Hello! Just recently started exploring this forum although I have known about it for years. We purchased a new property that needs significant renovation and we are in the planning stage for this renovation happening Spring 2024. Currently there is a masonry chimney through the center of the house from the basement wood stove. The stove and chimney have seen better days (stove is too big, overfired etc, base of chimney is cracked and there are metal bands around it) so we need to address those at minimum. We are leaning away from a masonry chimney through the center of the house because of layout challenges. I was thinking of doing an exterior stainless chimney with a new stove in the basement which would be used for primary heat for a few years until a wood boiler can be installed to heat several buildings that are planned. The exterior chimney pushes the stove to an outside wall which seems less than ideal. If you were starting from scratch what would you recommend?
New Build/Renovation - Chimney options
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A centrally located interior chimney is much better for heating, draft, and a clean flue. It also looks a lot better. If the current chimney is removed, then there will be an open shaft to play with.
EbS-P
Minister of Fire
It seems that the new chimney is just then “Temporary”. Or will it just then just be back up heat to the boiler? Tough choices. New stove and 2 story (minimum) class A won’t be cheap. Has to be north of $5k for a value stove and chimney pipe.
Still in the planning phase so anything is “possible”. I would be considering if it was possible to install the boiler sooner.
Starting from scratch with the idea that the stove would not be main heat for a few years…… basement probably won’t be finished? Plan on loosing 1/3 heat of the stove out the un insulated walls. But you know what you know how much you are burning. I say get rid of the central old masonry. Plan how air flow will heat the new addition from the basement carefully. Getting the stove out of the basement if it’s not used might be worth considering, but the you have the mess to deal with on the first floor.
Still in the planning phase so anything is “possible”. I would be considering if it was possible to install the boiler sooner.
Starting from scratch with the idea that the stove would not be main heat for a few years…… basement probably won’t be finished? Plan on loosing 1/3 heat of the stove out the un insulated walls. But you know what you know how much you are burning. I say get rid of the central old masonry. Plan how air flow will heat the new addition from the basement carefully. Getting the stove out of the basement if it’s not used might be worth considering, but the you have the mess to deal with on the first floor.
House is a 2 story with a walk out basement. Basement is currently main living space until we start renovations in the spring. The basement is finished and reasonably insulated. We are rural here (dirt roads) and I would like to at least have a wood stove for backup heat even with the future wood boiler installed. I would prefer to have the wood stove located centrally in the walk out basement for general heat flow but that would mean a chimney somewhere.
What would you use for a new chimney install (centrally located within house)? Masonry chimney with clay liner? Metal? I don’t want to put something in that I would need to replace in 5 - 10 years if I can help it.
We just moved here so I don’t know how much wood we will use for the upcoming heating season. I do have access to all the seasoned wood I will need via a family member just down the road.
I'd put in a high-quality, metal chimney. Unless it's abused, its lifespan should be in the 25-30-year range.
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