1. Welcome Hearth.com Guests and Visitors - Please enjoy our forums!
    Hearth.com GOLD Sponsors who help bring the site content to you:
    Jotul Cast Iron Stoves
    Woodstock Soapstone Stoves
    Hearth and Home (QuadraFire and Harman Stoves)
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. yardatwork New Member

    joined: Feb 6, 2009
    26 posts
    Western PA
    Here's a pic of my outside setup...

    Attached Files:

    #26

    Helpful Sponsor Ads!



  2. BurnIt13 Feeling the Heat

    joined: Jun 10, 2010
    334 posts
    Central MA
    Looks to me like you need about another 8 feet of chimney pipe. You need to be at least 2 feet higher than anything within 10 feet. It barely looks like you're two feet above the roof line.
  3. DanCorcoran Minister of Fire

    joined: Jan 5, 2010
    1,789 posts
    Richmond, VA
    Your chimney is definitely too short for the roof. It needs to be (if I remember correctly) 2 feet above any roof within 10 feet horizontally. I'd guess you need at least another 6 feet, maybe more.
  4. yardatwork New Member

    joined: Feb 6, 2009
    26 posts
    Western PA
    Damn...I was hoping I wasn't going to need more pipe...that's going to be TALL and awkward looking. I put my stove in the ONLY possible spot of the basement...and it looks like it might have been a bad spot.

    Well...thanks for all the help. I'll get another section of pipe for starters and see if that make a difference. I'll hold off on drill and modifying!
  5. burntime New Member

    joined: Aug 18, 2006
    2,395 posts
    C'mon hunting season!
    Wow, yep, that really needs more length! I bet it wakes up as soon as you add to it!
  6. BurnIt13 Feeling the Heat

    joined: Jun 10, 2010
    334 posts
    Central MA
    That stove should be kicking butt and taking names, especially in a basement. I'd tackle the easier (but not always cheaper) problems before moving on to custom modifications. Not that draft may be your only problem, but another 6-8 feet should remedy that possibility.

    As someone else mentioned, try some known dry wood just for the sake of science. After you add some length to the chimney if you are still having issues, cut up some 2x4s and build a fire. If it gets hotter than hades, your wood was wet.
  7. vvvv New Member

    joined: Feb 23, 2010
    1,449 posts
    MAINE
    I thhhhhought u said u had pre EPA stove at same location that worked better?
  8. BrotherBart He Who Moderates

    joined: Nov 18, 2005
    22,191 posts
    Northern Virginia
    He did. Happens all the time. People that have a pre-EPA stove install EPA stoves which require stronger draft and they are dis-satisfied with the performance of the new stove. As you have read many times here. When you actually buy and install a wood stove you will see what we mean.
  9. FireAnt Minister of Fire

    joined: Dec 18, 2009
    566 posts
    Central CT
    I hope it is just the pipe. My 13 heats my 1500 sq ft ranch like crazy! I get secondaries easily, and overnight burns.
  10. vvvv New Member

    joined: Feb 23, 2010
    1,449 posts
    MAINE
    what about the fla bungalow syndrome?
  11. yardatwork New Member

    joined: Feb 6, 2009
    26 posts
    Western PA
    I had a smaller non-EPA that I sold and bought a bigger EPA. The smaller, non-EPA heated my house without issue. From what everyone is saying...I DO have a draft issue for the EPA stove.
  12. BrotherBart He Who Moderates

    joined: Nov 18, 2005
    22,191 posts
    Northern Virginia
    When you actually buy a wood stove and install it in a bungalow in Florida you will see what we mean.
  13. yardatwork New Member

    joined: Feb 6, 2009
    26 posts
    Western PA
    I put the fiber board back in (in two piece though!), DID NOT drill any holes and add the damper, and tomorrow I will get another section of chimney. Calling for 40s this weekend, so I'll get to use this baby and see if the draft issue was the issue.
  14. vvvv New Member

    joined: Feb 23, 2010
    1,449 posts
    MAINE
    sounds like a retirement plan?
  15. Bigg_Redd Minister of Fire

    joined: Oct 19, 2008
    2,966 posts
    Shelton, WA
    Nope.

    My EPA certified stove blasts the heat.

    But I didn't buy mine at Lowes. . .
  16. yardatwork New Member

    joined: Feb 6, 2009
    26 posts
    Western PA
    Off topic...but nice avatar...TOOL fan?!?
  17. BrotherBart He Who Moderates

    joined: Nov 18, 2005
    22,191 posts
    Northern Virginia
    No sympathy for you here. Find any cracks in it yet? :lol:
  18. daryl Feeling the Heat

    joined: Jul 19, 2009
    342 posts
    Western WI
    If your roof pitch is 6/12 you need 84" of pipe above the roof. 5/12 needs 74", 4/12 needs 64" so on and so forth. Any thing over 60" needs a roof brace kit. That has been code before EPA stoves ever came out.
  19. Fake coal burner Member

    joined: Nov 11, 2008
    183 posts
    Salt Lake City Utah
    Take a look at old homes that use to burn coal or wood Chimney is higher than the highest peek of the roof. Even new homes around here thet have gas furnaces have the pipe sticking above the highest peek of the roof . :coolhmm: Don't for get to compensate for the elbows and altitude you are at. Go higher. :bug:
  20. oldspark Minister of Fire

    joined: Feb 16, 2010
    5,117 posts
    North West Iowa
    When yard said the chimney was 2 1/2 ft above rood line I thought he meant peak, I gotta pay more attention.
  21. BrotherBart He Who Moderates

    joined: Nov 18, 2005
    22,191 posts
    Northern Virginia
    I am convinced that the height rule has more to do with not setting the roof on fire than it does with draft. I understand needing the height to incite draft but don't know what the heck distance from the roof slope has to do with draft since it is working on temperature differential.
  22. precaud Minister of Fire

    joined: Jan 20, 2006
    2,272 posts
    Sunny New Mexico
    In this instance, I wouldn't agree. Direction of cold air flow on that roof is down into the chimney.

    Also, if he extends this chimney up, he probably will need to brace it, lest it blow away...
  23. yardatwork New Member

    joined: Feb 6, 2009
    26 posts
    Western PA
    I read over the owner's manual for taking the chimney up and off set from the peak of the house. It had a diagram and showed placing the outside chimney just like I have mine. It never mentioned having it up past the peak (no matter where you place it). It specified the 2' or 2 1/2' feet rule. What ever it was, I'm right at the coded height above roof line. I personally don't see how adding another section or two of chimney will make the stove burn significantly better. The top of my stove should be getting hot no matter what in my opinion.
  24. precaud Minister of Fire

    joined: Jan 20, 2006
    2,272 posts
    Sunny New Mexico
    Methinks you aren't seeing the problem because you are underestimating the role and importance of the chimney in this whole event. Unless there is something wrong with your stove, or your wood isn't seasoned, the problem HAS TO BE with the chimney. What else could it be?

    Pre-EPA stoves helped make marginal chimneys work OK because they dumped much more of their heat into them. Hotter chimney = more draft.

    Indoor vs outdoor temperature differentials also affect chimney draft. It's not very cold in western PA now.

    If the prevailing wind is from the opposite side of the roof (other side of the peak) then the chances of a downdraft at your chimney top are increased.
  25. oldspark Minister of Fire

    joined: Feb 16, 2010
    5,117 posts
    North West Iowa
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page