Is my stove worth replacing?

[mebr80]

Looking for advice...

I live been living in a condo '70s era building for five years (800sf) with a VC Aspen/1920. It has a dumb stove pipe setup with 2 90 degree turns to an existing built-in chimney. The stove has never burned well and is always clogging - I won't even burn above 25 degrees. My chimney sweep has always shaken his head and attributed it to the poor draw/double turn. (I even clean my interior elbow as needed between his annual cleanings.) This year he declared it "not to code" b/c of a single wall pipe too close to the wall, and advised to replace the stove. I know it's never worked right, and always asked what I could do to fix it. I don't doubt it's not to code, but I would have replaced it years ago! (He is a PE dealer.)

So I'm left with a few questions:
1) Do I buy a stove from a guy who took five years to condemn my stove? (He was great at my old house with a straightforward setup.)
2) Is there a better solution than the double elbow? I'd like a stove that draws out the back, but the chimney starts five feet up the wall.
3) The sweeps are a little leary about the building's communal chimney setup. Should I just bag the stove, reclaim the space, and live with a 4'x4' stone hearth in my living room?
4) If I do replace it, I'd like a stove that uses the space better/is better looking.

I hope I've provided enough info. Let me know what you think. Thanks for looking!

 

[fossil]

When you say "clogging", are you talking about the stovepipe actually building up enough creosote to where it restricts the flow of flue gases? What are the symptoms you experience that tell you your stove is "clogged"? If there's a single-wall stovepipe component closer than 18" to a combustible surface, then it's not to code. Was the chimney structure originally designed/built to accomodate solid fuel-burning appliances? I lived in a condo for 9 years. It had a pre-fab ZC fireplace installed in a masonry (facade) fireplace/hearth structure, with a metal flue up through an exterior siding-clad chase. Is that the sort of arrangement we're talking about here? It's possible that the chimney flue isn't even approved for a solid fuel-burning appliance, but was meant for a gas log sort of thing, dunno. Some more info and some pics would sure be helpful. Welcome to the Forums! Rick

 

[mebr80]

Hey, thanks. Here's some more info. Hope it helps.

I think the flue is like the one you are talking about, only without any masonry, just a metal clad box. It holds three chimneys; I'm on the top floor. They were definitely built for wood, as I'm sure it's my only option.

I get crazy creosote buildup, and I have had smoke back up in the past. I try to burn hot, and only when it's cold out. Even so, the stove burns progressively worse between cleanings (My wood isn't always as dry as I'd like, but I'm also at the mercy of my homeowners assn. That's another reason to keep the stove: wood I've paid for.) Still, in this years spring sweep there was sticky buildup and I think some evidence of chimney fire.

The pipe is 21" from the wall, and the back of the stove is 18+" away.

Thanks!

 

[wellbuilt home]

It looks ok to me . I think you should have some masonry around the thimble . Your stove mite be built for a smaller flue . Is the chimney the same size of the flue? The chimney mite be to low if you are on the top floor. I cant tell what the 2nd picture is ? The stove look nice .Is it air tight? If the wood is wet it will not burn good .The elbow is not the best thing but if i told you I had a friend that had a old farm house with a stove pipe that snaked thru a hole house 1st 2nd and 3rd floor thru all the bed room walls from floor to floor hanging from wire. Im talking about 60 or 70 feet of steel pipe with about 15 elbow. My brother-in-law has a set up like yours and he has to clean it a few times a year. Ask the sweep what is no good, he mite just want to sell you a stove.

 

[begreen]

You could try the stove with about 3 ft of pipe, a 45, then a diagonal piece connected to another 45 at the thimble. That should draw much better and is a cheap fix that will work with this stove or another.

But the first suspect here is the wood. It sounds like it's not well seasoned. If that is the case, no stove will be an improvement.

 

[Saw-dust]

It looks ok to me .

I'm tryin to figure out the code violation for my own good and I just don't see it. does he not like the stove or not like the pipe?

If you can put in your own chimney it would fix a lot, maybe everything. If the pipe config is wrong then a new stove wont do any better than what you alredy got.

if it can happen, id fix the pipe config first.

 

[Jimbob]

I think the stove pictured above could benefit from a stove pipe arrangement like this:

You can't see the upper end of the stovepipe, but it has a 45 deg. elbow, then goes into the wall.

 

[KeithO]

I second that this is a chimney problem, not a stove problem. Clearly, this will not be resolved by the purchase of a new stove. Just bite the bullet and have a new chimney installed from the stove upwards and have the installer do it right with a straight shot up without going to the outside wall and losing all the 90 degree bends.

 

[mebr80]

I figured out the code violation. It's the stone hearth. Right now the stove is set about 9" from the front edge instead of 16". The stone pad is (47" wide x) 50" deep and the stove is 18" from the wall, leaving only 9" in front. I guess the suggestion was a new stove with a different configuration. I could move it back some, but I'd still be a couple inches short up front. I think I could add a heat shield, reconnect with a double wall connector (maybe 45s), and set the stove back a few inches. (Specs say 7" clearance behind with that setup.) Am I right?

 

[begreen]

It sounds like the sweep was thinking of moving you to a more square stove instead of the long box stove. The square stove would conform to the hearth better. However, switching to double-wall with 45's connecting plus the rear heat shield is a good plan. I think you'll find a dramatic improvement in operation and clean burning as long as the wood is seasoned. The hearth could also be extended a bit in front to comply with code.

Question, how large a space are you trying to heat? Has the stove done a good job when burning good dry wood?

 

[mebr80]

Thanks! I'm only heating around 800sf. The stove heats it fine, especially at the beginning of the season. I can see the performance change even after the first few fires, despite trying to burn it hot after every long burn. (I have to leave the door half-latched to get it hot. The thermostat/draft flap has never done anything.)

I like the idea of a fix without a new stove, but if you can think of a better stove for the job... I've never loved this one, but it might just be the connection.

Thanks for your input!

 

[begreen]

I was thinking of the Pacific Energy Vista. But go ahead with your plan and change the piping. If it works well, you're set. If not, well, the new pipe will work just fine on a new stove.