Planning for first stove in MN

[tylorklein]

Hi - I am currently in the planning stage for my first stove (just moved into a new house). The stove will not be our primary heat source but I hope by next winter to use it as a signifcant supplement to the propane furnace in our 3,900 sq ft well insulated home. I have a couple of questions I was hoping you all might be able to help answer:

1.) Can anyone recommend a good dealer / installer? We are located in the Elk River / Zimmerman area. I stopped into the shop in Anoka this weekend to get a quote and their price on the stove, etc. seemed reasonable (looking at a Lopi Liberty - estimate was about $2,100 on the stove; $1,300 on pipe and $850 to install) but the guy I talked to didn't seem super knowledgeable and I also want to get at least one more quote.

2.) Based on what I have read here and elsewhere online I plan to have the chimney in the interior; stove will be in the 33x30 basement rec room and pipe can go up from there through the main level (behind a built-in with at least 3-4 sq feet of clearance) and out the roof (at a pretty low point unfortunately - moderate roof slope). I was expecting to use double walled black pipe all the way up to the roof and then insulated on the exterior but the guy this weekend said they would use black double wall from the stove to the first floor 'junction box' and then insulated silver pipe in the first floor and out the roof. Does this sound right?

3.) Any comments or recommendations regarding the Liberty stove? The main attraction for me is the large firebox due to the size of space to heat.

If I left out any information that would help please just let me know. Thank you in advance for any guidance you can provide; this site is an amazing resource.

Thanks,

Tylor

 

[Jags]

but the guy this weekend said they would use black double wall from the stove to the first floor 'junction box' and then insulated silver pipe in the first floor and out the roof. Does this sound right?

Yes - that sounds correct. What will be the total length of pipe run?

 

[tylorklein]

Basement ceiling is 9'; main floor ceiling is 10'; probably some small amount of attic (less than 2') and then not sure how far above the roof line but I guess total of 22' - 28' from stove to end of chimney.

 

[jeff_t]

For a generalization, the only black pipe that can be installed must be visible. Once you hit a ceiling or wall transition, it must be class A pipe (the shiny stuff).

Lopi builds a good product. Those prices seem reasonable.

 

[begreen]

The Liberty is a big solid steel stove. It's very well made and a good heater. The firebox configuration is biased toward east/west loading, which helps it keep a shallower profile with less intrusion into the room.

 

[tylorklein]

Thanks for the input. Sounds like everything the guy suggested makes sense and pricing is reasonable. Given the cost and how long I plan to have this stove set-up I just wanted to get some confimation. One clarifying question; could we use class A just as the pipe goes throught the floor then back to double wall black through the main floor and A through and above the ceiling (wife likes the look of the black) or does that not make sense? Can the Class A be painted?

Thanks,

Tylor

 

[begreen]

Class A must be used all the way from the point where the stove pipe exits the stove room's envelope, either at the wall or ceiling. The class A pipe passing through the main floor should be protected from direct human contact by enclosing it in a chase or at least with a stiff screening that prevents children from touching it and possibly burning themselves. You can use galvanized class A pipe in the interior room and paint it black. But it should still be chased. I have a friend that got a variance and surrounded his pipe in decorative stainless perforated metal. If you do go galvanized, switch to stainless for the exterior portion for the longest life.

 

[firefirefire]

Hi Tylorklein,

Welcome to the wonderful world of heating with wood. You may also want to talk to Fred at DJ's fireplace in Monticello. They have locations in Albertville and Elk River as well but the Monticello location is where they show most of the wood burning product. They are also a Blaze King dealer which would be worth you time to look at given the stove size you are looking for.

As for your chimney question, you may only run double wall connector pipe in the room that the stove is located. The class a chimney can be painted but it really should be boxed in. You don't want to have to worry about someone putting combustibles too close and causing a fire.

Hope this helps!

 

[tylorklein]

That is all super helpful and I will definitely check out DJs as well as look into Blaze King. With respect to boxing / chasing the chimney through the second floor - my hope is to have the chimney come up behind a tall (probably 8') built-in shelving unit (area behind it is a triangle - probably 2-3' on each side with nothing but some a/v wires that i could easily enough bundle and secure to the built-in. In this context would it be OK / advisable to just run the class A exposed (since nobody could get back there) or would some sort of chasing still be recommended?

Thanks again for all the input - greatly appreciated.

Tylor

 

[jeff_t]

I know Selkirk requires the pipe to be in a chase anywhere it is in the living area, even if it is thru a closet, storage space, or some unused room. Pretty much the only place it can be exposed is in the attic, and then only if the attic isn't used for storage. Most manufacturers are probably the same, and I doubt your inspector would sign off otherwise.

 

[begreen]

Local code here requires it be chased.

 

[begreen]

That is all super helpful and I will definitely check out DJs as well as look into Blaze King. With respect to boxing / chasing the chimney through the second floor - my hope is to have the chimney come up behind a tall (probably 8') built-in shelving unit (area behind it is a triangle - probably 2-3' on each side with nothing but some a/v wires that i could easily enough bundle and secure to the built-in. In this context would it be OK / advisable to just run the class A exposed (since nobody could get back there) or would some sort of chasing still be recommended?

Electronics are not particularly happy in consistent high temp environments. The class A pipe will definitely be radiating warmth. I would isolate the class A from the electronics with some sort of chase protection.

PS: Why consider painting the pipe in this location? Is the AV shelving open? If so the heat build up would be less of an issue.

