how the manufacturers test their products and why. I also have had someone say to me,"Listen to me and what And why I have to teach you these things!".
First thing, I've spent my first career in the insurance industry, over 20 years, before I sold that business. Insurance loss control people are as overloaded as the underwriters that issue the policies. Neither of them have a clue compared to an experienced certified hearth professional. They are simply checking a box and getting the file off of their desk.
The next issue here on BS..."DO NOT EVER" put an in flue damper in your stove connecter pipe, (black pipe that goes from the stove starter collar to the bottom of your ceiling support box), UNLESSSSS...the manufacturer of the stove TELLS you that you can do it. The reason, it obviously restricts the flow of the draft and draft is everything in a modern high efficiency stove. They, the stove,are specifically designed with, or WITHOUT a built in damper. If you add one the stove can easily overheat and that will be a major problem for safety. Also, any thing you put in line with the flue will also add to creosote build up! You will not loose lots of heat as has been suggested, look under your stove where the air inlet is. It is a very small opening, usually less than 2" square. You have very little air going up the flue except when the door is open. They are designed this way! You must have heat in the flue to make it draft. You HAVE to have some heat escape the flue to make the system work.l
Always put the spark arresting cap on! The screen on most of them are for spark arresting properties. Do not ever modify the pipe in any way! The pipe is tested with all its parts. The cap does not restrict anything unless you have modified it, plugged it with creosote, or mixed and matched component parts that should not have been put together in the first place.
happygolucky, I hate to tell you this but that install does not pass. I don't even have to get on your roof and measure. First, you must have a roof brace on your flue for every five feet of flue measured from the high side of the pipe. Second, you are probably not high enough for that pitch roof. Take your cap off and measure two feet down the pipe. Then measure ten feet out horizontally from that spot. You can not touch any part of the roof or another structure. Obviously if the flue pipe comes out within ten feet horizontally of the ridge peak you must have the top of the pipe two feet above the ridge. The top of the pipe, not the cap! The reason is if you have a flue fire the interior temperature of the pipe can go from 600 degrees to over 2000 degrees in 30 seconds and you need those distances and flue support for that as well as wind stress issues.
Bushbow, that class-A flue must be framed in if it passes through a living space in the structure. I have seen chared personal items due to clothes being laid too close to exposed pipe. Three screws in every joint of pipe and two inches of clearances all the way around that framing. Also that durock on the wall is doing you nothing except to hold the veneer brick or stone you put up. OSB will actually work easier to lay brick or stone. You must still keep your stoves mandatory clearances even if it's solid concrete. If you are trying to put up a heat shield you will need 1" ceramic spacers with a noncombustible board or metal off of the wall. The air gap allows to reduce clearances by 1/3 IF the manufacturer allows it. You must also have a minimum of 16" noncombustible hearth out in front of that stove as well as side clearances. Can't tell for sure but it looks way close to the back wall. Look at you clearances on the back of the stove or Google your stove installation manual to get them.
I am not trying to be a smart a££! Everything I have stated here is fact, coming from engineers and hearth professionals WAAAAY smarter than I am! Wood burning appliances work off of physics, plain and simple. I could give you dissertation on pyrolysis to explain why when a guy tells me, "I've done it this way for forty years and I ain't never burned my house down!", I Jst smile and say, "Here's yur sign!" The facts mam, just the facts!
May you all have a warm and safe winter! God bless!
The new stoves are hi- tech super efficient appliances. Most will heat with 1/2 the wood of a stove from 20 - 25 years ago.As jingalls said, a damper should never be used unless called for by the manufacturer.
You are close on the chimney height - national codes call for 3 feet above the peak if within 10 ft. Otherwise it is 2 ft higher than anything within 10 feet horz minimum. A little extra is fine but for the most part you want to keep the exposed chimney to a minimum to prevent cooling which slows draft, affect performance and can cause creosote formation.
SteveBNY, were swamped here in the midwest, give me a shout if you want to come out of retirement. We have pretty good hunting and fishing out here!!!
