Making my own flue / chimney

I doubt if an insurance policy would cover it. Chimney is a one time fixed cost, and it's not that bad if you buy your stuff through Lowes.

Hey, go for it...whaddya got to lose? What the hell do all those engineers and code weenies know anyways? Bunch o' dummies if ya ask me. Heck, those lame-brains don't even think you should have a wood-burning stove in a garage in the first place. Imagine that. What the heck are those wussies smokin'? Good luck. Rick

Yeah... pipe is the least of your "code" worries. As fossil pointed out, its not legal to install a wood stove in a garage in most places.

Most codes state, and require, "approved for use" To most inspectors that means UL or manufacturer approval. Codes do allow an inspector to "approve for use". That means that they would evaluate it and approve it in lieu of a UL approval for example. As you might expect, not many inspectors will stick their neck out that far. So in order to be code compliant and as was stated in another post, satisfy your insurance company, you will probably have to purchace an approved chimney system.

The guys in the big red trucks may have to show up if you make
your own chimney flue! Hope they get there in time.

ya, first thing- code usually says no woodstoves in sheds. It goes downhill from there.

petersenj20 said:

I got a new Fisher wood stove for my garage. For free. I have wanted a heat stove for a long time, and this is the type I wanted. I got to thinking what it would take to vent the thing and it is proving quite expensive for double walled pipe and all the accoutrements.

I have another idea. I am a hobby blacksmith and am pretty adept at fireproofing.
I was planning on using 8" standard pipe from the stove and for the chimney utilizing a T with damper at the chimney base for ash dumping/cleaning. Through the wall with 8" inch tube wrapped with 1" high temp Kaowool (which I have), and then wrapped with 10" standard pipe.

Seems to me most of these double wall retail units are basically the same thing. The fireproofing is sound. My concern, living in a subdivision is that I am not "up to code". Any pro's or con's to this plan?

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The truth is this. Wood burning stoves in a garage are against code where I live. Despite this, they are out there.

I know this since I have attended 2 garage fires (total losses) in the past month. Each was caused by a wood stove. Lucky neither was attached to the house.

Wanna flip off the idiotic code? Go right ahead, friend.

Aye,
Marty
Grandma used to say, "Putting yourself a risk is bad judgement. Putting loved ones at risk is stupid."

The guy was asking a question, I don't quite think he deserved some of the responses here.

The fact is, if it's not illegal where he's at to put a wood stove in a pole barn or garage, then he's perfectly allowed to do so. If he's a blacksminth, he's probably got a coal fire going in there half the time with no flue.
Here in MI, it's perfectly legal (your township/city may vary), and where I live almost everyone has a wood stove in there barn or garage. That doesn't mean your allowed to give common sense to the wind, but in a free society, you make your own bed. I personally wouldn't put one in my attached garage, or a building of smallish size (would have to be 30x30 + for me), while others are perfectly comfortable doing so. You just need some plain common sense, adhere to the combustibles, ventilation issues from car /diesel/small engines/stored liquids..etc...etc...just because there's no code book written about it, or your state or city doesn't allow it, doesn't mean it cannot be done safely.

As to the making your own flue, I don't think I would do that. As the first poster' was trying to convey, sarcasm aside, there's alot of design and metallurgy features that go into a proper flue. I don't know of any 8" "standard" pipe. What kind of pipe, what wall thickness???? It may seem like just some sheetmetal with kaowool in the middle, but it's quite a bit more than that.

Marty S said:

petersenj20 said:

I got a new Fisher wood stove for my garage. For free. I have wanted a heat stove for a long time, and this is the type I wanted. I got to thinking what it would take to vent the thing and it is proving quite expensive for double walled pipe and all the accoutrements.

I have another idea. I am a hobby blacksmith and am pretty adept at fireproofing.
I was planning on using 8" standard pipe from the stove and for the chimney utilizing a T with damper at the chimney base for ash dumping/cleaning. Through the wall with 8" inch tube wrapped with 1" high temp Kaowool (which I have), and then wrapped with 10" standard pipe.

Seems to me most of these double wall retail units are basically the same thing. The fireproofing is sound. My concern, living in a subdivision is that I am not "up to code". Any pro's or con's to this plan?

Click to expand...

The truth is this. Wood burning stoves in a garage are against code where I live. Despite this, they are out there.

I know this since I have attended 2 garage fires (total losses) in the past month. Each was caused by a wood stove. Lucky neither was attached to the house.

Wanna flip off the idiotic code? Go right ahead, friend.

Aye,
Marty
Grandma used to say, "Putting yourself a risk is bad judgement. Putting loved ones at risk is stupid."

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Easy Marty, :smirk: He didn't say he didn't want to be code compliant. I have been in the fire service and code enforcement for 31 years. The goal is a safe installation. The codes are a minimum standard for sure. But I think petersenj20, being new to this thread, was just asking what we thought not really knowing. If the inspector will approve what he makes, and he can, it is code compliant.

There are many wood stoves in barns and garages in Michigan. I know of some folks who have just used pipe or well casing for their chimneys. Most of those do have big stoves and keep them really hot. Probably difficult to get a fire going from scratch but once the pipe warms up it is fine. One fellow who I know has this type of setup in his garage where he does a lot of body work and some mechanical. He is also a farmer.

It's perfectly legal here and many people have them. I have seen many home made chimneys, including but not limited to corrugated drainage pipe and cast iron drain pipe.(I'm not here to vouch for them but they do work) If you know what you are doing it can be made safely. If you are one of those who has others do and fix most things for them, then take care. As a Blacksmith you probably have more experience with fire than the vast majority of folks on here. When some people hear about something they have only read about in negative terms and have no first hand knowledge of, they immediately panic and fall back on big brothers rules, because in the absence of personal knowledge/experience that's all they have to go on. Rural folks tend to see thing a bit different than folks who dwell on a 1/2 acre lot and couldn't rebuild there own lawn mower. JMO and it's probably worth less than you paid for it.
Joe

Lets just say for example, the wood stove is in the center of a 50 X 50 foot open structure, only outside walls, steel framed, metal covered, sitting on a 4 in concrete floor, the flue is homemade, 1/8" thick round welded steel, straight up to a metal roof on steel trusses 4 feet apart, and supported. The flue system is not UL or some other 3rd party approved but obviously safe. You don't need to be an engineer or a code expert, common sense says it all in this example. The flue will never get anything hot that can catch on fire, it will not fail, burn through, or rust. I would say that it is as safe as it gets and as a code official, I would approve it. The rural folks often build there own, and in my experience, often do it with some good sense. That's why they survive out there. Just thought this example might help. Be Safe, Steve

Sorry, one more thing. petersenj20, This group is passionate about wood burning and no matter what, we all want to help. Sometimes we get carried away doing it. Welcome to the forum.

Guess it depends on how far "West of Atlanta" the OP is. But he did say he was in a subdivision, so I suspect that both the stove in the garage and the homemade pipe is a total no go. Now, if he moves 200 miles inland to a farm on 40 acres, local enforcement might not care as much. But there's more at stake in a subdivision, where it's not just his home and family that could be at risk, but the neighbors as well. I s'pect that both code enforcement and insurance folks would frown on this, to say the least.

Peace,
- Sequoia

Hmmm . . . I'm pretty sure the NFPA code only recognizes masonry and factory-built (metal type) chimneys . . . well they do allow constructed type . . . but generally these are found in industrial occupancies and are designed and signed off by an engineer.

I can only say that here (and even in my own podunk small town) both the garage install and home-made chimney would most likely not be approved by the Fire Inspector . . . that's not to say there aren't garage installs and home-built chimneys (and some of these may even be fairly safe installs) however.

Just for the record.
1. NFPA Standards are just that, standards. They are generally referenced by codes that have been adopted by governmental bodies into law, or they may be adopted in their entirety and become law. That is not to say that you might not be held to a standard or code if none are adopted in your area. When things go wrong, the courts tend to look at what is most acceptable - the standards and codes.
2. NFPA 211, section 1.4 states "Equivalency. Nothing in this standard is intended to prevent the use of systems, methods, or devices of equivalent or superior quality, strength, fire resistance, effectiveness, durability, and safety over those prescribed by this standard." The standard requires technical documentation to be submitted to the AHJ to demonstrate equivalency, and the system, method, or device shall be approved for the intended purpose by the AHJ.

petersenj20 said:

I may not have been clear what I was asking. I want to find actual code or where to look for actual code. I guess could call code enforcement but I don't want to raise any eyebrows. The internet is great for it's anonymity.

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petersenj20, You will not find the codes on the internet. If you want the actual printed code you will have to buy it. Sorry, but your code official is the best source for answers.

"I guess could call code enforcement but I don’t want to raise any eyebrows. The internet is great for it’s anonymity. Safety will always be my main concern. I don’t want to burn my house down, but will agree I don’t have to be an engineer or work for a lab to know what I propose is safe."

I disagree 100%. In this case you want to raise as many eyebrows as possible and make sure the code officials know exactly what you plan as even the smallest detail you may overlook could cause you to lose your house and possibly your life. The codes are there for your protection.

Codes are not there for your protection, they were simply invented by the insurance companies as a way to place blame when something goes wrong. Code officials often interpret the code as they see fit, meaning the AHJ next door will interpret it completely different. People can install what they want in their own home, just don't expect the insurance company to pay for your loss, and expect to get sued if you cause some one else a loss. Make a decision will all the info. Thanks tfdchief for keeping a level head.

mrmojo182 said:

Codes are not there for your protection, they were simply invented by the insurance companies as a way to place blame when something goes wrong. Code officials often interpret the code as they see fit, meaning the AHJ next door will interpret it completely different. People can install what they want in their own home, just don't expect the insurance company to pay for your loss, and expect to get sued if you cause some one else a loss. Make a decision will all the info. Thanks tfdchief for keeping a level head.

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mrmojo182, Thank you. I do try very hard to be objective and fair and still provide the measure of safety that building to the codes provide. I sure hope you really don't believe what you said. I have always said that it is very hard to argue with building and fire codes because they are not proactive, they are reactive. That is, historically we have not written codes to keep bad things from happening....rather we wait until they happen and then try to write a code to prevent it from happening in the future. That of course, can only go so far. You simply can not regulate people so completely that they have no free choice, not in a democratic society. I don't know if we are at that point or not, but I do know that I have spent most of my life trying to help people, much of which has been through code enforcement....and that is the only intention I have ever had....help people stay safe. Unfortunately, the other half of my job involves helping them when they are not safe and in harms way. Following the codes when installing a chimney for a wood burner will provide protection for life and property. My 2 cents, Steve