Venting small freestanding stove under 30" windows?

  • 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.
U

UncleLongHair

Member
Jul 14, 2008
6
Northern Virginia
I'm considering installing small stove (wood or gas, probably gas) in living room. The room has windows all around it about 30" off of the floor. My idea is to vent the stove horizontally under the windows.

I've been looking at the installation guides for the smaller stoves (i.e. Jotul GF 100), and it looks like they might fit. They say that there has to be 9-12" of clearance (depending on the power of the stove I guess) between any flue components and windows. Some of the smaller stoves are 20-22" high, the vents in the back are 15-20" at their highest point, and "on paper" this seems to fit. Then on the outside, they have different kinds of caps, but the ones for the smaller stoves would fit.

So this seems like it would be possible, but I can't find any examples of this online, and talked to the sales guy at a local stove store and he said he wasn't sure. Any help appreciated.

Uncle
 
UncleLongHair said:
I'm considering installing small stove (wood or gas, probably gas) in living room. The room has windows all around it about 30" off of the floor. My idea is to vent the stove horizontally under the windows.

I've been looking at the installation guides for the smaller stoves (i.e. Jotul GF 100), and it looks like they might fit. They say that there has to be 9-12" of clearance (depending on the power of the stove I guess) between any flue components and windows. Some of the smaller stoves are 20-22" high, the vents in the back are 15-20" at their highest point, and "on paper" this seems to fit. Then on the outside, they have different kinds of caps, but the ones for the smaller stoves would fit.

So this seems like it would be possible, but I can't find any examples of this online, and talked to the sales guy at a local stove store and he said he wasn't sure. Any help appreciated.

Uncle
Click to expand...

To the best of my understanding, any solid fuel wood burning device HAS to be vented vertically.

The chimney needs to come out of your roof, and be 2 foot above anything within 10 feet of it.
 
I believe 12" is the old ANSI Z21.88 standard. They updated the clearances around 2005 and a lot of them are closer than before. Could be Jotul did their own testing and found it needed to be father away on some units, but what's more likely is that the unit was put on the market before 2005 and the manual has yet to be updated.

If the window above the vent can open, I wouldn't vent it that way. While the likelihood of you burning the appliance with the window open is rare, it could happen (burnt dinner) and you'd be sucking the exhaust into your home.
 
Oh wait, I looked it up in the standard. Here's what page 122 of ANSI Z21.88 2005 describes for vertical clearance from a window that can be opened:

US Requirements:
"6 inches (15 cm) for appliances ≤10,000 Btuh (3 kW), 9 inches (23 cm) for appliances > 10,000 Btuh (3 kW) and ≤ 50,000 Btuh (15 kW), 12 inches (30 cm) for appliances > 50,000 Btuh (15 kW)"

If I'm reading this correctly it's the same for windows that can not be opened.
 
If you look at this picture from the Jotul web page:

http://www.jotul.com/FileArchive/Photos/Gas Stoves/Jøtul GF 100/Int/GF100_BF_int_04.jpg

This is exactly the kind of situation I have with the stove under a window (though that might just be a mock-up).

According to the manual for that model, the center of the flue is at 16 3/4" and the flue is 6 5/8" x 4" which I assumes a maximum diameter of 6 5/8", which would make the top of the flue 20 1/16" off the floor. Assuming 9" of clearance to the windows, it fits below the windows 30" above the floor with a few inches to spare.

But I am not sure about the cap on the outside of the wall. Is 9" required between that and the window too?

The pictures of the caps in the manual show that the caps aren't any taller than the stove itself, which is about 22". So that would not make it under a window 30" off the floor, but what is the requirement?

Uncle
 
Uncle,

Yes the outer diameter of the pipe is 6-5/8". That's a standard size pipe used in the industry. The 9" is from the top of the horizontal termination cap. Looking at the second link you provided, I clicked on the right image under "Technical Data for Jotul...." it looks like the total height from the floor to the cap is 469+.5(410)=674mm's ~ 26.5". So 26.5"+9" clearance =35.5"

I skimmed through the Jotul install manual, and didn't see anything that showed exactly how close you could terminate under a window so I'd have to refer to ANSI Z21.88 - the US standard it was certified to.

I attached a diagram from page 122 of ANSI Z21.88 2005, and as you can see they show the dimension taken from the top of the cap [V].

I could be wrong, but this is how I interpret it. You may want to call the Jotul customer service line and ask for a specific dimension.



UncleLongHair said:
If you look at this picture from the Jo web page:

http://www.jo.com/FileArchive/Photos/Gas Stoves/Jøtul GF 100/Int/GF100_BF_int_04.jpg

This is exactly the kind of situation I have with the stove under a window (though that might just be a mock-up).

According to the manual for that model, the center of the flue is at 16 3/4" and the flue is 6 5/8" x 4" which I assumes a maximum diameter of 6 5/8", which would make the top of the flue 20 1/16" off the floor. Assuming 9" of clearance to the windows, it fits below the windows 30" above the floor with a few inches to spare.

But I am not sure about the cap on the outside of the wall. Is 9" required between that and the window too?

The pictures of the caps in the manual show that the caps aren't any taller than the stove itself, which is about 22". So that would not make it under a window 30" off the floor, but what is the requirement?

Uncle
Click to expand...
 

Attachments

  • Z21.jpg
    Z21.jpg
    86.5 KB · Views: 1,123
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Justin3356
Trouble with flame height, Jotul GF 160 DV
Replies
8
Views
960
It's a Gas!
AdkAl
A
S
Suggestions for a very wide / large direct vent fireplace?
Replies
0
Views
507
It's a Gas!
shaquille.oatmeal
S
H
Wood stove question, Will venting sweat
Replies
13
Views
466
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
begreen
begreen
A
Ditch the ZC for freestanding woodstove or make a Montepellier II work...
Replies
19
Views
576
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
stoveliker
stoveliker
P
Direct Vent Stove to B-Vent Chimney
Replies
3
Views
2K
It's a Gas!
chrisarrington
C
Top Bottom
Back