Emergency use heat source for OLD lady

[jawj]

My goal is to have a heat source to use in times of power outages only.

I have a fireplace, but found out in our ice storm of '03 that the only time I was warm was when moving around to tend the fire! A few years ago I bought 2 ventless gas heaters and promptly resold them when a plumber quoted me $1600 to run pipe! One hasty decision deserves another, I guess, because I found a Jotul F100 in a nearby town. It has sat (unconnected) in my fireplace opening for 2 years now. Don't want to push my luck and thinking this might be the winter of need, I have had 3 quotes to line my chim between $1600-2500. I have several large trees so a ready source of small kindling that drops, and about 1/2 cord of seasoned logs. But after spending 5 hours yesterday reading over this forum, I think I should have stuck with the gas heaters.

While I have been on my roof in years past, it's not something I could do now (I'm a 66 yr old female needing shoulder joint replacement). I've never had a woodstove before, so had no idea about maintenance required in unclogging holes on the chimney toppers that several posters discussed. Plus getting the stove draft adjustment, etc., and keeping the fire going. And the liner issues have me concerned since my chimney is on outside wall, 16' high, 9x13 opening reduced to 7x11 with tiles. Two guys want to bust out the tiles to get a liner in (messy?). And the throat is offset with a narrow damper opening. The cheapest one would use uninsulated flex pipe.

So, I have this really lame question: When fires are built in a fireplace, the smoke naturally seeks the damper opening. Why wouldn't it work to merely direct an elbow toward the damper and use the stove without all the expense of relining, etc. Understand, it would be in emergency use only (maybe once every 5 years!), but then would be 24/7 till utilities are functioning again. I think I understand the violations that would be involved, but would like if you could just address the functionality of my question. Thanks.

 

[SteveT]

My goal is to have a heat source to use in times of power outages only.
Understand, it would be in emergency use only (maybe once every 5 years!), but then would be 24/7 till utilities are functioning again. I think I understand the violations that would be involved, but would like if you could just address the functionality of my question.

It's a safety issue. Nobody will, or least should, advise that it is OK. Using an unsafe stove/installation can kill you. The idea that it is emergency use only doesn't make it acceptable.

I think you should consider a "direct connect" liner which is a liner that goes from the stove part way up the flue. Sort of what you are talking about but takes the gasses up the flue enough to be safe; that is a safe and code compliant option and a good deal less costly than a full liner.

 

[Wet1]

Don't do that, and I hope nobody here suggests it's okay to do so.

Honestly, if you're not able to meet the physical demands, I'd suggest going back to the NG heaters. It's clean, safe, easy, cheap, and probably a better fit for you.

 

[fredarm]

If you have a tile-lined flue in good condition, you could do what's called a "direct connect", running a short piece of pipe past the throat and damper, with a block-off plate sealing the rest of the opening. The stove won't draw as well as with a full liner and you'll have to remove it to clean the chimney, but for occasional use it should be fine. Don't just run a pipe up to the damper without the block-off plate, you'll have a potential carbon monoxide problem and the stove won't draw. By the way, no need to get on the roof to clean the chimney--hire a sweep!

Edit: I see EngineRep beat me to the direct connect suggestion.

 

[Corners]

If you are competent and know how and what needs to be done, but aren't physically able, you might find a few older high school kids or college kids to work for you for the day under your direction. If you go to church, there might be a couple kids there that could help you as well. They'll work for beer (21 of course ), pizza, and a maybe hundred dollars.

This is assuming you have all the parts and you know exactly what needs to happen so you can inspect their "work". And when I say work, it's unskilled labor, so basically they're robots doing what you say.

 

[rowerwet]

If you have gas at the house, my vote would be a floor furnace, my dad has one at his vacation home, my wife and I lived there for a year and a half, the best part is that it requires no power, the thermostat is powered by a thermocouple that sticks into the pilot light, as long as the pilot is lit and you have gas, you will have heat. We made it through 1.5 maine winters in a poorly insulated house built back in the 50's. The other nice part is that since it is mounted in the floor you don't loose floor space for walking.

 

[colebrookman]

Don't do that, and I hope nobody here suggests it's okay to do so.

Honestly, if you're not able to meet the physical demands, I'd suggest going back to the NG heaters. It's clean, safe, easy, cheap, and probably a better fit for you.

Totally agree. Find an outside wall, buy a NG heater WITH A VENT and a pilot light. If power goes out you will still have heat although the blower will not work. Be safe.
Ed

 

[Ken45]

" A few years ago I bought 2 ventless gas heaters and promptly resold them when a plumber quoted me $1600 to run pipe! "

That's outrageous ! I think our installation was under $200. I had the propane company do it.

Personally, I think the ventless propanes logs/stoves are one of the most reliable backups, other than a decent wood stove.

Ken

 

[ControlFreak]

If you already have the stove sitting there, you already have a good supply of dry firewood, and this is for backup only, the direct connect approach with a block off plate will work just fine for you. When I had my stove insert installed 12 years ago, this is the installation that was done, and at that time I didn't know any better. I've been burning with this installation since then 24/7, it works just fine, and I don't have any problems with creosote. My only problem is with a strong downdraft sometimes when I light the stove and the chimney is cold. So find an honest installer and have them do this for you. This should cost something like $500.

... and 66 isn't OLD.

Dan