First time installing a stove DIY -- advice please?

[stek]

We are getting a new woodstove and want to do the install ourselves as the dealer we are buying the stove from keeps jerking me around on the install price. Will be doing a stove pipe to metal chimney type install, straight up from the stove, through the ceiling and out the roof. I have read everything I can find on the internet and am left with a couple questions:

1) How do I connect the interior metal stove pipe to the chimney pipe? This might be self explanatory when I have the materials in-hand...
2) What is the best way to flash around the chimney? I'm more than a little nervous about putting a hole in my perfectly good roof
3) We don't have a crawl space between the ceiling and roof (room has a cathedral ceiling with scissor trusses with about two or three feet between the ceiling and roof at the chimney exit point). Tips for getting a plumb line between the hole in the ceiling and roof?
4) Was planning to cut the hole in the roof first, then plumb down and cut into the ceiling. Is that the best way to do it?
5) Finally, the chimney piece sticking out of the roof will be fairly long. Tips on installing a guy wire kit to stabilize it?

Thanks for your help!!

 

[johnstra]

I'll leave 2, 3, and 4 for somebody that's done it. As for 1 and 5...

1) You should have a ceiling support box. If you're using single-wall stove pipe it attaches right onto that. If using double-wall, you'll need an adapter coupling.
5) You can buy a roof support from Simpson that works well. It telescopes and stabilizes the pipe well.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

I will comment on #3. I'm in construction and a self leveling laser will work in this situation

 

[begreen]

You'll want to use a cathedral ceiling support box for this and will usually need an adapter collar for where the interior pipe attaches to the class A at the support box. For location, it's important to measure twice and cut once. If you have the stove already, this is easier because you can have the stove in place an get a nice plumb line drop to the center of the flue connector on the stove. Then drill a pilot hole with a long bit, up through the roof. If at all possible, don't install the stove to its minimum clearances. There is no harm in exceeding them by bringing the stove a little further into the room. That will also give you a little more final adjustment room.

Here are some instructions on how to install the system. Look at the Cathedral Ceiling section in the pipe maker's instructions:

Selkirk SuperVent: http://www.selkirkcorp.com/supervent/Product.aspx?id=220 (instructions are listed on the right)
Simpson DuraTech: http://www.duravent.com/docs/instruct/L150_Apr10.pdf

If the pipe is more than 5 ft. above the roof, it will need to be braced at every 5 ft. This is also in the installation instructions.

 

[Mad Tom]

I will comment on #3. I'm in construction and a self leveling laser will work in this situation

Laser all the way.

 

[stek]

Thanks for all the great input. We do have a laser level, I was having a hard time picturing though how we'd use it since it seems like we'll have to be cutting from the underside of the ceiling and the top side of the roof. The pilot hole should help.

Does the cathedral ceiling support box provide the main support for the chimney structure? I was imagining we'd have to add some framing between the rafters in the ceiling to install it but also having a hard time imagining how we'd add the framing since we don't have access to the crawlspace and will have to do it from below the ceiling.

Is there additional support that comes into play from the roof side?


Thanks guys!

 

[Pagey]

Here's a link to a .gif of a band you can put around a section of Class A chimney that can provide additional roof support. The amount of Class A the box will support depends on the manufacturer. I think Hart & Cooley (which is what I have) will support 15' of Class A in a cathedral box.

http://site.unbeatablesale.com/img125/cppf2333.gif

 

[vvvv]

consider installing a tee directly above the stove so that when chimni is cleaned the cap can be removed & the creosote/ash can be cleaned out without taking the pipe apart........if necessary

 

[stek]

Ah ha! That roof support I think is going to be the way to go since we don't have access to the attic area. I'd rather not have the big square ceiling support box coming down into the room too. The duravent instructions linked above show a roof supported installation (p14) that looks like instead of a ceiling support box it runs the chimney pipe down through the ceiling with a trim collar around it.

Am I reading that right? If you do the roof support you don't need the ceiling support box?

 

[gpcollen1]

consider installing a tee directly above the stove so that when chimni is cleaned the cap can be removed & the creosote/ash can be cleaned out without taking the pipe apart........if necessary

If the stove has a bypass, this will not be necessary. Many stoves have a bypass that allows the sweeping of the chimney directly into the firebox. Make sure you know how you are going to sweep the chimney while setting this up.

