Installing an Jotul F500 Oslo

[ntomsw]

I am 99% sure the next stove we are getting will be a Jotul F500 Oslo. We went to our local stove dealer yesterday for a few hours,and looked at all the stoves to see what are options were.

I brought home a Jotul brochure, where it gives me all the dimensions, minimum hearth dimensions etc for each stove Jotul sells.

I just thought I would ask here, and see what people though of me installing a Jotul F500 on the hearth in the photo included.

We have a Vermont Castings Resolute stove now, that was in the house already when we bought the house last year. I have sold that stove, so we will be upgrading to something regardless now. And obviously an F500 is a much bigger stove. I want something brand new, so we know where we are starting from.

It seems like I should be OK to install an F500 here, according to the brochure dimensions it gives me. Just wanted to ask some of you guys your thoughts.

When we are burning, we have a mat that we put down, although this year I am thinking of getting something a little more beefy.

Also, what are your thoughts on having the stove shop install it, versus self install, etc? I was told they charge about $800+ for the install. Which includes chimney inspection, cleaning, pulling permit, etc.

 

[webby3650]

Looks like you will need more hearth protection out front. Typically it needs to be something permanent, like tile or stone.
$800 seems like a lot I know, but have you considered how you will move the nearly 500 pound Oslo in place without equipment?

 

[Grisu]

It looks like you don't need to worry about rear clearances with a brick chimney behind the stove. But make sure your corner clearances to the side brick walls are ok as they seem to have combustible walls behind them. You could ask your local home inspector if a removable hearth extension/stove board would be sufficient to get enough front hearth protection. That you could put aside outside the burning season. Is there are 6" liner in the chimney that goes all the way to the top?

The F500 usually works better as a sideloader as ash likes to spill out when opening the front door. Have you taken measurements whether you have enough room to open the side-door and load some 18" to 20" wood pieces in there? Maybe the Jotul F45 or the Quadrafire Explorer 2 would work better in that space.

Also, looking at that one log lying there: How dry is your wood? It should have less than 20% internal moisture content to burn well in your stove. Do you split and then stack it in a sunny and windy spot about 2 years in advance?

 

[claydogg84]

Grisu is absolutely right about using the side door on the Oslo. Make sure you'll be able to use that. If you can't, I'd suggest another stove.

 

[webby3650]

Looks like there is plenty of room to us the side door. And I agree, if the side door can't be utilized I'd also consider another stove. I've had 2 Oslo's, and hardly ever used the front door. It makes such a mess!

 

[Nick Mystic]

Regarding your question on having the shop do the installation for $800 or do it yourself: You need to tell us what is included besides cleaning and inspecting the chimney. I doubt you need to pull a permit if you are just replacing an existing stove, but maybe you live in a super strict regulation area. Do you presently have a SS flex liner in your chimney? If a new liner is included in the $800, then the price sounds reasonable to me. If you already have the liner in place and are going to hook up to it without replacing it, then $800 sounds like too much to me.

 

[xman23]

See my Oslo coroner install. It has a rear heat shield, which you may need. I think you would measure to the combustible wall. I set mine back as far as it could go and still have the proper side and rear clearance. Most important the side door can swing all the way to be back of the stove and not hit the wall. You should, and will not use the front door for loading. My front hearth may not be 100%, but it hasn't been a problem.

Assuming you have proper dimentions, your location looks good for a Oslo with side loading.

 

[ntomsw]

It looks like you don't need to worry about rear clearances with a brick chimney behind the stove. But make sure your corner clearances to the side brick walls are ok as they seem to have combustible walls behind them. You could ask your local home inspector if a removable hearth extension/stove board would be sufficient to get enough front hearth protection. That you could put aside outside the burning season. Is there are 6" liner in the chimney that goes all the way to the top?

The F500 usually works better as a sideloader as ash likes to spill out when opening the front door. Have you taken measurements whether you have enough room to open the side-door and load some 18" to 20" wood pieces in there? Maybe the Jotul F45 or the Quadrafire Explorer 2 would work better in that space.

Also, looking at that one log lying there: How dry is your wood? It should have less than 20% internal moisture content to burn well in your stove. Do you split and then stack it in a sunny and windy spot about 2 years in advance?

Not sure about liner in chimney? I believe it's just a flute all the way up.

I will be able to open the side door. There's enough room to open it all the way.

That wood is from last year. Long story. Wood this year has been seasoned plenty.

The F500 with the side door is the main reason I want that stove. I don't have a huge hearth, but it should fit.

A rug out in front isn't enough? The stove shop told me that should be adequate enough. Not sure what else I could put there with that hearth set up, and doorway right there.

 

[ntomsw]

Looks like there is plenty of room to us the side door. And I agree, if the side door can't be utilized I'd also consider another stove. I've had 2 Oslo's, and hardly ever used the front door. It makes such a mess!

Side door will be able to be utilized according to my measurements. That's the main reason I want this stove.

 

[ntomsw]

See my Oslo coroner install. It has a rear heat shield, which you may need. I think you would measure to the combustible wall. I set mine back as far as it could go and still have the proper side and rear clearance. Most important the side door can swing all the way to be back of the stove and not hit the wall. You should, and will not use the front door for loading. My front hearth may not be 100%, but it hasn't been a problem.

Assuming you have proper dimentions, your location looks good for a Oslo with side loading.

I was going to get the rear heat shield for added protection. And I believe the stove comes with bottom heat shield as well? Or at least you can buy one separately?

Side door shouldn't be an issue. It should open with no problem for loading, as I don't even really want to open the front door at all. That's the biggest thing to me why I like this stove, the side loading plus big front view of fire viewing.

There were some measurement in the brochure I didn't really understand. Like 'clearance to rear' or 'clearance to top', wasn't sure what those meant.

My side walls should be fine, as those measure 51" tall. And I think it asks for 50.5" in the brochure. And with our resolute, the walls on the other side of that brick or even above the brick, never got hot. So they seem insulated enough.

 

[webby3650]

It does come with a bottom heat shield. It's only required if the stove is installed in an alcove. I have no idea why they would send one with every stove! I would not use it personally, it's just a dust trap.

 

[ntomsw]

Regarding your question on having the shop do the installation for $800 or do it yourself: You need to tell us what is included besides cleaning and inspecting the chimney. I doubt you need to pull a permit if you are just replacing an existing stove, but maybe you live in a super strict regulation area. Do you presently have a SS flex liner in your chimney? If a new liner is included in the $800, then the price sounds reasonable to me. If you already have the liner in place and are going to hook up to it without replacing it, then $800 sounds like too much to me.

I'm not sure there is a loner in my chimney? I just assumed it was a flute all the way up? What's the easiest way to check?

This particular shop said they always pull a permit. I'm not sure if I need one in my town/NH or not. I am not committed to this shop yet, we just went there to check them out.

 

[Grisu]

You want a liner, preferably insulated, all the way to the top. The stove will draft better which means less risk of smoke spillage into the room and likely more heat, it will be easier to clean, less creosote accumulation, and it will be safer.

As for the side loading, please check page 16 of the manual:

The side door must be locked in alcove and corner installations.

The manual is a bit unclear if one row of bricks over combustibles is adequate wall protection or if a ventilated wall shield is required. You or your dealer may need to inquire about that.

That the brick wall did not get hot with the Resolute has nothing to do with the insulation value of the bricks but that the radiant heat from the VC was not that great, apparently. You will need to go with the required clearances for the Oslo for a safe install as every stove is different.

For the extension I would consider one of those: http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Wood-Stove-and-Accessories/Hearth-Extensions/?state=14088

 

[Grisu]

I'm not sure there is a loner in my chimney? I just assumed it was a flute all the way up? What's the easiest way to check?

This particular shop said they always pull a permit. I'm not sure if I need one in my town/NH or not.

Can you post a zoomed in picture of your chimney cap? Maybe that will already be a good enough. Otherwise, you will need to get up on your roof and look inside the chimney.

 

[ntomsw]

Can you post a zoomed in picture of your chimney cap? Maybe that will already be a good enough. Otherwise, you will need to get up on your roof and look inside the chimney.

I will when I get home. Although we do not have a cap on our chimney. I don't think here is a liner in it. But I will research it as soon as I get back home.

 

[Grisu]

When you go up on the roof take a tape measure with you to find out the dimensions of the flue. That will tell you how difficult it will be to drop an insulated liner down there.

An alternative would be to remove the pipe from the wall thimble and look inside there but I take no responsibility if you have trouble getting that back together. (May not matter that much if you want to change out the stove anyway. The stove shop should certainly be able to do it.)

 

[ntomsw]

When you go up on the roof take a tape measure with you to find out the dimensions of the flue. That will tell you how difficult it will be to drop an insulated liner down there.

