Thanks for all your input and time
@begreen - this is a big change after 41 years and a lot new technology to lear n- cat/no cat/ standing pipe liner/Flexible/ remove clay liner/ run flex down liner and what stove? Yikes Here is our set up in pic below.
Situation - Beneath the stone are 3 chimneys and the wood bin2 - block chimneys together on Left (facing), bin, then another unused block chimney with clay liner used for maybe half a year on Right - we had a lovely old Kalamazoo wood kitchen stove with the copper water bin and warming ovens - it was sweet. The leftmost chimney has dry-staked clay liner I know has cracks and who knows condition of block - we clean 1-2 X year only and have creosote smell when its damp - no rain cap(!) - the other 2 have rain caps - not sure why... We burn 8 mos/year - windy lake effect by Great Lakes region - In winter we burn constant and go through that full wood bin in a week.
View attachment 283015
Options -
1) wait til December when Sweep is scheduled to inspect then decide on relining with stack pipe or flex, get new baffles for the Elg and soldier on - preferred by the wood manager in the house and he wants stack pipe.
2) reline the chimney and find a stove that will have a R side load - front view will be nice feature of new stove, but that side load is rather critical. Then soapstone, hybrid, cat, no cat - how will all these function with our chimney set-up?
3) Its a big change so why not go big - it will be our last stove - get a nice front loader and tuck it in the wood storage place between the chimneys and connect it to the chimney on the Right (facing) that has hardly been used, probably with a new liner, as well. The storage bin is gouged stucco and needs a refinish anyway - I suspect a fine mason could put a concrete shelf across and we could store a little wood above the stove in the arch (all non-combustible surface). I suspect with a newer stove we won't go through that whole bin of wood in a week any longer and maybe we can stop the high loaded wheel barrow from coming through the front door
and across rugs....
What's your vote, my WoodFriends?