I currently burn through about 3 cords of wood per season in my house (Jotul F55) through ~20 feet of 6" Class A chimney pipe. Stove vents off top up about 4 feet into a 90 ell, into a wall chase where it goes into a cleanout T and then straight up about 20 feet.
Overall things work okay but I've been constantly fighting smoke in the house whenever I have to reload. Have done the usual things based on feedback in the forum and while it's better, it's still there, have never solved it 100%. There's usually a fine layer of grey dust around the house by the end of burning season.
My wife is pregnant (due in May) and suffice to say she's concerned about burning wood and the possible respiratory effects on our newborn next year. Thus possibly this is my last season of burning.
I was thinking of changing over to a pellet stove, which (may?) solve some of the issues w/ getting smoke in the house, since I'd be loading in a hopper and not opening the firebox to reload.
However, can I vent a pellet stove into my class a chimney, or would I have to replace the chimney? The latter is not really an option, as the chimney runs through the center of the house and is for the most part enclosed in a chase which would require demolition/replacement/reconstruction (not to mention the hole in the roof). Perhaps a SS liner through the Class A? But how would I deal w/ the existing cleanout T and ell? (suppose I could disassemble it, but then I'm not sure what would be holding up what is above it.)
Any thoughts? Thanks
Overall things work okay but I've been constantly fighting smoke in the house whenever I have to reload. Have done the usual things based on feedback in the forum and while it's better, it's still there, have never solved it 100%. There's usually a fine layer of grey dust around the house by the end of burning season.
My wife is pregnant (due in May) and suffice to say she's concerned about burning wood and the possible respiratory effects on our newborn next year. Thus possibly this is my last season of burning.
I was thinking of changing over to a pellet stove, which (may?) solve some of the issues w/ getting smoke in the house, since I'd be loading in a hopper and not opening the firebox to reload.
However, can I vent a pellet stove into my class a chimney, or would I have to replace the chimney? The latter is not really an option, as the chimney runs through the center of the house and is for the most part enclosed in a chase which would require demolition/replacement/reconstruction (not to mention the hole in the roof). Perhaps a SS liner through the Class A? But how would I deal w/ the existing cleanout T and ell? (suppose I could disassemble it, but then I'm not sure what would be holding up what is above it.)
Any thoughts? Thanks