Did I install stove correctly...Health Releated

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Bacon432

New Member
Sep 25, 2014
4
Maine
Very new to pellet stoves and concerned I may have installed the stove incorrectly.

I have just purchased and installed a Quadra Fire Classic Bay 1200. It was very easy to setup and I installed the 3 inch pipe right into an existing chimney. The stove is the only thing venting to the chimney.

My problem is this. After a few hours of use I feel like my cheeks are getting numb. I know this may sound odd and maybe I'm just coming down with a cold, but it doesn't seem normal to me. I do have several CO detectors throughout the house. The stove itself seems to be burning well and I don't smell anything out of the normal.

Is there anything I should be checking? I don't think its sucking the o2 out of the house as it is a very drafty house.

Any suggestions would be very welcomed.
 
Does the pipe run the entire length of the existing chimney? Or is it atleast sealed off where it terminates?
 
I would have a certified technician look at it for sure. Not a thing to be guessing at if you have any doubt about your installation.
 
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The pipe goes into the chimney through the existing masonry and does not run all the way up....I installed a converter 6in to 3in....I will take some pics and post soon.
 
The exhaust should be lined all the way up and out to a liner cap/termination outside. Not only for code, but for efficiency this is desired. Depending on the length of your run, you might want 4". usually after 15+ feet, 4" is called for. consult your manual. To answer your question, I would say, no, you didn't install it right.
 
Pellet stoves are not draft devices.... They are fan pushers.
 
I had the same installer do it both ways; first time he sealed the fireplace for an insert and years later we got a pellet stove to replace a wood stove and he ran a 4" all the way up my 6" wood stove chimney. I asked him why they had changed procedures and he said they had learned that it was best to have a complete run from the stove to the cap. Just my experience with a good trusted installer. At the very least I would talk to a pro, maybe where you buy your 4" pipe and cap.
P.S. Doing it the way you did it may be problematic when it comes time to clean also. The 4" is a lot easier to clean than the fireplace chimney from the first installation, in fact I don't think I ever got it cleaned good because there were areas that were not accessible.
 
With the mechanical draft that most pellet stove have a consistent run of 3 or 4" is best. It's very similar to plumbing, if you have a 1" water line then go to a 3" line you will lose a lot of pressure. That will cause the draft to slow and could stall (back up) the exhaust. Relining is best IMO. i have seen cases where it will work, but most I run into it doesn't.
 
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Ok that helped me paint a picture of whats going on...thanks guys looks like relining is the way to go...thanks again.
 
Bacon432 said:
Ok that helped me paint a picture of whats going on...thanks guys looks like relining is the way to go...thanks again.
Click to expand...

I think the message was hire a certified installer and have a liner installed that goes all the way to the top where it is capped. I am in the middle of pulling the trigger on my first pellet stove and from all my research, there seems to be a correlation on this board between self-installations and problems. Like you, I installed a wood stove into a fireplace by myself but having read the stuff on this board, I would not do so with a pellet stove installation and will leave it to the pros.
 
This debate has gone on for years. I have run two different stoves into a masonary lined chimney, formerly a wood stove chimney, for 18 years with zero issues. There is a tremendous draft in this chimney that actually accelerates the exhaust flow up and out.
 
I think a closer look at the install manual may be a good idea as well. It will tell you what size pipe is needed and probably some other installation requirements
 
I have my Harman XXV into a chimney that I had used previously for a wood stove. It has an 8" clay flue liner which is relatively new. The install/operation manual for the XXV mentioned this as one of the methods to vent the stove. Dealer backed this up as well. I don't know if this would be a recommended way to vent for all stoves, but this has worked well for my XXV for three years.

chiminey.jpg
 
My Harman is hooked into an existing masonry chimney. I have had no issues for five years. One thing to check is the clean out door In the basement ( or were ever it is). Most are not sealed and with a positive air pressure draft you need to seal it air tight. I used high quality duct tape. I change it every time I clean the chimney and check it before I fire up for the season. The thimble and reducer are all sealed with gaskets and high temp silicon caulk and checked using the flashlight method.
My stove dealer informed me that Harman is one of few pellet stove brands that can handle this type of instalation. This one of the reasons I purchased my Accentra.
 
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That type of install is also permitted for Quad's, including the CB1200, if the chimney is in good condition.

Bacon432 said:
I do have several CO detectors throughout the house
Click to expand...
Is one of them near the stove? Preferably one with a numeric readout.
 
SwineFlue said:
Is one of them near the stove? Preferably one with a numeric readout.
Click to expand...

I had a CO detector installed near the stove, until I had the stove inspected. The inspector told me to move the CO detector to a wall across the room. Having it near the stove made sense to me and I don't recall his reasoning for wanting it across the room.
 
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