Newbie to wood stoves and trying to find some answers about pipes.

[RachaelJoiner]

My husband and I are building a house ourselves and are trying to decide on a wood stove. My question isn't so much about model or what is best, but about whether or not you can frame a fireplace around a wood stove pipe without a masonry chimney - realizing the specifications and clearance will be dependent on the stove. I'm gathering this would include an insulated double walled pipe, but can you box that in so that the pipe appears to go up into the dry walled "chimney"?

I see photos of this done all the time, but in contacting a local wood stove distributor, they told me that this was not possible and that we would have to have the pipe exposed all the way up our 22 foot ceiling (there is a covered wrap around porch so the wood stove would have to be vented out of the roof). I also asked about a zero clearance insert - and they told me I would have to have a masonry chimney for that.The same distributor also told me that people who frame in and cover a pipe using durock for insulation are experiencing crumbling years down the road.

It is a one story house, 2,400 sf, with hip roof vaulted ceilings in Virginia. Because the ceilings are so high, we really need a framed chimney around the pipe for aesthetics. We've got space, but I want it to look like a chimney with a wood stove in it - rather than a wood stove sticking out in the middle of the room - without having to shell out money for a masonry chimney. Am I crazy or is this distributor giving me wrong information?

 

[edyit]

I would look for a different distributor. if you are looking for a fireplace insert then yes you would need a full masonry set up. a zero-clearance fireplace is an entirely different set up. this link has a list of different option which i think you were referring to as zero-clearance.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/posts/2092132/

 

[VirginiaIron]

Chimney pipe buying guide

https://www.efireplacestore.com/chimney-pipe-buying-guide.html

".... When using class A chimney pipe, it is important to know that plenty of money can be saved if you plan your system wisely. Class A pipe is usually manufactured with either a stainless steel outer wall or a galvanized (or galvalume) outer wall. When running class A pipe within a masonry chimney, a chase, an attic or any enclosure inside the home, it is economically wise to use galvanized pipe. If at all possible, it is recommended to install your chimney in the interior of your home. ..."

 

[begreen]

What you are describing is an alcove installation. Many stoves has documentation on this type of installation. For an alcove installation you will need to watch out for clearances to combustibles, especially for the alcove ceiling height. For most stoves this is 84", but there are exceptions that have a lower ceiling height requirement. Above a proper alcove ceiling the chimney pipe could be chased so that it is not visible. Class A chimney pipe has a clearance requirement of 2".

An option here might be an entirely non combustible enclosure for the stove. That could be constructed with proper materials like all masonry or metal studs and cement board sheathing with a brick, tile or stone veneer. In those cases the clearance requirement would be to the wall behind the stove (assuming it has wood studs). If the structure is freestanding as a room divider in the middle of the house then there would be clearance requirement. This would require careful planning and a sign-off by the inspector and insurance company, but it could be done.

Or for a turnkey install consider a high efficiency EPA Zero Clearance fireplace like edyit suggested. Some can be ducted to route heat into other parts of the house. There are some nice units available.

 

[begreen]

It's important at this point to put ideas onto paper and work on the visualization. You'll have to decide:

a) how the stove or fireplace will be used and for what purpose (ambience, heating, room divider, etc.)
b) the stove or fireplace location (central with an interior chimney is better)
c) the stove or fireplace size (Will depend on how well the place is insulated, glass exposure, climate zone. Getting a heat loss calculation for the main heating system will be helpful in making this decision)
d) the look that one desires
e) the budget
f) structure needed (a real masonry fireplace needs very good support)

 

[Zack R]

You are in a lucky position to be able to choose and design the wood stove you like from the get go, rather than having to rework an existing installation.

If I had tall ceilings like you are describing I'd opt for a freestanding stove that has a pipe going straight up through, to maximize heat and draft. I'd avoid zero clearance inserts, they really aren't that great (in my opinion) and limit future wood stove options.

To minimize the stark black pipe look you could add a darker color brick or other covering behind the stovepipe to reduce the contrast. Here's some random finds from a google image search:

 

[cahaak]

If you do a bump out, as described above to make an alcove, run your class A pipe framed up in the chase and then just end in the ceiling support box, you can build your house and put the chimney in and worry about which stove later. 6" class A will handle the vast majority of stoves. You will want your alcove space at least 2' deep and 4' wide, 5' wide would be better for side clearances.

The other option is like the one depicted in the pictures where you leave the ceiling support box up at the top of your vaulted ceiling, but just spaced out enough from the end wall to meet stove pipe clearances. Would still have the stove near the wall, but you would have a long section of black pipe from the stove up to the transition to the double wall up in the ceiling since it is vaulted. Some folks like that look, others don't.

Last case would be to frame in the chimney part way up the wall at the end of the wall and just have X feet of black pipe down to the stove from there. Kind of a bump in framed chimney. All these options are doable and can be done when the house is built. Grab some instructions for some class A chimney like Supervent and see what the clearance need to be - they are only 2" from the outside of the pipe, so the framed chase in not that large.