Can I use furnace pipe for wood stove?

[rdavis84]

I removed my furnace from my basement a couple years ago. Now the basement gets very cold in the winter and I want to install a wood stove for supplemental heat. The furnace I removed was an Olsen 80k btu oil fired forced hot air. My question is it possible to reuse the existing furnace vent pipe for the wood stove? It was suggested that the existing pipe would not be compatible with the heat generated from a wood stove. Looking at the pipe it appears to be double walled stainless, but there are no markings, how can I tell what kind of pipe it is? I was looking at the Englander 30-NCH to install. The existing pipe runs from the basement up through my first and second floors and through the roof. If I had to replace the pipe I would probably consider other options for heat in the basement.

Other information that may or may not be relevant; my first and second floors are heated by combination of mini-split heat pumps and a harman p38 pellet stove. The basement is well insulated with 4" rigid foam insulation (inside) all around, although it does contain my heatpump hot water tank which adds to the cold temperatures. My location is in MA, so I am only looking for supplemental heat for the basement on the coldest of winter days (which the last two years has been all winter long...).

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Jags]

No - you cannot use that pipe. It has to be pipe specific to wood burning appliances.

 

[begreen]

Agreed, most likely not, especially if you can't identify the specific pipe. It could be stainless but rated at 1700. On the off chance it is 2100 class A, follow the pipe up through the house and look for any identifying labeling on the pipe.

 

[bholler]

Most oild fired units would be hooked up with class a chimney if it was gas it could be b-vent but being oil i would bet it was class a. But with out any makings it is impossible to tell for sure so the safe bet is to replace it. Can you post some pics?

 

[Jags]

Most oild fired units would be hooked up with class a chimney

Interesting. Many moons ago when I still had an oil furnace I am quite positive it wasn't using class A pipe. Maybe that is more common in new configs? Or maybe a region thing??

 

[bholler]

Interesting. Many moons ago when I still had an oil furnace I am quite positive it wasn't using class A pipe. Maybe that is more common in new configs? Or maybe a region thing??

What was it then? I dont know of anything else available that would be used for oil

 

[begreen]

Isn't UL127 1700 deg pipe allowed? I thought pipe like MetalFab type L was allowed but could be wrong.

 

[bholler]

Isn't UL127 1700 deg pipe allowed? I thought pipe like MetalFab type L was allowed but could be wrong.

Yeah i guess it could be as long as it is 316 inner liner I just don't see it here at all. The only prefab chimneys i see on oil here is class a or the old asbestos chimneys

 

[Chinneysweep187]

Sorry and just thoroghly read your post and if it runs through the first and second floors its obviously the chimney . I would also assume it's class a which comes in two types 304 stainless and 316 and they would have used 316 cuz 304 is wood only . But 316 can handle both. I recommend as someone else said track in through the house and find identification to confirm. But I would say you'd be okay.

 

[bholler]

Sorry and just thoroghly read your post and if it runs through the first and second floors its obviously the chimney . I would also assume it's class a which comes in two types 304 stainless and 316 and they would have used 316 cuz 304 is wood only . But 316 can handle both. I recommend as someone else said track in through the house and find identification to confirm. But I would say you'd be okay.

I agree i think it is probably class a but without seeing it we cant jump to that conclusion

 

[Chinneysweep187]

I agree i think it is probably class a but without seeing it we cant jump to that conclusion

Agreed . I also feel that you would be able to see the ceramic wool insulation inside . Even the blocked off end has circles with white wool that can be seen. Could be standard double wall or "L vent" which I'm starting to think it is

 

[Chinneysweep187]

Just didn't think that at first because where I live people never run L vent up and out with ceiling pass through even though its allowed . It's mostly b vent

 

[begreen]

The best thing to do is have it inspected by a professional, experienced sweep that can do a positive ID of the pipe. If it is indeed class A, that person should also inspect the pipe condition for inner corrosion and verify it has the proper clearances to combustibles. We can't do this over the internet. You can find a certified sweep by typing in your zipcode at these sites:
www.csia,org
www.ncsg.org

 

[Chinneysweep187]

But honestly I'm pretty sure there is not markings on the pipe anywhere that say whether it's 316 or 304 stainless and you don't want to mix different acids from different fuels for one, not to mention if it was installed wrong from the get go and is only 304 it can't handle oil and then your gonna mix acids and make the corrosion even worse. That's a lesson to all a class a chimney without paperwork or markings really means nothing

 

[Jags]

What was it then? I dont know of anything else available that would be used for oil

It was a very old config piped into a central chimney. All is gone now, including the chimney. I really have no idea what it was.

 

[bholler]

It was a very old config piped into a central chimney. All is gone now, including the chimney. I really have no idea what it was.

oh was it going into a masonry chimney?

 

[Jags]

oh was it going into a masonry chimney?

Yes

But I digress.

 

[bholler]

Yes
But I digress.

oh well we have lots of that here to

 

[begreen]

Too much will give you indigression.