oops.

[potter]

Bought our house 3 years ago from a friend. She had originally cooked with a woodstove but later removed it and replaced it with a propane stove. This left the stainless pass through pipe at the apex of a 18' cathedral ceiling. It had a bandanna covering it.
I didn't have a ladder to reach it until recently (bought a Little Giant, great product). Anyway, you can probably guess where this is going. I'd always assumed the chimney was stuffed with insulation, or something. Pulled the cloth away and looked up at the bottom of the cap! The house is around 900 sq. ft. and rising propane costs drove us to get the oslo which I'm glad for- but it's painful to think how many logs, and dollar bills have exited through that hole. Ouch.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I agree! Ouch! But at least now you can fix it.

 

[potter]

Is there a commercially available stainless "cap" for the interior to make it look nice? I'm in the middle of fabbing something out of styrofoam, silicone and tin foil. Could do this and cover with material or something.... Will eventually remove it when roof is replaced 2-4 years from now. Would love to put in another stove, but house is small and need the space for the propane stove. Don't think wife or I want to take on the time and hassle of cooking with wood.

Anybody know of a cap? It's 8" double walled- don't know brand.

Heading up to 40* today-

 

[begreen]

I'm not sure if a cleanout tee cap would fit, but worth a try. I'd also plug up the top or cap it off so no wind-driven rain can get down the pipe.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Good venting for an electric bisquing kiln in the kitchen- and it's supplemental heat

 

[begreen]

LOL. My wife would see that as a perfect opportunity to install a nice, dampered vent hood. Of course it would have to come with a new Viking range under it.

 

[potter]

I think I prefer BeGreen's idea better than AP's. But why stop at a Viking- how about an AGA? Always been my fantasy stove. (Ok- pile on about the phrase "fantasy stove")

 

[downeast]

I think I prefer BeGreen's idea better than AP's. But why stop at a Viking- how about an AGA? Always been my fantasy stove. (Ok- pile on about the phrase "fantasy stove")

No fanatsy stove at all....if you live where they're used 24/7: Ireland. It can be damp and chilly there most of the year, on the west coast at least. My wife's family still has a farm there with an Aga that burns gas for cooking AND heat 24/7. A neighbor here in Maine has one that uses an incredible amount of LP. The Aga will not shut down. But they like it. It is $$$$$ and uses plenty of fuel.
Pretty stove.

 

[potter]

Yeah, the fact they run 24/7 and eat propane (and are absurdly expensive) is why it will remain a fantasy, Wish there was a stove visually like it but normally functional.

 

[begreen]

There's also Esse:

http://www.esse.com/cookers/index.html

 

[potter]

There's also Esse:

http://www.esse.com/cookers/index.html

yup, those look nice, too.

BTW, big day with the Oslo. Did a bottom up cleaning that produced just a couple cups of material. Also replaced the air control c/o Jotul.

Very glad to be a wood convert.

 

[begreen]

Are you glad you went with the bigger Jotul? If I remember right, you were nervous about this recommendation. How's it working out?

 

[potter]

Well, It's been the perfect choice so far. Toasty, but not usually too warm in house. Of course it will be interesting to see how plugging the 6" hole in the ceiling will change air flow from basement. (and wood consumption). We have an open stairway to basement. You can really feel the air stratification when the stove is running. I've held a candle at the bottom of the doorway and watched the flame sucked toward the stove. Raise the candle up to the top and the warm air exiting blows it the other way.
It looks like I'll use around 4 cords this year- about what I planned and have bought for next year.
Really enjoy the temp differences in the house- basement in 80's- rest 70.
The other thing I'm enjoying about the house/stove is the house is fieldstone (2 layers with insulation between). With the stove going 24/7 it really works as a heat sink. The stove is backed up against a massive stone chimney base which absorbs and then radiates alot of warmth.
Another part of the big stove/small house strategy is that we used our traditional fireplace in the fall when it was too warm for the stove- imagine we'll do so in the shoulder seasons from now on. For a regular fireplace it throws decent heat, enough to take the chill off. Also a good place to burn big ugly chunks of wood.
But again, I'm looking forward to seeing how much things change after plugging this hole.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Heating the house from the basement on 4 cord is doing well!

 

[potter]

The house is very small and open. Being a worrier I worry about the heat transfer upstairs now that I don't have a huge draft in the roof! Mostly kidding and hope I can cut wood consumption a little. My chimney was very clean this first cleaning, I know I've had a tendency to burn too open. I also have ben in the house more than usual after hurting my back- so I'm probably keeping it warmer during the day.
Website and pots look great, AP. Encourage all to check them out.