 

[Pagey]

Ah ha! That roof support I think is going to be the way to go since we don't have access to the attic area. I'd rather not have the big square ceiling support box coming down into the room too. The duravent instructions linked above show a roof supported installation (p14) that looks like instead of a ceiling support box it runs the chimney pipe down through the ceiling with a trim collar around it.

Am I reading that right? If you do the roof support you don't need the ceiling support box?

I'm not sure if it's an either/or situation. I would almost think the support box is required. But let's wait for an installer or someone more knowledgeable to chime in. I think the product I showed was just for "additional" support.

 

[begreen]

Thanks for all the great input. We do have a laser level, I was having a hard time picturing though how we'd use it since it seems like we'll have to be cutting from the underside of the ceiling and the top side of the roof. The pilot hole should help.

Does the cathedral ceiling support box provide the main support for the chimney structure? I was imagining we'd have to add some framing between the rafters in the ceiling to install it but also having a hard time imagining how we'd add the framing since we don't have access to the crawlspace and will have to do it from below the ceiling.

Is there additional support that comes into play from the roof side?


Thanks guys!

The cathedral ceiling support box is what is holding the weight. Yes, it should have framing tied to the ceiling joists. One possible way of putting these in is from the roofside hole. Pre-drill the framing and use decking screws to attach so there is minimal disturbance to the sheetrock. Or open up a slightly larger hole on the ceiling, install framing braces and patch the sheetrock.

The roof brace shown above is an alternative method of supporting the class A. If this method is used, you will need to assure that there is at least 2" clearance from all combustible including the sheetrock, where the pipe goes through the ceiling. The raw class A pipe will need a large trim ring cut on an oval to cover the big gap. The nice thing about a cathedral support box is that it's the support and the trim in one package.

At the stove end, I really prefer making the last section with telescoping pipe, especially if the stove is top vented. Using a tee at the stove is unsightly and more expensive. For some stoves, the baffle assembly pulls out easily for cleaning. If so, no need for anything but a direct connection. Other stoves, like Jotuls, have a removable top, specifically to ease cleaning.

Here's a picture of (SierraGuy's?) nicely installed cathedral ceiling support box installation.

 

[stek]

Thanks for the pic, that really helps to get an idea how it will look. I was thinking with the roof supported type it would look odd having the stainless chimney piece come down into the room and transition to black pipe. Anyone have a pic of a roof supported install with the chimney and oval trim coming through the ceiling?

The stove we are getting is a Jotul and we will be top-venting. Not sure if it has a removable top for cleaning though...

 

[begreen]

The stove we are getting is a Jotul and we will be top-venting. Not sure if it has a removable top for cleaning though…

It should. Which model Jotul?

 

[Dakotas Dad]

Ah ha! That roof support I think is going to be the way to go since we don't have access to the attic area. I'd rather not have the big square ceiling support box coming down into the room too. The duravent instructions linked above show a roof supported installation (p14) that looks like instead of a ceiling support box it runs the chimney pipe down through the ceiling with a trim collar around it.

Am I reading that right? If you do the roof support you don't need the ceiling support box?

If you end up going with the ceiling support box, it has to hang down at least 2 inches from any part of a combustible ceiling.. but I think they look OK.. and, well, sometimes, function trumps form. I am lucky, my ceiling is non-combustible..lol

 

[begreen]

You can always paint it. I didn't want a big black trim ring on our ceiling so I painted it white.

 

[WES999]

Here are some pics of my install.
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/28385/

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/28386/

It was not that hard to do.

 

[stek]

Yeah painting it is not a bad idea, though I'm thinking painting it black to match the stove pipe. The part of the ceiling we're going up through isn't that high, only about 13' or so, so whatever we do will be kind of in your face which is why I hesitate to do the big black box. The main issue with the ceiling support box is the lack of access to frame around it. Though I guess it's not *that* big of a pain in the rear to demo back extra sheetrock...

 

[Pagey]

Maybe I'd weird, but I don't find the support box off putting at all. Should I watch more HGTV? :lol:

 

[stek]

Your install looks great Wes, thanks for the pics. Hope ours goes as smoothly as what you describe.

 

[stek]

Pagey I think the support box doesn't look bad in most cases but our ceiling is sort of a big dome .. think circus tent or yurt, but traditionally framed. Just kind of an odd application.

 

[begreen]

The support box doesn't need to penetrate very far past the ceiling, just a couple inches will do. But it won't look too bad up at 13ft if it penetrates a bit further.