Large Wood Stove for 70' tall chimney

[chriswebpub]

Can anyone recommend a large wood stove where the manufacturer either doesn't have a maximum chimney height or it is quite high?

I want to put a wood stove in my basement, and it has 3 floors above it, with additional roof needing to be cleared, resulting in a ~70' tall chimney (minus the height of the stove itself). The local installer my gc recommended keeps telling me doesn't want to do it, but I'm not sure he has looked into the issue enough. I don't know that much about it, I just know that apparently the problem is overdrafting, and it'd burn the stove too hot or something. Reading threads here I've read about dampers or elbows being put in to lower the draft, but these people are usually talking about 30-40' chimneys, I'm at 70'

I'm also wanting a large stove, ideally one rated to heat about 3000 sq/ft, but 2400 or so might be okay.

This is new construction. The stove wouldn't be used for primary heat, but auxillary heat, and I can't move it up a floor or anything like that.

Thanks in advance.

 

[avsmusic1]

70ft! WOW! I'm really interested in seeing what the experts have to say here. I wish you luck my friend

 

[begreen]

I can understand the reluctance of the installer. Sounds like it could be a very expensive and problematic chimney. Problems would be with too much draft and too much cooling of the flue gases, leading to creosote buildup. With new construction maybe insulate the basement very well and go with an alternative?

How tall are these floors? 4 floors at 10 ft would be about 40ft. Is this an apartment or condo? You might want to check to see if it would be possible to get this permitted.

 

[BCC_Burner]

Talk about mega draft. Make sure your splits are large enough that they can't be sucked up the chimney once that things gets going.

 

[Grisu]

How would you even clean that tall chimney? I would call some sweeps to see if they have any experience with such a tall chimney. If you can't find one that would clean it, you may be out of luck. (Or are you contemplating climbing up there yourself?) http://www.csia.org/search

Maybe look into an outside wood boiler?

 

[chriswebpub]

basement is 10 foot, with 2 foot joist space, then 12 ft 1st floor, 2 foot joist space, 10 ft 2nd flr, 2 ft joist space, 10 ft third floor, 2 ft joist space, then because of the 10 foot rule (this isn't at the side of the house, its in the middle) it has to go up higher to clear the roof, making it practically 4 floors, 5 if you count the basement where it sits.

The actual height of the chimney from the nearest accessible area of the roof isn't that high, there is easy access to a flat area of the 3rd floor roof (there is a non-flat roof area within 10 ft of the chimney creating this need for extra height), assuming a long enough broom cleaning wouldn't be a problem.

Theoretically, would it be at all advisable to put in a 90 degree elbow and travel the chimney far enough away from this roof section that I could get away with a shorter chimney? The elbow itself would reduce the draft, and it'd allow me to cut maybe 15 feet off the chimney height.

 

[begreen]

There are no 90 deg elbows for class A chimney pipe. The largest allowed angle is 30 degrees.

Is it possible to locate the stove elsewhere so that the chimney only goes up through the 3 floor roof?

 

[chriswebpub]

Not really. The chimney contains 2 other flues (fireplaces on upper floors), they would also need to move, it'd completely change the design of the house.

I'll need to find a wood stove that'll work, or do without.

 

[Grisu]

Why not put efficient, EPA-approved zero clearance fireplaces into the upper floors and then heat the basement with your conventional heat source? That way you may save more in heating cost than putting the stove in the basement.

 

[BCC_Burner]

Why not put efficient, EPA-approved zero clearance fireplaces into the upper floors and then heat the basement with your conventional heat source? That way you may save more in heating cost than putting the stove in the basement.

This seems like the best option. Might even be worth looking at fireplace inserts for the upstairs. If the stove is going to be for auxiliary heat and not run 24/7 as a primary source of home heat, why not have the fires where you can enjoy them the most?

 

[chriswebpub]

I just figured heat rises. Its a big house, as you may have guessed, and its up on a mountain, if a bad ice storm comes we could be stuck up there, perhaps without power, but I have 20 acres of forest to harvest from. So figured if I could put a big wood stove in my basement it'd provide me with some free heat. We have no natural gas either, so its propane and geothermal (via electric pumps). So the wood is a backup, or a way of lowering my propane/electric bill. There are a total of 7 wood burning appliances in the house, counting this questionable one in the basement, but like I said, its big. There are stoves on upper floors by the bedrooms, but figured that heat is unlikely to sink down into the basement.

 

[Grisu]

7 stoves/fireplaces? How many sqft do you want to heat? Have you thought about a central wood boiler/furnace? I would not want to feed 7 stoves at a time. Plus, 20 acres may not even provide you enough wood then. Not to mention the time you will spend cutting and splitting.

 

[chriswebpub]

I don't want wood for primary heat, and there is no ductwork in the house to use any sort of central furnace. (air conditioning is by minisplits, heating also and some additional from radiant). On the wood cutting, I figure it means I don't need to go to the gym. But it isn't for primary heat anyways, ambiance and emergency heat, and being cheap with the utility company. I'm the type that likes the idea of not being reliant on utilities. Not all the stoves/fps are for heating the "house" either. One of the 7 is a small wood stove in the greenhouse to be used in case of power outtages during polar vortexes where plants may be in danger of dying, another is in an attached garage near our rainwater storage cisterns for much the same reason, there to be used in case the water in the tanks is in danger of freezing. In the house proper there are three fps (master suite, dining room, living room), then 2 stoves on upper floors, and this theoretical one in the basement. I guess actually that makes 8 including the basement one.

 

[BrotherBart]

I don't want wood for primary heat,

Nothing wrong with that. Just that we are a bunch of wood heating junkies that immediately assume everybody wants to/should heat it all with wood.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Grisu]

Please apologize that I jumped to premature conclusions. It is just surprising that someone wants to put in 7 (8) woodburning appliances for a total cost of $15,000 to $20,000(?) as supplemental heat source. When you change the fireplaces to ZC EPA-approved fireplaces with a 4 cu ft firebox each you will get ambiance and a lot of heat, most likely making the other stoves in the main house unnecessary. Total cost will still be about the same then. The Lennox Montecito Estate or the Fireplace Extraordinaire 44 Elite are examples for large, efficient ZC fireplaces.

Sorry of that does not really answer your question. I am just not sure whether so many stoves will make you happy. Of course, we are just offering suggestions.

assuming a long enough broom cleaning wouldn't be a problem.

That would be my concern that you will not find a sweep that has the equipment to clean a chimney that tall. Should you find one, you can ask how the other place(s) deal(s) with excessive draft and who did the install(s).

 

[chriswebpub]

Oh its actually much more than that. like $35,000 including the chimney pipe and installation and everything. Its just a big house, over 10,000 sq/ft.

If you're curious, in the dining hall it is a double sided open fireplace one side open into the kitchen, one side open into the dining hall, great big stone surround. This is the one that the basement wood stove would have sat under. Not unlike this but more stone. I think the actual firebox is a majestic 42"

Then in the family room, on the other side of the house, 1st floor, is a majestic 38" fp. Directly above that is the master suite with another majestic 38" - these were recommended by the installer. 2 floors above the dining hall on that same chase is a wood stove, either a jotul f400 or jotul f600. Then, there is a 4 story turret (the cause of the excess chimney height, the chimney breaks the roof within 10 feet of it). The top floor is just windows, an observatory lounge, in that is going a morso 2b classic. Then in the greenhouse and greenhouse basement (where the water cisterns are) one is getting a morso 2b regular, the other a morso 1440 (I forget which is going where).

 

[Highbeam]

Pellet stove? No vertical chimney required.

 

[Grisu]

I assume money is not really an object? For the see-through fireplace: there is an EPA-approved fireplace just coming out: http://www.supremem.com/duet.php
With a 3 cu ft firebox, that would replace the Jotul F600. Or, if you like the look of a massive stove structure in the living room: How about a custom-mode masonry heater? Their efficiencies rival woodstoves and you can get any style you want. Some examples: (broken link removed to https://mainewoodheat.com/category/shop-masonry-heaters/masonry-heater-photo-gallery/see-through-heaters/)
I have to admit: If I ever come to money and would build my own home without looking at cost, a masonry heater would probably be in there. http://www.mha-net.org/
For the other fireplaces, I already gave some suggestions. You will also cut down on the number of chimneys sticking out from your roof and gain additional floorspace (although that may not be a concern to you).

Please be aware that the installer most likely recommended the units that are easiest to install. Not the ones most convenient for you. Those builder-grade fireplaces will be of little/no help when the power is out as they usually draw heated air out of the house.

 

[begreen]

It doesn't sound like there's an easy answer. Consider putting a high quality ZC fireplace on the next floor up and ducting the heat down to the basement with an inline blower.

 

[chriswebpub]

I know some of the fireplaces were recommended because of the chimney height, even 1 floor up I'm still dealing with then ~60' chimneys. I had originally specified some inserts, but they had maximum chimney heights of 35'

That masonry heater idea though... I like that. I like it a lot. Thanks for the tip. I will give that place a call.

 

[Grisu]

Glad you like it. The place I linked to is in Maine. Not sure how close that is to your location. Here is a list of masonry heater builders in the US:
http://www.mha-net.org/member-directory/#usa

Should you get one it would be nice to get some pics and feedback about its operation; we don't see masonry heaters here that often.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Gas stove?

 

[fire_man]

If you go through with this install, at least check in with the Guinness book of world records!