New chimney installation questions

[John_M]

Am doing all the planning now for installation of a new free standing wood stove installation this summer. The stove, stove pipe, chimney pipe, hearth, etc. have all been decided. I feel comfortable with all of those items. I want to do this right the first time and not decide two years from now that I have to change part of the installation because I saved a few dollars initially.

My uncertainty revolves around the chimney. The stove will be centered in the great room under the geometric center of a cathedral ceiling. The room was designed with this in mind. That cannot change. My original plan was to run the double wall stove pipe straight up to the chimney support box and from there straight up through the ridge of the roof. My plan was to build a chase around that section of the chimney above the ridge. The chase would be an additional expense but would look good and provide rigidity against the turbulent winds we frequently experience in this area. It was strongly suggested by some respected authorities that I not run the chimney through the ridge of the roof because it is too difficult to properly flash that kind of installation. It was suggested that I insert the chimney 1' - 2' on either side of the ridge. This kind of installation is easier to flash properly.

Here is my dilemma: If I install the chimney to either side of the roof ridge I will need an offset in the chimney pipe or stove pipe. An offset in the chimney pipe above the ceiling will be out of sight but because of the cathedral ceiling, will be a lot more work (and maybe impossible) in an area that has very little working room. This type of installation will also be more expensive because of the labor, framing lumber, elbows or offsets, additional chimney, and chimney supports. Installing the offset in the stove pipe would be unsightly in this particular room and is not really a viable option. The added expenses of installing through the ridge compared to an offset above the ceiling would be similar.

Here are my questions: 1) In terms of the ability of the chimney to draw properly is there any advantage/disadvantage to installing the chimney through the ridge of the roof (straight chimney) compared to 1' - 2' either side of the ridge (double bend chimney)? My intuition is that an installation through the ridge will draw better; 2) If chimney installation either side of the ridge will draw better, which option is better, the windward side or the leeward side?; 3) Does any reader know a contractor around Richfield Springs or Cooperstown, NY who does excellent work on such roofing projects?

Any opinions, suggestions and comments are always welcome.

Have a safe and happy New Year!

John_M

 

[Metal]

If you plan on building a chase (chimney) around the pipe above the roof I seen no issues with going straight up. Flashing a chase is much easier than flashing a pipe, which can be done with a custom flashing, but is tedious.

One way to flash the pipe is to buy two flashings like the one in the first picture and cut them in half and weld the two lower parts together to make the second picture (Pitch could be adjusted by where the cut is made). Just a thought.

 

[PunKid8888]

Well I don't know of any reason why you would want to go through the ridge other then maybe looks. that just seams like a ton of work. As for the placement of the stove. most stove pipes do not exit dead center on top of the stoves, most are set back and some actually protrude horizontally out the back. So this being the case if you want the stove in the center of the room now the pipe wont be centered. Also consider where the seating will be, most would want the stove set back a bit from the seating area so that is will not overwhelm you. So if it were me, I would determine the seating configuration of the room and make sure I have enough room away from that for both overwhelming heat and room to load the stove. So what ever way that pushed the stove from the peak should determine which side of the peak the pipe will exit. I would not worry about the draft, judging by your post the placement of the stove should determine the pipe location not the draft (which I doubt would be that much effected). Also exiting through the peak as appose to one side or the other should really have no play on draft if all at the same height, I mean if it does its very minimal.

got a layout of the room so you can share?

 

[DAKSY]

Hey, John...
Most Class A chimney manufacturers offer ridge flashings, so I don't know where your authorities are getting their information from...
The hardest part about the ridge penetration will be the framing to ensure the integrity of your ridge beam...
You're gonna hafta box in the Class A in the ridge area the same way a staircase opening would be framed in a floor...
Too detailed to get into here, but any carpentry book will show you the details...
You could probably get by for YEARS with a ridge flashing & with no issues...
If you decided in the future that you wanted to chase in the enclosure, you'd have to add additional step flashing to that anyway, so you'd have twice the protection from water penetration...
The straight up chimney system is BY FAR the least problematic (i.e. best drafting) & easiest to clean...
Bottom line?
Your call...

 

[John_M]

PunKid, I should have been clearer about the position of the stove. The stove will be centered under the ridge of the ceiling but against the back wall. It will not be centered in the room as my original post implied. I am one of the few people in the whole wide world who does not have a digital camera so I am unable to post a photo of the room. While enjoying the comforts of a wood fire I will also experience the joy of looking out my large back windows to see an occasional bear, many dear, flocks of turkeys, occasional coyotes, occasional bob cats, occasional foxes, woodchucks, pheasants, partridges, turkey vultures, many playful rabbits, more crows than necessary and many "hawks". As long as the woodchucks stay in and around the hedgerows they are pets. When they start digging holes in my lawn or around my 600 blueberry plants they become varmints.

El Bow, thanks for the reassurance about the ease of flashing a chase compared to a pipe installed through the ridge.

 

[John_M]

Daksy, the roof is constructed of trusses (16" o.c.) over-engineered for strength and placed closer together than necessary for this area. There is no ridge beam to worry about when installing the chimney so I believe there should be no concern about the structural integrity of the roof. I hope! The only cut necesaary will be a 14" circle cut through the sheathing. The sheathing is already open the full length of the house about 3" on each side of the ridge for a ridge vent. Do you still think there might be a structural problem with a through-the-ridge installation?

 

[DAKSY]

Hey, John,
As long as you don't cut a truss - and you can't without approval of an architect anyway, there shouldn't be any structural issues..I'd probably frame a square opening - under the round hole you cut - for added strength, especially if you intend to frame a chase in the future..That would give you something to anchor the chase into...