Do I need to put stainless all the way to the top of my chimney

[lcgillis]

Hi

Well I have settled on the Harman oakwood I am really excited to get it going, but not excited for the cold weather. I have a question though I am being told that my stove is not going to run as efficiently as it should If I don't put a six inch stainless pipe all the way to the top of my chimney. Today I have just a 4 or 6 foot piece (can't remember for sure) that runs up into the throat and stops. Do I need to replace that and run pipe all the way to the top? I am being told it will "mess" up my draft?

Thanks

 

[budman]

Alllll the way to top then top plate and cap.On outside chimnney insulation with
block off plate. :smirk:

 

[Beanscoot]

I am skeptical about the stove not running so efficiently without a full length SS pipe. I think the usual reason for full length SS pipe is fire safety.
I have just the terra cotta liner inside my chimney and it drafts really well.

 

[Jags]

Much of the performance issues are going to depend on what your 4ft piece is dumping into. 6 x 6, 8 x 8, etc. These new stoves are designed to a point that too large of an exhaust pipe (or chimney) will not create the proper draft. This will be seen as poor stove performance.

Some (actually many) have gotten away with simply dumping into an existing chimney, but I would say that a full liner is the "best" way to install it.

Lots of advantages to a full liner besides the performance issue. Cleaning, insulating (if needed), better heat retention of exhaust, etc.

Line it if you can. Just one dudes opinion.

 

[fossil]

I'm assuming you're talking about venting the Harmon into an existing masonry chimney structure. Dunno whether your chimney is exterior or interior (exterior being a chimney that has one or more walls exposed to the outside below roofline). If it's an exterior chimney, then the NFPA 211 standard is that the chimney flue cross-sectional area be no more than twice the cross-sectional area of the appliance flue collar. If it's an internal chimney, that goes up to no more than three times the cross-sectional area. In any case, for a host of reasons, the preferable installation would include a full-height liner and block-off plate. Rick

 

[lcgillis]

my flue is 12 x 12 on an external chimney. sounds like I will be okay from code but the best bet is to run pipe all the way to top with cap, but not required to. It is somewhat expensive to run that stainless all the way to the top of the chimney probably $1,000 plus, then plus the cap. If my draft is fine, (stove runs well) will I ever make the dollars back that I spend on the pipe? Also will I lose any heat by not having the pipe?

This stuff is somewhat confusing.

Thanks

 

[Jags]

will I ever make the dollars back that I spend on the pipe?

Thanks

Depends on how many times per year you have to call a chimney sweep to keep it clean!! Thats partial ribbing, but partially true as well. Outside chimneys in cold climates have a bad rap for heavy creosote build up. Considering that you are dumping into a MUCH larger stack than a 6" pipe would be, you are amplifying the the potential for a slow moving, cooler exhaust. Not the best scenario.

If it is feasible (and won't take food off the table), I personally would do a full, INSULATED, liner with top plate. Just my opinion.

 

[fossil]

Your chimney flue, at 12" x 12", is 144 square inches. Your appliance flue collar, at 6" diameter, is 28.3 square inches. That's an increase in cross-sectional area of 5 times. NFPA 211 says max for an exterior chimney application is twice the area. The people who wrote the standard are pretty smart about all this stuff, so far as I can tell. Rick

 

[Hogwildz]

Liner kits are about $500.00, that includes liner, cap, top plate & usually a stove adapter & sometimes an elbow or a "T".
$1,000.00 is pretty steep. I did mine in double wall insulated rigid and it cost me $1,080.00 and that included freight.
Of course I installed it myself.
That thing unlined will draft like crap, you will be cleaning the chimney constantly, and it will also prolly burn like crap with poor draft.

 

[Dix]

Family/House/Sleeping/Fire.

Line it, and sleep at night.

I just had to reline my furnace chimney. Seems I could have gone "up in smoke" due to tiles falling into the chimney, etc. Chimnney Dudes were totally awed that the furnace was even working :wow:

It's now relined, capped, and the top of the chimney is recemented, caulked, sealed, etc.

I'll sleep better tonight :coolsmile: