Log home installation

[VikkiP]

Thanks for all the advice a few months ago. I still have some questions regarding sizing, and new questions regarding installation in an exterior chase.

We're building a new construction log home. 6" thick pine logs, 1200sf main floor with 30x20 open to roof great room, where the fireplace will be installed on the eaves side, the other half of the first floor has 2 bedrooms, bath, kitchen. Above the bedrooms is an open loft, and below all is a full walkout basement.

Our intent is to use our unlimited supply of oak as our primary heating source, and efficiency is not critical. We do realize that temperatures will not be consistent from room to room when the wood fireplace is near one end of the house, so we're looking for ducted models to help equalize temperatures. We'll also place the furnace thermostat and remote sensor in these closed rooms to ensure they remain comfortable.

We've considered a wood stove instead of a wood fireplace, but with the eventual likelihood of grandchildren and puppies romping about the room, we want to avoid the large safety dead zone that a freestanding stove creates. We live with that now, and it's sometimes a challenge.

The log walls are considered to be equivalent to highly insulated walls as there is no infiltration, and the ceiling is R-49. The basement walls that are below grade as well as the basement floor will be insulated, the windows and doors will feature insulated glass rated for our northern Michigan climate. According to the HVAC quotes, for an LP furnace we'd be looking at about 76 KBTU actual output.

We went to a fireplace store, but the salespeople couldn't answer some of my questions.
1. Installing the fireplace flush to the wall - I understand that we need to cut logs out to meet the chamber requirements for the stove we choose, and install non-combustible framing and finishing materials in their place on the interior of the log wall. But on the exterior of the log wall, what if any protection is required between the logs and the insulated chimney, between the insulated chimney and the chase, and are firestops in the chase often used?

2. Is it better to continue the chase up to the roofline (we're not building a "fake" chimney box around the insulated chimney pipe above the roofline to avoid excessive shade cast on the solar panels) or put a sloped roof on a short chase and continue the insulated chimney through the eaves exposed?

3. Does the chase need to be insulated or built of non-combustible materials? I imagine there is the potential for significant heat loss from around the wood fireplace into the chase when not in use.

The house will be lovely, but chimney aesthetics are not a priority. The chimney and chase will be facing the property line and forest, and will rarely be seen.

The plan shows "wood burning fireplace insert" but we will not be constructing a masonry fireplace.

 

[bholler]

Thanks for all the advice a few months ago. I still have some questions regarding sizing, and new questions regarding installation in an exterior chase.

We're building a new construction log home. 6" thick pine logs, 1200sf main floor with 30x20 open to roof great room, where the fireplace will be installed on the eaves side, the other half of the first floor has 2 bedrooms, bath, kitchen. Above the bedrooms is an open loft, and below all is a full walkout basement.

Our intent is to use our unlimited supply of oak as our primary heating source, and efficiency is not critical. We do realize that temperatures will not be consistent from room to room when the wood fireplace is near one end of the house, so we're looking for ducted models to help equalize temperatures. We'll also place the furnace thermostat and remote sensor in these closed rooms to ensure they remain comfortable.

We've considered a wood stove instead of a wood fireplace, but with the eventual likelihood of grandchildren and puppies romping about the room, we want to avoid the large safety dead zone that a freestanding stove creates. We live with that now, and it's sometimes a challenge.

The log walls are considered to be equivalent to highly insulated walls as there is no infiltration, and the ceiling is R-49. The basement walls that are below grade as well as the basement floor will be insulated, the windows and doors will feature insulated glass rated for our northern Michigan climate. According to the HVAC quotes, for an LP furnace we'd be looking at about 76 KBTU actual output.

We went to a fireplace store, but the salespeople couldn't answer some of my questions.
1. Installing the fireplace flush to the wall - I understand that we need to cut logs out to meet the chamber requirements for the stove we choose, and install non-combustible framing and finishing materials in their place on the interior of the log wall. But on the exterior of the log wall, what if any protection is required between the logs and the insulated chimney, between the insulated chimney and the chase, and are firestops in the chase often used?

2. Is it better to continue the chase up to the roofline (we're not building a "fake" chimney box around the insulated chimney pipe above the roofline to avoid excessive shade cast on the solar panels) or put a sloped roof on a short chase and continue the insulated chimney through the eaves exposed?

3. Does the chase need to be insulated or built of non-combustible materials? I imagine there is the potential for significant heat loss from around the wood fireplace into the chase when not in use.

The house will be lovely, but chimney aesthetics are not a priority. The chimney and chase will be facing the property line and forest, and will rarely be seen.

The plan shows "wood burning fireplace insert" but we will not be constructing a masonry fireplace.


View attachment 312204
View attachment 312205

I would strongly recommend just going with a woodstove instead of a zero clearance fireplace. It will cost much less and give you way more options and performance. And go big. High ceilings lots of glass and log construction is going to need allot of btus

 

[bholler]

Do you have at least a years worth of wood cut split and covered now?

 

[VikkiP]

Do you have at least a years worth of wood cut split and covered now?

We have 23 face cords, mostly cut from standing dead wood, stacked now. A few trees were cleared for building and they're in different stacks.

 

[bholler]

We have 23 face cords, mostly cut from standing dead wood, stacked now. A few trees were cleared for building and they're in different stacks.

Great you are way ahead of most people starting out with wood burning

 

[stoveliker]

The insulated chimney is class A?
Check the requirements for th brand you're going to use. Most of the time you need 2" distance between the outside of the chimney and any combustibles (log wall or chase).

