woodstove install question

[p575]

i have a woodstove installed in the house i'm renting. there was a fireplace, so we sat the stove on the hearth, and put a 90 degree piece of stovepipe coming out the back of the stove, and put a 2 foot extension on that and put it up the chimney. the stove slides back into the fireplace a good ways. if i was in town, i'd take pictures, but im on vacation. the landlord called today and said it won't fly. obviously the final decision is his, but is there anything blatently wrong with routing the pipe this way? if i can clarify anything let me know.

thanks

 

[mga]

building codes say to do it how........???

 

[p575]

View attachment 60139
this is kind of what my install looks like, mine is a plain steel stove however. (this image stolen from sylvatica on this board) i dont know what the code says, its a 60 year old rental house, so nothing in there meets current code, i just want to know if its an obvious safety issue.

 

[wampum]

View attachment 60139
this is kind of what my install looks like, mine is a plain steel stove however. (this image stolen from sylvatica on this board) i dont know what the code says, its a 60 year old rental house, so nothing in there meets current code, i just want to know if its an obvious safety issue.

Mabe the landlord feels that the chimney itself is dangerous,If thats the case you might have to line the chimney all the way up.Possibly to bring it to code this might require new refractory.Did the landlord ok a woodstove before you put it in.If not mabe hes just afraid it will cause a fire.If he okayed it you will probably be able to work it out.

 

[Wood Scrounge]

The pipe probably needs to run the entire distance and out the top of the chimney.
If you have 16" of clearance from the stove and any combustible material you SHOULD be ok in most locals in the US. But you need to check with your particular township.

 

[Billy_Bob]

First the insurance company WILL NOT cover any damage from a fire resulting from an installation which was not done to code, inspected and passed, AND inspected by the insurance company.

Second, manufacturers have specific installation instructions for each specific model of woodstove. This includes chimney size, chimney height above roof line, distance of stove from walls, distance of hearth on floor going out in all directions from woodstove, and R-value of hearth.

Third, woodstoves are designed to work with a same size chimney going all the way up for "draft". The pipe gets heated up and this causes a "wind flow" upwards. I can't imagine that your stove would work as designed with this setup? Would smoke go up and out the pipe and then cool suddenly in the larger fireplace chimney? Could this cause creosote buildup in the chinmey which could result in a chimney fire later (which can burn down a house)? Could smoke come back down and into your house under certain circumstances?

Might want to read about carbon monoxide...
"...The primary purpose of chimney flues and venting pipes is to funnel fumes out of the living area..."
http://www.agratechimneysweep.com/safetytips.htm

 

[p575]

we heated the house with it all last winter, and for the past month of this winter, never had the first problem out of our setup. no smoke in the house, no CO problems. my roomate and myself are both firefighters, so were aware of the potential problems. we cleaned the chimney out, very very little creosote accumulation. we have a CO detector, never had the first problem. i guess the insurance co./landlord have the final say, i was just curious if there were any obvious problems. if we have to give up the stove and go to the gas boiler heat, its gonna cost me upwards of 3-400 a month...not too thrilled about that. thanks for the help

 

[Billy_Bob]

I think your options are to use the fireplace as is. Or to install a woodstove or fireplace insert to code.

It cost me $3,000.00 ($1,000.00 for woodstove) to install my woodstove and stainless steel chimney to code, install the proper hearth, etc.

I can't see spending this money on a house I am renting though.

Might want to discuss your situation with your landlord. In your case you want to save money on heating. And so would potential renters after you move out. So maybe the landlord would be willing to pay for part of a proper installation?

If not, then maybe you could buy your own house? The prices are going down, it is a buyers market. Forclosures, etc.

 

[p575]

i'll discuss it with him, see if he'll budge at all...if not, it was good while it lasted. i'd love to buy one, but in this area, a house can't be bought on my income, guess its time to get a second...make that a third job...thanks for the help.

justin