Chimney under rafters?? did he hear that right?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.

nhorzepa

Member
Jan 1, 2012
31
North Jersey
So my husband was home for a chimney install quote today (our first one) and the "recommended" installation is leaving me scratching my head.

I wasn't there at the time and now wish I was, because this whole install sounds crazy. But maybe it's "normal" and I just haven't seen it before. Have you guys?

For aesthetic reasons, the guy suggested to install the chimney straight up into the second floor (which is only a half story so it has cathedral ceilings and is rather tiny) but once it gets to the rafters bend by 30 deg and continue along the rafters until it clears the peak, and pop up on the other side of the roof ridge (which is maybe 10 feet from where it would enter the second floor).

It's baffling to me that the guy recommended that.
And that my husband didn't even bother to think about clearances and such. The upstairs bedroom has limited room to begin with.

Is this guy crazy or is this a normal type of install?
 
Well it is possible to do, but seems a bit extreme. If the aesthetics are not a great concern, go with a straight shot up and out, best instal possible.
 
I would have thought he would suggest straight up as the best.

Not seeing silver pipe in the very front of the house would be nice...but loosing headroom in the bedroom isn't a great tradeoff.
 
Well, keep on getting quotes. There are lots of ways to solve a problem, but not all are good ones. We need some pictures of the installation area to see what the issues are. A sketch of the floor plans would help too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ScotO
Very "bad" pictures of the living room, prior to when we bought the house. The fireplace is just odd - the last owner put up a stucco bump out but didn't tie it in with the actual hearth and it sticks out a foot or more. The green cabinets we're thinking of removing.

But for simplicities sake, we were thinking to put the wood stove opposite the stairs, along the wall with the small window.
 

Attachments

  • floorplan.pdf
    148.5 KB · Views: 343
Ah ha! There's a second page in the pdf. Thanks!

nhorzepa, is there a reason for not installing a nice insert in the fireplace?

So far I can't see a reason why it can't go straight up. What room and location would the stove be going in?
 
The woodstove is going to go in the living room (lower left of the layout). It's the largest room and also the coldest. We can close off the dining/kitchen area at night.
Where it will go in the room is still up for debate. We're flexible but do want it to look OK in the room.
The immediate thought is it center it on the long wall (behind the smaller sofa) and have the chimney go straight up. That should work fine, but the chimney on the outside is going to stick out like a sore thumb (it is what it is).So we've toyed with other spots in the room, like right when you go down the stairs (there is a beige chair there in the picture) but the install guy said that it wouldn't work because of the bathroom upstairs - which was a suprise to me because I though it could work). Or we could remove the larger green cabinet next to the fireplace and stick it there - the chimney could almost go straight up.

Wasn't going with an insert mostly for $ reasons. We got a good deal on a hearthstone mansfield (top vent) on craigslist.
And because the fireplace is recessed by a foot or so and looks funny. (If we had the money, I'd love to tear the whole thing out so we'd have more room in the bedrooms but the oil furnance is vented through it also).
And partially because it sounds like freestanding stoves put out more heat. And of course they don't rely on electricity.
 
It might just be me, but I think it's going to look odd having the stove and fireplace in the same room. An insert "might" cost a bit more depending on the model, but the liner would be much less expensive in materials and labor. Tearing out the sheetrock overhang above the fireplace would be a couple hour job.

I'd at least look at both options before committing. There is also may be the option of putting a freestanding stove on the fireplace hearth.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ScotO
It sounds like the guy had your best interests in mind with his suggestions, and is likely aware of the proper clearances. You wouldn't believe the legnths most people will go to get their chimney on the back side of the house. We see it all the time!
 
It sounds like the guy had your best interests in mind with his suggestions, and is likely aware of the proper clearances. You wouldn't believe the legnths most people will go to get their chimney on the back side of the house. We see it all the time!

Yeah I agree - it may look a little strange seeing a FP and a stove in the same room.
 
It might just be me, but I think it's going to look odd having the stove and fireplace in the same room. An insert "might" cost a bit more depending on the model, but the liner would be much less expensive in materials and labor. Tearing out the sheetrock overhang above the fireplace would be a couple hour job.

I'd at least look at both options before committing. There is also may be the option of putting a freestanding stove on the fireplace hearth.
Agree it would look odd. I planned on putting a piece of furniture in the fireplace opening (and proably our TV on top).

It probably wouldn't be hard to rip out the stucco/sheetrock/cement bump out above the fireplace. But it's more invloved that we'd like (at this moment).

The "original plan" was to put the stove up through the fireplace. But I jumped the gun on a good deal on craigslist and didn't notice it was a top venting stove. I haven't seen any rear venting ones worth it or inserts even close to what we paid for the stove we have.
 
Rear venting stoves are a thing of the past. I don't think they can legally make them anymore, but I may be mistaken. As far as your fireplace, without a doubt that is where I would be doing the install. Either an insert or a freestander in the hearth. Spend the money now, and do it the right way. You'll be thanking yourself in the long run. I don't think it would be too much of a cost difference, you'd be spending quite a bit of money on Class A offsets and pipe, that money could be put into the insert and a new liner. If the stove you just bought on Craigslist isn't gonna work out, sell it........on Craigslist!
 
Rear venting stoves are a thing of the past. I don't think they can legally make them anymore, but I may be mistaken.\

Uh uh. Do you really think VC, Jotul, Hearthstone, Hampton, Woodstock, etc. are going to stop making rear exit stoves? Methinks they'll be making them long after I'm gone. But I agree that an insert is what would work best here to keep the budget reasonable.

nhorzepa is this a masonry or zero-clearance fireplace? A liner is going to cost around $500. An exterior chimney setup is going to cost about $1500-2000 depending on complications.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ScotO
Uh uh. Do you really think VC, Jotul, Hearthstone, Hampton, Woodstock, etc. are going to stop making rear exit stoves? Methinks they'll be making them long after I'm gone.

Yeah, guess I dummied that one up...sorry about that.
Been working pretty much 16hrs/day withwork and the house, don't know why I was thinking that? This is coming from a guy was dreaming last night that he jumped on a flight to England and ended up in a British pub hoisting pints without telling his wife......don't ask me why or how. I honestly have no idea where that one came from!
 
If this was me, I would really think long and hard about using the chimney for the wood stove. The install will be cleaner and should be cheaper to install as well.

What stove did you purchase on CraigsList and how much was it?

You "jumped the gun" on the purchase, which is correctable. Don't make it worse with an install that won't look quite right and cost more to do it. You're going to have to stare at this thing for a long damn time. Might as well have it done right so you don't curse it every time you walk by the stove.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ScotO
Uh uh. Do you really think VC, Jotul, Hearthstone, Hampton, Woodstock, etc. are going to stop making rear exit stoves? Methinks they'll be making them long after I'm gone. But I agree that an insert is what would work best here to keep the budget reasonable.

nhorzepa is this a masonry or zero-clearance fireplace? A liner is going to cost around $500. An exterior chimney setup is going to cost about $1500-2000 depending on complications.
You might be able to buy a liner for that price, but if you have to pay for installation too it would be around $1,000-$1500 for a insulated liner installed. At least in my neck of the woods.
 
True, I was thinking self install. It's single story. If they went uninsulated (interior chimney) it would be a 2 hr job. At $100/hr that would take it to about $700.
 
If this was me, I would really think long and hard about using the chimney for the wood stove. The install will be cleaner and should be cheaper to install as well.

What stove did you purchase on CraigsList and how much was it?

You "jumped the gun" on the purchase, which is correctable. Don't make it worse with an install that won't look quite right and cost more to do it. You're going to have to stare at this thing for a long damn time. Might as well have it done right so you don't curse it every time you walk by the stove.

Right now, I don't even know what the best path forward is...
I never noticed how "odd" the fireplace was until we moved in (and the fireplace screen was removed). It bugs the ever living cr*ap out of me every time I see it. ...but it's not getting fixed now.

I think we went with a rear venting stove into the fireplace, we could rig up a half decent looking solution.

I'm not worried about recouping the cost on craigslist. It's a Hearthstone Mansfield which we paid $650. ~10 years old. It needs a new insulation blanket thing, but other than that it is in great condition. They seem to go fast on craigslist.

It's finding a rear venting stove I'm worried about. No great deals have popped up on craigslist, which makes me worried we'd have to buy new. (the woodstock progress looks awesome!)


