Inside Corner Flue Clearance Concerns

Last year, I bought a home in CNY with 2 wood stoves already installed. After tinkering somewhat over the past winter, I've decided that I would like to replace both stoves in order to try to heat primarily with wood.

Of concern is the downstairs small Jotul corner setup, particularly the clearance of the flue where it enters the wall. The previous owner used a double wall pipe at that point, and there is only 6 inches clearance from the center of that pipe to the adjacent wall.

Most diagrams that I see regarding installation clearance, dictate 12-16 inches of clearance between the wall and where the flue exits the top of the stove. Does the manufacturer's clearance extend from the stove to where the flue enters the wall? If so, I don't think any stove will work with the existing setup with only 6 inches between the center of the flue and the closest wall on an inside corner.

I certainly want to operate my wood stoves safely, and not do anything that could nullify my homeowners insurance coverage in the event of a fire that caused damage to my home.

I'd really appreciate any feedback that those of you with experience in such matters might care to offer! I've added some pics of a sample installation diagram with corner measurements, and 3 different views of the existing corner setup in question. Please let me know if any other images would be helpful.

It's about 6 feet from floor to where flue enters the wall near the corner. You're spot on about the draft, it's a complete pain to get a fire going in that white Jotul. Especially compared to the upstairs stove on the main level which has a straight shot up to the roof of about 12-15 feet.

I'm not sure how I can possibly make this downstairs flue connection work in a safe and effective way. It appears that the previous owner simply ignored code and manufacturer's specifications in order to achieve a desired look. Personally, I'm not a fan of form being more important than function.

My partner and I prefer to sleep in a cool space, and the one time I managed a decent fire in the Jotul, it was primarily for aesthetics since we didn't want to get blasted out of the room where we sleep.

The white Jotul stove in in a room that was previously used as a family room, so it’s pretty big. We’re now using it as an oversized bedroom. It’s not a traditional basement, rather a split level hybrid home with permanent wood foundation built on 2 separate slabs into a hillside. It’s a really unique contemporary home, and we love it.

Yes, the room pictured is on the lowest floor with French doors that exit to a 3-season room. The house is pretty tight, all windows are crank out so when closed any wind actually increases the seal, though I've not specifically tested the house. However, I do feel a draft near front door where there is a large 4-gang switch box. There are also recessed light cans in kitchen that may not be sealed too well. The thimble goes directly into a metal chimney outside that is encased in drywall in 3-season room with a small door for clean out access. The metal chimney pipe goes straight up from there and is boxed in, but there's no heat warming it up in any way.