An alternative would be to remove the pipe from the wall thimble and look inside there but I take no responsibility if you have trouble getting that back together. (May not matter that much if you want to change out the stove anyway. The stove shop should certainly be able to do it.)

I am going to look through that pipe in wall. I am going to replace it anyway when the new stove gets put in.

Do I have to have a liner if one isn't there? That's the first I have heard of that.

 

[ntomsw]

The guy just came to pick up the Resolute stove he bought. I pulled that pipe out and looked in chimney. No liner in there. Just a flute. Maybe 6" in the dimension?? Maybe 8"? Not sure.

 

[ntomsw]

Shot going down into my garage:

Shot going out to roof:

Shot of hearth with no stove obviously:

 

[Grisu]

The guy just came to pick up the Resolute stove he bought. I pulled that pipe out and looked in chimney. No liner in there. Just a flute. Maybe 6" in the dimension?? Maybe 8"? Not sure.

Stick a stick in there to the opposite side. Feel with your fingers the end of the thimble and hold it there. Pull the stick out and measure the length of the stick from the end to where your fingers are. It is square and probably an 8"x8". Looks straight and clean, an insulated 6" liner could work. If not, a 5.5" would also be ok.

Do I have to have a liner if one isn't there? That's the first I have heard of that.

You need one if your chimney has less than 2" clearances between the inner flue and the outside combustible walls according to code. Most masonry chimneys build decades ago don't fulfill that requirement. You should have one anyway for the reasons I posted earlier simply because your stove will work much better with one. It's like having the windows open in the winter: You don't "need" to close them but if you want to be warm it is a good idea.

Have you seen my caveat that you may not be able to use the side loading in a corner install?

 

[ntomsw]

Stick a stick in there to the opposite side. Feel with your fingers the end of the thimble and hold it there. Pull the stick out and measure the length of the stick from the end to where your fingers are. It is square and probably an 8"x8". Looks straight and clean, an insulated 6" liner could work. If not, a 5.5" would also be ok.


You need one if your chimney has less than 2" clearances between the inner flue and the outside combustible walls according to code. Most masonry chimneys build decades ago don't fulfill that requirement. You should have one anyway for the reasons I posted earlier simply because your stove will work much better with one. It's like having the windows open in the winter: You don't "need" to close them but if you want to be warm it is a good idea.

Have you seen my caveat that you may not be able to use the side loading in a corner install?

According to my measurements, I should be good to go to side load it. The door should open just fine.

Overall, the Jotul is 3-4" wider then the Resolute, and I believe 3" taller. So the door should open just fine to be able to side load it.

Any idea on what a 6" SS liner would cost? I'm guessing it's not cheap.

I was thinking of building an actual template of stove, and setting it there, (because I am a dork like that), and see how it would look. And to verify if I can indeed side load it. But I am almost 100% sure with my quick measurements, it should be fine as xman23 said. His hearth looks a tad larger, but his stove fits just fine.

 

[begreen]

The question of side-loading clearance is not just "will the door open?". There needs to be greater clearance on the side loading door side because of the heat that will be exposing nearby combustibles with the door open. I think that typically this is the same as for the front door - 36" to the nearest combustible.

 

[Grisu]

According to my measurements, I should be good to go to side load it. The door should open just fine.

That has nothing to do with having enough room to open the door but that Jotul does not allow the side door to be opened in a corner install. Probably due to the fact that a lot of radiant heat will come out of there and the sidewall will get too hot. Just above the text I quoted it states

Minimum clearance from Left Side Load Door to combustible surfaces is 36”.

Unless you know for sure that the wall behind the brick is entirely non-combustible I doubt you will ever have that 36" clearance.

Any idea on what a 6" SS liner would cost? I'm guessing it's not cheap.

Depends on the length, the insulation, cap, tee etc. Your stove shop should be able to give you a quote. Here you can get a ballpark: http://www.chimneylinerdepot.com/store/productviewprotkt.php

 

[ntomsw]

Oh, I did not see that. 36"??? There is no way there is 3 feet of clearance on that side. So.....now what then?

In xman23's picture, it doesn't look like his has 36" of clearance either.

Am I screwed on getting that stove then?

 

[begreen]

This is one of the main reasons we didn't upgrade the Castine to the Oslo. Is the left side wall 4" thick brick? Is it a ventilated wall?