 

[tylorklein]

The reason i was asking about paint is the ceiling in the room is 10' and the built-in only goes up about 8' so there will be about 2' between the top of the built-in which the chimney is behind and the ceiling box where the pipe will be visible. The only electronics in the area are all on the other side of the shelving (thick solid mahogany) so I was assuming that the 2' open area at the top and space / wood between the class A and electronics would mitigate any potential heat issues for the TV. If its going to be a potential issue for the cords that are behind the built-in I could always insulate those. Sounds like I need to get a contractor who knows stoves and local code out to consult. Thanks again for all the help!

Tylor

 

[tylorklein]

Quick update: After quite a bit of shopping around and additional research I finally went to see Fred at DJs last Friday. Great recommendation from FFF as Fred really seems to know his stuff and was super helpful explaining everything to us and showing the different stove features and mechanisms.

We settled on a Blazeking Sirocco 30 that they had on the floor (no wait) based largely on the burn time and steady heat output since our schedules keep us away from home for relatively long stretches at time. Part way through CADing the whole install out Fred noticed some potential issues (floor trusses in the way and exiting at a roof ridge since we have gabled ends). He came out in-person to check everything out and it sounds like we'll be going out the basement wall and then an exterior chimney (not ideal but hopefully OK since it will still be a tall chimney).

My dad just brought over a cord of mid-teens MC oak, maple and ash (new MM came in the mail thanks to finding this site) so we're just waiting on the install and it will be burning time! Got over a foot of snow since Sunday night so it's going to be just in time I guess. Thanks everyone for the input and advice - will be back once we're operational to report on results and probably ask a bunch more questions...

 

[begreen]

Good deal. Keep us posted and take pics as the stove and chimney are installed.

 

[tylorklein]

My BK Sirocco should be installed sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas it sounds like. Unfortunately they need to rent a lift/boom to install the exterior chimney so that added some extra cost but I am hoping to have them install a chimney in our apartment down in the shed at the same time to get maximum value from that additional cost. In the meantime I have been working on the hearth construction - 2x10 frame, 5/8 particle board, 1/2 durock and then natural slate tile. Just waiting on the mosaic front pieces to come in for the face and then grout/seal and should be good to go. Also started collecting various stove accessories such as MM, IR gun, CO2 detector, torch and weather station with a bunch of remote sensors for various areas of the house. All this excitement has motivated me to start on wood for the future (have a cord under 18% and a stash of eco bricks for this year so far) as well so I've been felling trees and splitting the last couple weekends. Was going to buy a splitter but decided to go with the Fiskars instead based on this forum (and hard to justify not splitting by hand when I am under 30 years old...). Thanks all for the advice and motivation - this site is an amazing resource. Will post more pictures once the hearth is done and as the stove is installed...

(Hopefully the pictures work - when I hit preview they just show as links)

Before:



During:



During:



After:



Fun with stove accessories:



Starting on next year's wood:



Reserve wood for this year once the dry oak, ash and maple is burned up:

 

[tylorklein]

Tomorrow is install day. Hearth is ready to go and I will be working from home to keep and eye on things and take pictures. Since i have to pay for the lift rental anyway my dad is having them install a 12' chimney kit in his apartment (in our pole barn) at the same time as well (he's waiting on an Englander 17 from HD since the first one showed up at the store with significant damage). I'll post pictures once its all in the books - my wife thinks I am a nerd - so excited!

 

[brad wilton]

sounds like your already addicted and you didn't even lighther up yet have fun

 

[tylorklein]

The Sirocco is installed and currently stinking up my basement as the paint cures. Everything went well and seems to be running just fine so far with the cat well into the active range and glowing (thermo right on the upper edge of 'normal') and the stove top at 450 in the corners and just over 700 right above the cat. Picture story below.

The truck arrives...



Then the boom (6/12 roof + ice and snow = $500 boom rental)


And all the components are accounted for...


So the chimney goes up... (can't figure out how to rotate the picture once its in here)


And the inside work is done...


So it's time for the first fire...



And fingers crossed that the smell is gone by the time the wife gets home...



Thanks to everyone who contributes to this site - without you all I would not have ended up with anything near this set up and I would have even less clue what I am doing...

Coming up next; the apartment install pictures (they are working on it now). In case anyone is interested in the technical part they used all Selkirk components. We have I thinnk 18' of class A outside the house and it's double wall stove pipe. the stove pipe is running around 225 currently - seem reasonable?

Thanks again!

 

[Jags]

stove pipe is running around 225 currently - seem reasonable?

Measuring the surface temp of a double wall pipe won't really yield much useful information. If the installers are still there, ask them if they have a probe thermo on the truck they can install for you.

ETA: Nice looking install.

 

[tylorklein]

They actually said they normally do but were out or didn't have one so if I stop by the shop they'll give me one to install. The pipe temp dropped a lot once I turned the thermo down a bit though. Just shut the door and windows so starting from 50 in the basement. We'll see how quick it heats with the fan running...

 

[tylorklein]

So far I can't say enough about the sirocco. Have tried a number of settings and fan speeds ranging from about 16 hour burn set near 2 with no fans to a 7 hour on max with fans almost all the way. Reloaded tonight at 7 and shut it down and wife said "I think your fire is out" tried showing her the cat probe and glowing cat but no dice so turned off the light and she saw the glow and could still fell the heat so she's sold.