Can I run two woodburning stoves off one chimney?

[Joey1boy]

Hello: I have a smaller Lopi Answer in my fireplace downstairs, which I've hooked up with a 6" stainless steel liner through the existing chimney. I want to add a bigger stove on the second floor.
My question: can I vent the bigger second floor woodburner (thinking of a Woodstock Fireview) into the chimney by cutting a fisheye into the ss liner, or will this create too much heat and/or draft problems?
Thanks again - Kelly

 

[Rhone]

No, that would be an illegal install (against code) unless your chimney has 2+ different flues and one is not being used by anything else. I have a chimney with 2 flues one runs my insert the other my boiler. For me to get another wood burning appliance I'd have to install a new stainless chimney or remove my boiler to make that flue available. It's not possible for 2 appliances to share the same flue unless specifically designed and tested to do so (which I believe are only multi-fuel boilers).

You can install Class A chimney and have it go through your ceiling & out your roof, you're basically installing a new chimney. Many people go that route when they want to do what you're saying, or their house either has no chimney or no more available flues and want to add a stove. Plus, it gives you a lot of freedom where you want to put the stove, done all the time.

Roosterboy did an excellent job of documenting and taking pictures of his stove install. You can see how his house I believe didn't have a flue for his stove so he installed a Class A chimney. He did an excellent job of documenting and taking pictures to give you a sense what's involved. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/3437/

 

[Mike Wilson]

Elk posting in 3... 2... 1...

 

[Joey1boy]

Thanks for the confirmation of what I believed. Thought maybe it was just a rule honored in the breach.
Elk posting?
Thanks - Kelly

 

[hardwood715]

Elk posting?

Elkimmeg is our forum expert on code, safety, and common sense. I feel we are very lucky to have a fellow woodburner who not only shares his knowledge of stoves, wood, and the hearth in general, but also takes the time to explain the reasoning behind the code, he has saved my ass in the past, and can help prevent you making mistakes that could eventually backfire so to speak, causing harm or damage to yourself or property! Also Elk (don) is a cerified inspector in the state of Massachusetts, for installations of hearth products!

 

[elkimmeg]

I did not post right a wauy as this has benn adequately explained and wanted to delay's Mike's countdown

Two sepatate appliances (wood stoves) c code wise cannot be installed into the same flue. this is also the first question most insurance companies will ask about your current wood stove and setup.
But why?

your current stove has been designed to use the space and capacities of your existing liner. Doubling it, by adding another stove to it, will backdraft one or the other, Twice the vollume of smoke has to go somewhere. Unfortunately that somewhere will back it up in another stove. Besides the home constantly being back puffed with smoke, (Not a wife pleaser to have brownish yelllow ceilings and smoke film covering everything), with that exhaust is Carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is the #1 poisoning in USA today concerning hopitalizations and deaths.

Fortunately you had enought doubt and hesitation, to post here before you did something real stupid and put you and your familly in grave danger. Back in the 50's a lot of appliances were installed incorrectly The codes were devised to protect, people the general public, and in many cases from themselves

Welcome aboard to hearth.com