finally installed my stove insert and ready for inspection

[ba_jie]

Hi, so i finally finished my installation project and am waiting to be inspected by the town.

One trick i learned from my installation, putting some metal rods under the firebox saves a lot of effort when you have only yourself for help.
You can buy those metal rods from Lowes or homedepot around 5.00$ per piece.
I even decided to leave the rods under the box to make future maintainance easier. Although i really wish the firebox would sit in its place permanantly.

Now, while waiting for the inspection. another question arise.
how do you prevent pipe freezing problem because of uneven heat distribution problem? I would guess the stove will affect the main thermostat big time,
what exactly i need to do to make sure there is no freezing cold corner left?

 

[InTheRockies]

Most of us who heat 24/7 with our wood stoves use fans to distribute the heat around the house. If you do a search you'll see a lot of threads. The consensus seems to be that the best way to move warm air around is to put a small fan on the floor and point it's air flow toward the area where the stove is--this movement of cold air will force warm air to flow out to other areas of the house. If you have a ceiling fan in the room where the stove is, all the better. The fan(s) you use don't have to be huge. I use this model and have it set on low.

If you're really worried about your water pipes, you might also consider using heat tape as added protection. Good luck and enjoy your new stove.

 

[begreen]

If the basement is uninsulated, run the furnace or boiler once or twice a day when it's cold down there. Or put in a small electric heater on a low thermostat setting?

 

[Zzyk]

I installed a propane space heater with a thermostat in the basement. Its set quite low, just to keep the pipes from freezing (we've got some bad drafts down there).

Zyk

 

[Valhalla]

I installed a propane space heater with a thermostat in the basement. Its set quite low, just to keep the pipes from freezing (we've got some bad drafts down there).

Zyk

what exactly i need to do to make sure there is no freezing cold corner left?

Zyk,

Your question is one that most northern wood-burners have to deal with, since a stove on the main floor of most homes, does not warm the basement. I have sealed up my basement completely, wrapped the pipes, also thermostatic heat tape in the pipe cold corners and minimize losses of the DHW by insulation all the pipes. Always looking to save any heat loss goes a very long way.

You have an interesting solution using the rods to assist in future stove movement, maintenance, etc. Great idea!

 

[ba_jie]

I installed a propane space heater with a thermostat in the basement. Its set quite low, just to keep the pipes from freezing (we've got some bad drafts down there).

Zyk

what exactly i need to do to make sure there is no freezing cold corner left?

Zyk,

Your question is one that most northern wood-burners have to deal with, since a stove on the main floor of most homes, does not warm the basement. I have sealed up my basement completely, wrapped the pipes, also thermostatic heat tape in the pipe cold corners and minimize losses of the DHW by insulation all the pipes. Always looking to save any heat loss goes a very long way.

You have an interesting solution using the rods to assist in future stove movement, maintenance, etc. Great idea!

yes, using rods save me begging my friend to come over to help me move the firebox and allow me not rush the installation.
Tomorrow the inspector will come and hopfully he will take it easy on the 1 inch shortage of the mentel clearance and then i am all set to light my first fire.

 

[Valhalla]

Hey, good luck on the inspection.

I would have a plan B... for a mantle heat shield in the critical area. Or are shorter legs a possibility?

 

[ba_jie]

Hey, good luck on the inspection.

I would have a plan B... for a mantle heat shield in the critical area. Or are shorter legs a possibility?

Yes, i would eventually buy the heat shield. But it's too late to order now for the inspection. And i want the inspection done before Thanks Giving so my family can enjoy the stove during the holiday...

 

[bbeals]

If your stove height to mantel clearance is only one inch short, what would you gain if you pulled the metal rods out? That would lower the stove a bit I would suspect?

 

[Valhalla]

If your stove height to mantel clearance is only one inch short, what would you gain if you pulled the metal rods out? That would lower the stove a bit I would suspect?

BI,

A good point! About 1/2" or so maybe more...

 

[ba_jie]

The clearance height is from the hearth to the mantel according to the stove manual. Plus, the metal rod is only about 1/4 inch.

If your stove height to mantel clearance is only one inch short, what would you gain if you pulled the metal rods out? That would lower the stove a bit I would suspect?

 

[ba_jie]

it turned out the inspection is a really easy one. I was only asked if the liner is a full liner and who did the installation. That's it.
Not sure if it's good thing or not, But i feel happy that i can use the stove now.

So this aftenoon i spent most of it to play fire without great result(just can't get the room heated). Maybe it's the weather(rainning here, not too cold outside), or the firewood is not too dry.
I think i need more time to get familiar with the box.

 

[Valhalla]

Congratulations on the inspection!

You know more of the the details of the install than the inspector ever will. Now you can address any and all loose ends.

About the burn. How is the draft? What is the chimney construction, size, height, etc. How was your wood seasoned... not just dried? Do the usual simple wood moisture tests in lieu of a meter. How are you starting your burn? Yes, experience goes a long way. Your problem and the needed solution, may lie in one of them.

There is a great deal of similar problems as yours, and also solved, here on Hearth.com.

 

[ba_jie]

Congratulations on the inspection!

You know more of the the details of the install than the inspector ever will. Now you can address any and all loose ends.

About the burn. How is the draft? What is the chimney construction, size, height, etc. How was your wood seasoned... not just dried? Do the usual simple wood moisture tests in lieu of a meter. How are you starting your burn? Yes, experience goes a long way. Your problem and the needed solution, may lie in one of them.

There is a great deal of similar problems as yours, and also solved, here on Hearth.com.

Thank you.
I think the draft is ok, when i first light the fire use some newspaper and some small dry sticks, i can see the flame is pretty strong. Does that mean the draft is good?
My setup has a 30 degree elbow and a offset box(the inlet and outlet overlaps 3 inches i suppose). Hopfully the offset box is not a big issue for draft. After i add big wood,
the flame seems can only last 30 min then start to die down. Here i am not sure if its the quality of the firewood. Tomorrow i will buy some really dry firewood from grocery
store and see what's the result burning them. I have block off plate. It barely got heated during the whole burning process. I can touch the block off plate with bare hand.
So that means the stove is not hot at all. Although, since i don't have a thermometer, i don't know what the real temperature i got. BTW, My stove is a Jotul 450. it's supposed to have a decent reputation.

I think i should give the stove more time. But i would like to know what the expectation here. The family room has high ceiling and about 24*20, it open to kitchen. The stove barely managed to get the room temperature to 55. That's not very encouraging to me.