True, I was thinking self install. It's single story. If they went uninsulated (interior chimney) it would be a 2 hr job. At $100/hr that would take it to about $700.

I was originally thinking it would be self install...but I don't think that is happening. My husband is not froggy about it. And I'm too pregnant to climb on the roof or I would be doing it.
Plus the chimney has a topper that is stone, so it sounds like it needs to go up from the bottom. We had a quote that was ~$1500 (friend discount??).​
 
Right now, I don't even know what the best path forward is...
I never noticed how "odd" the fireplace was until we moved in (and the fireplace screen was removed). It bugs the ever living cr*ap out of me every time I see it. ...but it's not getting fixed now.

I think we went with a rear venting stove into the fireplace, we could rig up a half decent looking solution.

I'm not worried about recouping the cost on craigslist. It's a Hearthstone Mansfield which we paid $650. ~10 years old. It needs a new insulation blanket thing, but other than that it is in great condition. They seem to go fast on craigslist.

It's finding a rear venting stove I'm worried about. No great deals have popped up on craigslist, which makes me worried we'd have to buy new. (the woodstock progress looks awesome!)


I was originally thinking it would be self install...but I don't think that is happening. My husband is not froggy about it. And I'm too pregnant to climb on the roof or I would be doing it.​
Plus the chimney has a topper that is stone, so it sounds like it needs to go up from the bottom. We had a quote that was ~$1500 (friend discount??).​


The stone topper can be lifted off. Two of my chimneys are like that and both were installed top down. The Mansfield is a very nice stove. Again, if this were me, I would replace the baffle board and sell the Mansfield for about $1,200-1,500 during the burning season and find a stove that fits into the fireplace. Otherwise I would fear having a living room with a very odd layout.
 
I like your spirit gal. The chimney topper is common and shouldn't be an issue. The top may be temporarily removed to drop the liner.

We're going to need to see good quality shots of the fireplace so that we don't steer you in the wrong direction. The main concern is clearance to combustibles. If that odd mantel section is projecting past the fireplace opening, there is a problem. Post a front and side shot without the fireplace screen so that we can see what you see.
 
The stone topper can be lifted off. Two of my chimneys are like that and both were installed top down. The Mansfield is a very nice stove. Again, if this were me, I would replace the baffle board and sell the Mansfield for about $1,200-1,500 during the burning season and find a stove that fits into the fireplace. Otherwise I would fear having a living room with a very odd layout.
I appreciate your insight and advice.

The chimney topper is common and shouldn't be an issue. The top may be temporarily removed to drop the line.
True, true. I keep forgetting professionals would lift off the topper. I guess I'm still thinking along the DIY line. LOL We weren't going to attempt it.

We're going to need to see good quality shots of the fireplace so that we don't steer you in the wrong direction. The main concern is clearance to combustibles. If that odd mantel section is projecting past the fireplace opening, there is a problem. Post a front and side shot without the fireplace screen so that we can see what you see.
These probably don't qualify as good quality shots...I had a hard time with the shadows of the fireplace. The bottom of the stucco is covered with a metal length and firebrick. But when we inspected the damper knob (which goes through the stucco) the entire protrusion is hollow, so I fear they might have used wood studs to frame it out. Without making a royal mess, I'm not sure how to find out.
Can you tell I'm just looking for excuses to demo the entire thing. :)
Snapshot_20120711.jpgSnapshot_20120711_2.jpg
 
You did fine with the pics. Whoever did that mess on top of the fireplace doesn't appear to have been concerned about safety if there is wood in that construction. If you look behind this overhang, where is the fireplace lintel, flush with the bottom or higher up? From the pictures it looks like it's more for show than go.

With a baby on the way, you need peace of mind. You want to tear it out, so my feeling right now is to go for it. Otherwise we are just second guessing what is going on here.

PS: Maybe I should ask first, when is your due date?
 
Don't know how big your home is, how large a stove you need, but you could always check with Woodstock and see if they have a refurbished Fireview or Keystone. They sometimes do, and it is poddible some may be trading in their previous stoves for the new Progress Hybrid. PH is a great stove; sounds ike you know that. Heats a large area. A bit costly up front, but worth it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.