I want a BK..but

[SKRAE]

I am not sure my current set up will accommodate the Princess. I have an 1800 sf wellish insulated ranch, at 5000 feet currently using propane, and a Drolet Eldorado (tinny 1.5 cf) wood stove. The majority of our winter is mild; low teens - high 40s. However, we do see a few cold snaps a year.

My main issue is offset. I cannot go straight up for 2 - 3 feet before bending. I have an ~11" offset with about ~18" to do it. The current set up has single wall pipe (so the dealer told me) running up the existing masonry chimney.The pipe obviously needs to be swapped out with double wall.

So my questions are:

Will / can this set up work?
Can I extend the chimney vertical enough to offset the offset?

My local dealer thinks there will no draft issues whatsoever. I am looking for reassurance.

Any input would be greatly appreciated

 

[begreen]

How tall is your chimney after the stove connection? Is there a stainless steel liner in it connecting to the stove pipe?

 

[pen]

Is the heat shield behind the stove blocking combustibles somehow? Or just an old fireplace opening?

Is the stove being 11 inches ahead of that to accommodate a blower?

 

[SKRAE]

The house is new to me, so I haven't taken the pipes apart to see. The dealer only told me it was single wall and would need to be replaced.

I am guessing it is 15 - 17 feet after the connection. I've never measured it; should I?

 

[begreen]

The questions we are asking are to determine both the safety and the draft for the new stove. They should be determined in advance of changing out the stove. Your chimney sweep should be able to tell you whether there is a liner in the chimney, its condition and its inner dimensions.

 

[SKRAE]

Is the heat shield behind the stove blocking combustibles somehow? Or just an old fireplace opening?

Is the stove being 11 inches ahead of that to accommodate a blower?

I believe it is blocking combustibles. There is about a 2 1/2" gap to not brick, but some foam feeling material.

Yes I want blowers.The hole through the brick / rock to the chimney is way in the back of the alcove (if that is what you'd even call it). Given the 6" rear clearance (I am measuring from the heat shield) plus the 10'' of stove I will end up around an 11" offset. Give or take.

forgive me guys, I am new to this.

 

[Poindexter]

If that wee alcove is at one end of your house you might think about putting a small or medium size stove in there and a small to medium sized pellet stove at the other end of the hourse. Just an idea.

 

[begreen]

No problem. We were all new at one point. You are doing the right thing by asking questions and understanding how the system was set up. It may be ok, or maybe not. There are a lot of homebrew solutions out there that are not all that safe so it is good to investigate and figure out what is actually good and safe and what needs changing to bring it up to code.

 

[SKRAE]

No problem. We were all new at one point. You are doing the right thing by asking questions and understanding how the system was set up. It may be ok, or maybe not. There are a lot of homebrew solutions out there that are not all that safe so it is good to investigate and figure out what is actually good and safe and what needs changing to bring it up to code.

Thanks. I definitely want it done right. I put the dealer in charge of replacing all the pipe. I will discuss the liner with him.

I am guessing I need a liner (if I do not have one, or what I have is in poor condition), along with the double wall pipe? Is this correct?

 

[begreen]

You'll want the same diameter pipe from the stove to the chimney cap. In this case it is 6". The short run of single wall connector is not a major issue if there is a 6" stainless chimney liner in place.

 

[Grisu]

I believe it is blocking combustibles. There is about a 2 1/2" gap to not brick, but some foam feeling material.

Yes I want blowers.The hole through the brick / rock to the chimney is way in the back of the alcove (if that is what you'd even call it). Given the 6" rear clearance (I am measuring from the heat shield) plus the 10'' of stove I will end up around an 11" offset. Give or take.

forgive me guys, I am new to this.

If you are definitively removing the stove anyway, I would pull it out now, remove the "heat shield" and check what is really behind it. Maybe someone put some foam insulation in there to avoid heat loss from the back of the fireplace. You could replace that with non-combustible Roxul and you would not have to keep any rear clearance to combustibles anymore. Just a thought.

 

[SKRAE]

Thanks for all the info guys. Assuming I have the chimney in check and can shorten the offset by a couple of inches, do you think the set up will work with the princess?

 

[begreen]

Agreed that foam has no place in a fireplace or behind a stove unless clearances are generous. However if it is mineral board, then it could be ok.
Note that BK still want the 6" clearance to the rear wall, even if it is non-combustible. Any closer and the thermostat doesn't work well. BK reports that their findings over 33 years of using the bi metallic spring in extreme close proximity to a stone/rock/brick wall is the heat can reflect back and play games with the thermostat spring. In essence, it can keep it from burning hot as the springs closes the blade due to heat reflection.

I suspect the same would be true for any stove that has a thermostat toward the rear of the stove.

 

[R'Lee]

Have the dealer install it & relax. You will LOVE the BK... just try to keep your seasoned wood at or below 20% and she'll perform very well for you. Congrats on the choice