No need to build the chase above the roof line, as long as you can seal it at the top - with non-combustible material as it'll touch the class A.

You can insulate the chase but don't have to. If you do, make very certain the insulation can't dislodge and touch the class A pipe inside.

 

[VikkiP]

I would strongly recommend just going with a woodstove instead of a zero clearance fireplace. It will cost much less and give you way more options and performance. And go big. High ceilings lots of glass and log construction is going to need allot of btus

Not a lot of glass in our place, not more than an average house. We're not doing the "glass in the whole end for the view" because we can see it from the deck and the french doors. It's a seasonal home so we're using the "Keeping it Simple" plan and building to last for generations. No fancy extra gables, wide eaves, as few roof penetrations as possible, and logs start above the porcupine line.

Great you are way ahead of most people starting out with wood burning

We're not really starting out, we've been heating with wood from this same woodlot for 26 years. We're just putting a fireplace closer to the source.

 

[bholler]

Not a lot of glass in our place, not more than an average house. We're not doing the "glass in the whole end for the view" because we can see it from the deck and the french doors. The

We're not really starting out, we've been heating with wood from this same woodlot for 26 years. We're just putting a fireplace closer to the source.

That's good sounds like you have a good handle on allot of it. I really would go big. It's much easier to work with a stove that's a little oversized than one that is to small

 

[VikkiP]

The insulated chimney is class A?
Check the requirements for th brand you're going to use. Most of the time you need 2" distance between the outside of the chimney and any combustibles (log wall or chase).

No need to build the chase above the roof line, as long as you can seal it at the top - with non-combustible material as it'll touch the class A.

You can insulate the chase but don't have to. If you do, make very certain the insulation can't dislodge and touch the class A pipe inside.

Depending on the fireplace we choose, they're quoting the Class A Dura-Tech or IHP or the HHT SL300 air cooled per manufacturer specs, so I'll have to refer to those installation instructions to build the chase as needed. For the Class As they're calling for 6", so I'm thinking a minimum 20" x 20" chase for the flue alone or sized per manufacturer specs for the air chamber if wood studs are used? Can I use sheet metal panning around the chimney attached to the underside of the eaves?

 

[stoveliker]

6" class A will be less than 10" dia. So 20" chase is fine, even if combustible. (Fiber batts between the studs can sag an become a problem.)

I'd say that sheet metal should be good, but building chimneys is bhollers profession, so I'll defer to him...

 

[bholler]

Sheet metal is fine inside so is ply wood etc it just needs to hold the insulation in place

 

[stoveliker]

I think he was asking about the top of the chase near the eves. (But I may be wrong.)

 

[begreen]

The FP is not in the best location for heating. How will the ducting from the fireplace be run? Running through the basement is going to need a lot of 90º turns (3 or 4?) which will really affect performance. A wood furnace in the basement would be better here if there is an easy way to get wood to

 

[begreen]

Sheet metal is fine inside so is ply wood etc it just needs to hold the insulation in place

Criss-crossed wire or nylon string can hold batts securely. Some use cement board, but drywall is also ok as long as clearances are proper.

 

[bholler]

Criss-crossed wire or nylon string can hold batts securely. Some use cement board, but drywall is also ok as long as clearances are proper.

Yes lots of options

 

[mcdougy]

Hi . Have you considered an interior chase vs the exterior? Not sure what your final look is for your surround, but you may need to frame the wall above the fireplace regardless. The projection of the fireplace is probably pretty deep. Maybe you are planning on a 24"ish deep mantle? If not, you will need to frame above. I will attach what our interior chase projection looks like. It allowed me to put the class A thru the roof and not have to deal the eaves and less elbows on the system.
Edit. I see your planning on being flush to the wall. If your floor space can allow it the interior chase aligns with your kiss approach.

 

[KDubU]

Masonry heater is what you should have built. They cost more but they work, only the doors get hot and the rest just radiates warm heat. You can touch it anywhere except the doors as mentioned. Plus they look beautiful and outperform any stove out there. We had one in a 1800 sq ft home in Ontario, Canada and never had to turn on the furnace. We had a fire once in the morning and once at night, that was it as you burn it hot and then it radiates it all day. If I was building a house again, this would be my first choice by a long shot.

Build it here:

 

[begreen]

I was thinking along the same lines for the fireplace location. That might permit the bedroom ducts to run in the loft's joist spaces. Another option would be to locate a stove in the great room by the stairs or in the marked fireplace location and install a quiet, ducted recirculation system in the basement that pulls cooler air from the bedrooms and blows it into the stove room. Regardless of design, ceiling fans will be a must to deal with the heat that will stratify at the great room ceiling peak. This is another plus of a wood furnace system.

 

[KDubU]

Agreed ceiling fan or fans would help a lot. I would go with one like this. Also 6’ and will help move a lot of air, just keep it on a slow speed.

 

[Todd]

Masonry heater is what you should have built. They cost more but they work, only the doors get hot and the rest just radiates warm heat. You can touch it anywhere except the doors as mentioned. Plus they look beautiful and outperform any stove out there. We had one in a 1800 sq ft home in Ontario, Canada and never had to turn on the furnace. We had a fire once in the morning and once at night, that was it as you burn it hot and then it radiates it all day. If I was building a house again, this would be my first choice by a long shot.

Build it here:

View attachment 312225

I agree, wish I would have built my log cabin around a masonry heater.

 

[qwee]

I think VikkiP wants something for family gatherings, not so much for heating efficiency. But in case she doesn't know what a masonry heater is,

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies