New Blaze King Princess - Double-Walled Stovepipe Really Necessary?

[Jager]

I've only been here a week - first post here - and I already fear this place is going to cost me an arm and a leg!

Here's the thumbnail and my question...

I have an old "The Earth Stove" in the living room of my 75-year-old, 1300-square-foot Cape Cod. The stove is in poor shape - the draft controls don't work and we're basically required to keep the door cracked for long periods of time in order to get a good burn. And although the stove holds a lot of wood - it also burns it off very quickly. It's hard to go to bed at night and have enough coals left in the morning to start a fresh fire. Even if you can get past the safety issue of having a stove that has to remain cracked for long periods of time - and the extra care and attention that demands - it sure gets tiresome building new fires all the time.

So... I decided to buy a new stove. I originally started looking at Osburns, and it was in searching for information on those that I found this site. As I began reading the fascinating information here - this truly is a very cool site - it didn't take me long to come across Blaze King. And from there it was quickly down the rabbit hole.

Looks like I'll be spending a lot more money than I originally figured. I'll be calling the dealer back in the morning and giving him my credit card info for the Princess Parlor.

Here's my question... I know Blaze King recommends both a 36" rise from the stove before you elbow off towards the wall - something I can't meet as I only have about two feet above my Earth Stove before the 90-degree turn towards the thimble opening into my chimney; as well as double-walled stove pipe. When I found how much double-walled stovepipe costs my first thought was to give the single-walled pipe I already have a try first. But since I've now discovered that getting the stove delivered and set up is going to cost hundreds of dollars, I'm wondering if I shouldn't just go ahead and have that double-walled pipe installed during the initial installation. I don't want to eat two exorbitant installation fees (and whereas I'm very comfortable working with single-walled stovepipe myself, I don't know that I have the equipment or experience to work and modify double-walled stainless pipe).

Does the double-walled stovepipe make that much difference?

Thanks in advance. I've been enormously impressed with the knowledge and wisdom here...

Jeff

 

[Todd]

How tall is your chimney? I'd say if it's close to Blaze Kings minimum height (15' ?) go double wall but if it's taller say 20' or more you can probably go with single.

 

[BKInsert]

I've only been here a week - first post here - and I already fear this place is going to cost me an arm and a leg!

Here's the thumbnail and my question...

I have an old "The Earth Stove" in the living room of my 75-year-old, 1300-square-foot Cape Cod. The stove is in poor shape - the draft controls don't work and we're basically required to keep the door cracked for long periods of time in order to get a good burn. And although the stove holds a lot of wood - it also burns it off very quickly. It's hard to go to bed at night and have enough coals left in the morning to start a fresh fire. Even if you can get past the safety issue of having a stove that has to remain cracked for long periods of time - and the extra care and attention that demands - it sure gets tiresome building new fires all the time.

So... I decided to buy a new stove. I originally started looking at Osburns, and it was in searching for information on those that I found this site. As I began reading the fascinating information here - this truly is a very cool site - it didn't take me long to come across Blaze King. And from there it was quickly down the rabbit hole.

Looks like I'll be spending a lot more money than I originally figured. I'll be calling the dealer back in the morning and giving him my credit card info for the Princess Parlor.

Here's my question... I know Blaze King recommends both a 36" rise from the stove before you elbow off towards the wall - something I can't meet as I only have about two feet above my Earth Stove before the 90-degree turn towards the thimble opening into my chimney; as well as double-walled stove pipe. When I found how much double-walled stovepipe costs my first thought was to give the single-walled pipe I already have a try first. But since I've now discovered that getting the stove delivered and set up is going to cost hundreds of dollars, I'm wondering if I shouldn't just go ahead and have that double-walled pipe installed during the initial installation. I don't want to eat two exorbitant installation fees (and whereas I'm very comfortable working with single-walled stovepipe myself, I don't know that I have the equipment or experience to work and modify double-walled stainless pipe).

Does the double-walled stovepipe make that much difference?

Thanks in advance. I've been enormously impressed with the knowledge and wisdom here...

Jeff

I have a single wall SS liner going through a fireplace chimney about 13' high, it works really well for me. Mine is the Princess insert though. I am not an expert and I am sure others will chime in but my personal belief is, why spend more money that you need to! The most important element is the stove, you were able to pick what I believe is one of the best stoves. Double wall or single wall in some cases would probably make a difference, but overall either would work fine. I would personally spend the money into the stove if I was tide on the budget.

 

[North of 60]

Stay double wall as per manufacture of your freestanding stove. You will be already going against it on your rise and 1st 90.
Try two 45s at least. I think you are confused what double wall is as you mentioned special tools and SS.
Double wall pipe is black cold rolled steel. No special tools. I think you are thinking of class A?
You picked a good stove, but if money is an issue, get an Englander, use your hardwoods to get the long burns and spend the money on doing your chimney right. Thats the safest way. Don't scrimp on the chimney. That the main artery for the stove.

 

[rdust]

I have about 30 or 31 inches of rise before my 90 and I think it's border line. I have double wall pipe which connects to 27' of insulated liner. Another big factor will be the chimney, what type of chimney will you be venting the stove into? The old earth stove and the modern EPA are going to respond differently to the chimney. Every year we see a lot of posts about a new stoves performance when the chimney is not up to par, on low burn BK stoves don't put much heat up the chimney so a good chimney is required to keep a good draft for the complete burn.

 

[bogydave]

Stay double wall as per manufacture of your freestanding stove. You will be already going against it on your rise and 1st 90.
Try two 45s at least. I think you are confused what double wall is as you mentioned special tools and SS.
Double wall pipe is black cold rolled steel. No special tools. I think you are thinking of class A?
You picked a good stove, but if money is an issue, get an Englander, use your hardwoods to get the long burns and spend the money on doing your chimney right. Thats the safest way. Don't scrimp on the chimney. That the main artery for the stove.

+1
Using two 45° elbows instead of one 90° is allot of help to the draft when burning on low.
Flue temps with the cat stoves is allot cooler (most of the heat is going into your home not up the stack).
Double wall pipe has less heat loss & you'll be able to burn on the low settings much better, & maintain a good draft.
You'll be surprised how much cooler the stove pipe is with the cat stoves, double wall pipe is almost a must if you have any transitions.
No more waking up & needing to add wood; it's hard to burn a full load in 8 hours without the doors & windows open.

 

[Jager]

Thanks for the help, guys.

I'm not sure exactly how tall my chimney is - I'd guess somewhere on the order of 15'. When measuring, do you tape from the thimble opening to the opening at the top? (sorry, I realize that's a pretty dumb question - but it's an honest one).

Because of the age of the house and worries about the condition of the chimney, I didn't run my Earth Stove for the first ten years we lived there. Then I had a 'lifetime' Firesafe liner poured (where they inserted a balloon-type device down the length of the chimney and poured what I presume to be a masonry-like substance once dried around it. That poured liner was supposed to to be very safe.

After a dozen years of using the stove with no real issues, our annual chimney inspection revealed cracks in the poured liner. So much for 'lifetime!'

To address that, Firesafe came back out and inserted a stainless steel liner. I'm assuming it is single-wall. My guess is that between the poured liner and the stainless steel liner inserted inside it, I have reasonably decent insulation inside the chimney itself.

Which leads me back to the stovepipe. Seems like the consensus is to go with double-walled, especially since I won't be able to meet the 36" initial rise Blaze King recommends. I can do the two 45-degree elbows instead of the one 90.

I've custom-fitted single-wall stovepipe a few times. Simple tools like hacksaw and file are all I've ever needed for that. The reason I mentioned special tools for working with double-wall pipe was the perhaps naive assumption that those simple tools would be inadequate for such material. I'm happy to be corrected!

Thanks for all the advice. I'm really excited about getting this stove!

 

[bogydave]

If you get the measurement of the height above the stove to the thru-wall pipe & distance from the thru wall pipe out from it to the opening in the stove.
The stove pipe gurus where it's sold may be able to help you get the right length pipe. I had to use a telescopic (sliding) pipe from the stove to the first 45.
Not sure you can cut double wall as easy as single wall. (may be allot more difficult anyway)
With the sliding piece,, I didn't have to cut anything.
Good luck

 

[rdust]

I don't believe you can cut/modify double wall pipe. That's why they offer adjustable/telescopic pieces. The only issue I see with the 45's is it will potentially make your first turn even lower in the rise from the stove. I'm not sure what is more important to gain, the most rise before a turn or less rise but a smoother turn. hmmm