Complete Newb

[ccarlyle]

I will start by saying that I know close to nothing about wood burning stoves but I am eager to learn. The home I bought has a stove in the basement. The stove itself simply has a removable tray in the bottom, a combustion area and a side stove pipe outlet. The chimney is masonry and appears to have a clay liner in it. The chimney is on an exterior wall and there is a collar that penetrates the block wall in the basement about a 2 feet from the floor. The location of the collar prevents the stove from sitting directly in front of the collar/chimney so there is currently a 3' piece of mostly horizontal stove pipe from the stove to the collar.

This setup does not work well at all. The chimney doesnt draft properly at all. I have successfully burned wood in the stove however it must burn really hot in order to draft. I tried to burn some paper this past weekend and zero smoke went up the chimney, all of leaked out the front door when opened or leaked around the flue fittings.

I obviously have issues, I think multiple issues. I am guessing that having that much horizontal pipe is bad and I am not convinced that I dont need some type of liner in the chimney. I would love to use this stove even if it requires some re-working to make if functional. Any guidance from the pros would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Hogwildz]

I will start by saying that I know close to nothing about wood burning stoves but I am eager to learn. The home I bought has a stove in the basement. The stove itself simply has a removable tray in the bottom, a combustion area and a side stove pipe outlet. The chimney is masonry and appears to have a clay liner in it. The chimney is on an exterior wall and there is a collar that penetrates the block wall in the basement about a 2 feet from the floor. The location of the collar prevents the stove from sitting directly in front of the collar/chimney so there is currently a 3' piece of mostly horizontal stove pipe from the stove to the collar.

This setup does not work well at all. The chimney doesnt draft properly at all. I have successfully burned wood in the stove however it must burn really hot in order to draft. I tried to burn some paper this past weekend and zero smoke went up the chimney, all of leaked out the front door when opened or leaked around the flue fittings.

I obviously have issues, I think multiple issues. I am guessing that having that much horizontal pipe is bad and I am not convinced that I dont need some type of liner in the chimney. I would love to use this stove even if it requires some re-working to make if functional. Any guidance from the pros would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for any advice.

If I am understanding correctly and looking at the picture correctly, this set up is really bad.
Real pictures of the st0ve, and set up, pipe etc would be real helpful.

 

[Russ in Chicagoland]

If the collar is 2 feet from the floor, does that allow for the correct upward pitch from the stove outlet? Try and eliminate elbows in your stove pipe, they restrict draft. The cold, exterior chimney is also not helpful. Even if you get this thing to draft, is this stove surrounded by unfinished masonry walls? You will probably spend all your effort only to have the masonry walls suck the heat out of the area. Why not start fresh with an efficient stove and interior class A chimney placed centrally on the first floor? Take advantage of that tax credit! Otherwise, your current setup sounds like a challenge..

 

[SlyFerret]

Am I understanding that drawing correctly... 3 90-degree bends, all in a horizontal run of stove pipe?

-SF

 

[ccarlyle]

I will take some pictures tonight and post them. Yes there 3 90s in the stove pipe. There is a rise from the stove to the collar in the block wall but it is minimal at best; I will measure and note the exact rise. It sounds as if this is not going to work out well at all which honestly I was assuming to be the case. I will likely abandon it if I cannot make this one work. I also fear that even if it were working properly the heat to make it upstairs would be minimal. The basement is uninsulated 12" masonry. Sounds as if this deal was dead from square one when it was originally installed. Beleive me, it isnt the first thing in this house I have found that was "Tennessee Engineered".
Thanks for the replies, I appreciate it; pics will be posted tonight. Thanks again!

 

[firefighterjake]

If I'm seeing this as I think I'm seeing this I can say that without a doubt I have no question about whether or not there might be a drafting problem . . .

 

[madrone]

That setup is never going to work. Any chance of putting a stove upstairs in the living area?

 

[PapaDave]

If I'm seeing this as I think I'm seeing this I can say that without a doubt I have no question about whether or not there might be a drafting problem . . .

Jake,
you're really not a firefighter, are you? That sounded like politician speak. edit: :cheese:

I, like others, also think you have 2 too many elbows in there. Is there any way to eliminate the first 2?
If the flue collar is below the wall thimble, you could have a slight rise from the collar to the elbow, then a short run/rise to the thimble. Might help. The liner is a good idea too.
If funds allow, Russ may have the best answer.

 

[firefighterjake]

If I'm seeing this as I think I'm seeing this I can say that without a doubt I have no question about whether or not there might be a drafting problem . . .

Jake,
you're really not a firefighter, are you? That sounded like politician speak. edit: :cheese:

I, like others, also think you have 2 too many elbows in there. Is there any way to eliminate the first 2?
If the flue collar is below the wall thimble, you could have a slight rise from the collar to the elbow, then a short run/rise to the thimble. Might help. The liner is a good idea too.
If funds allow, Russ may have the best answer.

Well . . . at home I am a firefighter . . . but here in the Big City while I am technically a firefighter my official title is Fire Prevention Officer . . . which means I know how to spell really well and can talk for a long, long time when in front of big groups.