Introduction: New Breckwell SPC50, many questions for install

[jedirye]

Good AM!
My name is Ryann (yes, a girl named Ryann). I just bought a black Breckwell SPC50. I live in Florida (Spring Hill area) and yes, I bought a pellet stove for here. I like the efficiency of them, but even more so I like the aesthetics. I live near the water on a stilt home. I just received this big @$$ pallet a few days ago, weighs close to 400lbs. I guess the first step will be getting it upstairs. I'll tackle that soon...

Questions to follow:

Hearth pad: I plan on integrating a pad into my floor, as I want to put all wood throughout my house. In the corner, I plan on doing slate. Figure plywood, cement board, slate tile, good to go. Anything up the wall I need? I believe clearance for this is crazy small, anywhere from 1"-3" depending on positioning (like corner, etc.)

Homeowner's Insurance: Call them up to see if this will be cool? Any additional costs? I've read it may not change or maybe like > $50/year. Will they ask if I permitted it? Brings me to my next bullet point...

Permit: Do I need one? I don't like the county with their nose in my business. I've read from someone who posted that was located in Spring Hill also, the guy came, took a few seconds to look, then checked it off. Why pay a couple hundred bucks for that? They don't even know what they are looking for.

Flue: I only ordered the stove. I have not ordered any piping. I have an atypical setup. I think if I acquire enough posts I can post some pictures. My house in on stilts, so ground floor is open, second floor is living room (where stove will be next to exterior wall), top floor is bedrooms. I actually think I can vent to exterior wall and not have to penetrate my roof since I should be able to extend vertically at least 7' without doing so. I will have to check on that.

Any tips or tricks greatly appreciated. My husband and I will (hopefully) be doing this. We don't know what we're doing but we have a lot of knowledgeable "older" people that know a lot and could assist. I also think with the internet we should be able to do this. I am very hesitant cutting holes in my house, however, particularly though my hardie board, etc. I think we'll need two holes, one to vent and one for fresh o2.

Thanks a lot guys and looking forward to a nice winter with this!

EDIT: Pictures added

 

[alternativeheat]

Everything you need to know should be in the owners manual as far as install layouts go. A call to the town department will answer if it needs inspected or not by local authorities. And most inspectors use that owners manual as well, some like to wing it on their own. Insurance came into my house and took a picture from across the room, went outside and took a picture and left . The only question she had was the makeand model of the stove ( who knows maybe she wanted to buy one). I think they were just looking to see if it was actually a manufactured pellet stove and not some 55gallon drum I dragged inside. But anyway, no problem, no further instructions. You should let your insurance company know that you have it, they either ask questions and come out or they don't. But if something goes crazy with your stove ( rare with a good installation) and your house burns down, that is not the time to be letting your insurance know that you have a stove LOL !

For the record, pellet stoves are very safe but we are dealing with fire here, not a vent fan. Take it seriously, every winter at some point someone posts photos of a house that went poof and burned down to the foundation. In most cases it was improper install or improper cleaning maintenance. Two winters ago it was a farm house in Maine that was turned into a rooming house, had something like 21 occupants. The guy used single wall vent pipe against some wood outlet framing going out a window and burned the place down. The photos were ugly but everyone got out. Believe me, I'm not trying to scare you, but yet, well, just be serious about your install and do it right.

 

[railfanron]

Insurance cost was 17.00/yr for me and the insurance company required a professional installation or inspection and pictures. Also manufacturers clearance requirements and my clearance measurements. Check with your insurance and inspector before starting as others have said.
Ron

 

[alternativeheat]

I was amazed we had no up charge, but then we also previously had a coal stove and I don't recall if there was ever any charge with that ( it was in the house for more than 35 years, both permitted and insured the whole time).

There is a pellet stove fire here and there around the country each winter but the same can probably be said of wood( more so actually) or even oil heat. I don't think pellet stoves generally fall into the high risk category for insurance companies.

 

[vinny11950]

Welcome, Ryann.

Definitely get the stove inspected by your town, and have your insurance sign off on the install.

Follow the install instructions from the stove manual and the pellet pipe manufacturer guidelines, and you should be fine.

You want the stove in an open place in the house where the hot air will travel freely to other rooms. As for pellet pipe, I can't recommend any brands because I haven't bought any in a few years, but search in this site as there are always threads discussing pellet pipe preference. Just do double wall pipe all the way for the tighter clearances.

