Out and Up or Up and Out?

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danieljdoyle

New Member
Jul 16, 2008
1
Central PA
I have purchased a Mt. Vernon AE and it is being installed in a few weeks. Was wondering if any of you 'experts' out there have an opinion on how we should vent this thing. My wife, for aesthetics, wants it to go out behind the stove, then rise on the outside of the house. I have heard that it is better to have the rise inside. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

By the way, pellet issues here in Central PA are not very significant- we can get as much as we want for $195/ton as of now- but we have a few manufacturers very close by. Hope the rest of you can find your supply, I'm looking forward to my first pellet heated winter!
 
I would think it would be better inside since there would be less heat loss. That's what I plan on doing with my pellet stove when it arrives.
 
The units are forced exhaust, it does not really mater either way. Running the pipe outside would give you the clean-out on the outside for less mess when cleaning. Running the pipe inside you might get a small benefit of the radiant heat off the pipe but not much. When we install we usually go up inside the house then out. Much easier for us to install, easier to move the stove later if you need to, no ugly pipe on the outside of the house, etc...

Really its personal preference.
 
Most definitely keep it inside if at all possible. You want to keep the chimney inside the warm air envelope as long a run as possible to get a really good draft. I know that is the case for wood fired stoves anyway. I would think it would be the same for pellets.
 
Out first takes less space inside the house if you have a small house, and I really like having the trap outside. We have natural shingles with 0 soot on them, if that means anything.
 
Having some kind of rise maybe 5 feet or more will help from smoke entering the room if like the power goes out, this will help keep a draft. Personally In side or out does not matter.
 
I'm siding with the wife on this one. First time you vac
out the cleanout you'll know you made the right choice
by going out then up. Would have done mine that way
if I had options.
 
I plan on doing a corner install, with the vent running up then out for 3 reasons. 1st thing with this type of install, if you can visualize it, is I can eliminate the 45 degree elbow by rotating the 90 degree elbow 45 degrees on top of the 3' rise to make the wall penetration perpendicular. I am also venting this above my deck. By going up then out, the penetration point will be 7' above the deck floor, up and out of the way of people bumping into it (although, genreally speaking, no one will be out on the deck in the heating season). The other reason is opinion based. IMHO, I think a vent pipe is much less unattractive rising up behind the stove on the inside, than on the outside of the house.
 
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