If I understand correctly you want to do a corner install. Think carefully where you want to put the hole in the wall. Get a stud finder, some blue tape and mark the studs on the walls. The thimble should fit in between the studs, and you definitely want to do everything possible to avoid cutting a stud because it may require doing other framing work.

Also look at the stove manual and pellet pipe install manual to figure out where you can and can't run the pipe. There are clearances to windows, vents, soffits, people walking by the pipe, etc. that must be kept.

Also think about the pipe exhaust, which may or may not ash up your exit wall, depending on the wind pattern hitting that wall.

Anyway, good luck, and post pictures when you can. People will help you.

 

[jedirye]

Good AM. Pictures have been added.

I'm hoping on Monday I can bring this 400lb item upstairs at least to get it that much closer to installation!

 

[Lake Girl]

Welcome to the forum!
Since it is a top vent stove, a separate hole for the outside air kit can be put through the wall behind the stove. Venting looks to be 4" unless you go vertical over 12', then it needs to be 6". The manual in case your's is still in the packing crate!
(broken link removed to https://breckwell.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/manualspgmanuals/SPC50%20manual.pdf)

I would talk to your insurance agent to let them know you will be installing this and see what you require. Always good to get a permit and inspection from the county as it is for your own protection/safety and saves hassles if they found out you didn't pull a permit.

With your photos, I am judging that you might be better off going through the roof based on overhang from the carport and the large eaves.

 

[jedirye]

Thanks for info. I actually took the manual out and will read it multiple times tomorrow at work, taking notes, etc.

I was initially planning on going through the overhang because there is less structural components there; it seems to be basically just plywood and metal roof. Otherwise, I'd have to go through soffet and I'd also be closer to roof line which might force me to go higher, etc.

I am meeting with insurance on Monday. I had planned on rewriting my homeowners anyhow.

I called the county twice, left voicemail, and no one has gotten back to me.............

 

[Lake Girl]

Overhang does look to be the best option ... Cleaning the venting may be more challenging with the elbows so make sure the outside one is a clean-out T. You can get flexible rods for the brush... sooteater by gardus is one I've seen mentioned here. I just have a horizontal vent on mine so it's easy!

 

[alternativeheat]

Overhang does look to be the best option ... Cleaning the venting may be more challenging with the elbows so make sure the outside one is a clean-out T. You can get flexible rods for the brush... sooteater by gardus is one I've seen mentioned here. I just have a horizontal vent on mine so it's easy!

Speaking of cleaning and brushes and rods etc, I snapped a Rutland rod, powering my brush up the liner with a drill this fall. Fortunately it was at the very end of brushing and it was the last rod and it was right at the bend going into the clean out, leaving enough to grab onto and pull it down and out after a little pulling tugging and twisting. So now I need a new fifth rod. All that said, it's probably worth going with 3/8" rods, mine are 1/4" I believe.

 

[jedirye]

Venting looks to be 4" unless you go vertical over 12', then it needs to be 6". The manual in case your's is still in the packing crate!

Anyone know why 6" width is required for >12'? I guess I'll call Breckwell tomorrow. I might be around 15'. They recommend Duravent in the manual, and 6" pipe is not common to purchase. I don't even see it in their Duravent Pelletvent kits. The max is 4". Also, does that mean 6" from the very start of the stove to the termination? Or just starting outside?

Thanks

 

[Mt Bob]

AHH a thing of the past.The spc50 stove is a "blow through" stove instead of a "draw through".This is combustion air.Probably the last one ever made.Therefore,the flue is very critical,as the stove does not have enough combustion air by itself and depends on a good draft from the flue,same as a wood stove.Personally I would get a different stove.Shall leave you a link to a better manual.https://www.manualslib.com/manual/945547/Upland-207p.html?page=23#manual

 

[jedirye]

AHH a thing of the past.The spc50 stove is a "blow through" stove instead of a "draw through".This is combustion air.Probably the last one ever made.Therefore,the flue is very critical,as the stove does not have enough combustion air by itself and depends on a good draft from the flue,same as a wood stove.Personally I would get a different stove.Shall leave you a link to a better manual.https://www.manualslib.com/manual/945547/Upland-207p.html?page=23#manual

Bob,
You are insanely knowledgeable. I really appreciate the insight and also the link to the other manual; one can never have too many sources of information.

Well, I bought the stove already. I thought I had done a lot of research before purchase, but I guess not.

Regarding blow through vs draw though, the fresh air inlet is optional with this stove. I planned on adding the fresh air inlet for optional performance. If this s added, would it not act more like a draw through? I have called Breckwell and their "engineers" will get back to me regarding this.

Breckwell recommends DuraVent pellet stove venting. 6" is not even offered on their PELLET vent brochure. It's annoying.... oh well.

 

[jedirye]

Bob,
You are insanely knowledgeable. I really appreciate the insight and also the link to the other manual; one can never have too many sources of information.

Well, I bought the stove already. I thought I had done a lot of research before purchase, but I guess not.

Regarding blow through vs draw though, the fresh air inlet is optional with this stove. I planned on adding the fresh air inlet for optional performance. If this s added, would it not act more like a draw through? I have called Breckwell and their "engineers" will get back to me regarding this.

Breckwell recommends DuraVent pellet stove venting. 6" is not even offered on their PELLET vent brochure. It's annoying.... oh well.

I meant optimal performance..... I guess it could be considered optional too lol

 

[Lake Girl]

I'm thinking that the stove may be viewed as an option when replacing a woodstove with chimney already in place which would be 6" typically.

 

[jedirye]

The stove isn't viewed as an option, only the fresh air inlet is. That is actually option. I'm going to put one in though for better performance, etc.

 

[Lake Girl]

I meant using that model stove in place of an existing installed woodstove that already has a six inch chimney...

No longer using the woodstove ... using pellet stove instead.

 

[Mt Bob]

You would use duratech pipe,by duravent,or equivalent.I really wish you would consider a normal stove.No ignitor in this unit,have to hand light it and watch over it during startup,Might be annoying,as where you live you might only need heat 20-30min.,then stove off for 2-4 hrs.Pressure stoves like this tend to burn dirtier,more flue pipe cleanings.Oak prob not a big deal where you live,as you do not have long low temp cold .Almost anything you have studied on this site will apply vastly differently to that stove.If you like old style looks,a castille is very close,and you would only have to push a button,or turn up thermostat to fire it off.If you were in a colder climate,where stove would be lit and running all day,you would prob. be happy with the breckwell.

 

[jedirye]

Bob,
I heed your advice.

This stove is like 400lbs, three of us almost died bringing it upstairs into my stilted house. It's not going anywhere

It is what it is...............

 

[Mt Bob]

LOL I always use a appliance hand truck and sometimes pulleys.Glad you got it up,now the work starts.

 

[jedirye]

The work has started.

 

[jedirye]

Well, after multiple consultations and receiving no call backs, I was finally able to get through to a Breckwell "engineer". Apparently there is a typo in the manual where vertical distances >12ft, you can utilize a Type A stainless steel wood stove pipe.

Sound legit? I'm getting them to send that to me in an e-mail to cover myself should the county guy question it.

 

[Lake Girl]

Well, after multiple consultations and receiving no call backs, I was finally able to get through to a Breckwell "engineer". Apparently there is a typo in the manual where vertical distances >12ft, you can utilize a Type A stainless steel wood stove pipe.

Sound legit? I'm getting them to send that to me in an e-mail to cover myself should the county guy question it.

Good plan ... manufacturer manual of installation is primary source for inspectors. Fall back to generic rules otherwise.

 

[adayrider]

I'm with Bob on this, I would never burn a blow through stove in my house. I have never had anything inspected, I do some really questionable stuff sometimes. But I will not do a blow through. If anything starts to restrict the exhaust pipe it will start pushing the exhaust through the hopper. The lower the pellets in the hopper the less restrictions. The wrong wind outside and a half empty hopper might not be a good thing. If you do use the stove, make sure it is far enough away from anything that will burn and don't put anything on top of it that will burn. If you ever have a hopper fire hopefully it will stay in the hopper that way. Good luck.

 

[jedirye]

I'm with Bob on this, I would never burn a blow through stove in my house. I have never had anything inspected, I do some really questionable stuff sometimes. But I will not do a blow through. If anything starts to restrict the exhaust pipe it will start pushing the exhaust through the hopper. The lower the pellets in the hopper the less restrictions. The wrong wind outside and a half empty hopper might not be a good thing. If you do use the stove, make sure it is far enough away from anything that will burn and don't put anything on top of it that will burn. If you ever have a hopper fire hopefully it will stay in the hopper that way. Good luck.

Oh... My...