Replacing wood stove/interior pipe, need to prevent significant condensation

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tlhfirelion

Feeling the Heat
Hearth Supporter
Aug 6, 2007
443
Hello everyone. We are thankfully going to replace our old Lowe’s wood stove with another Absolute steel hybrid but there is one issue I need to remedy before installing. Our current stove (see pic) has a serious issue with a lot of condensation dripping down the single wall interior pipe and severely rusting the old stove. Our home is ICF and absurdly well insulated and air tight. We have a very common issue of water actually pooling around the base of the stove during the heat of the summer. I want to prevent that issue but I don’t know what to do to achieve that goal. I’ve posted on this in the past but am finally able to afford to do everything.

Attached is a pic shortly after we installed the current stove 6 years ago. The chimney stack is 7’ of interior single wall and approx. the same double wall outside, all straight up. Would installing a damper along the ceiling that I close in the summer stop the condensation? Would double wall interior pipe help? I don’t want to install a significantly more expensive stove and have it rust out nor do I want this issue to continue. I don’t know what the root cause of this is as I’ve had multiple wood stoves over the years and never had such a significant condensation issue like this.

Thank you in advance for any assistance you are able to provide.
 

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Hello everyone. We are thankfully going to replace our old Lowe’s wood stove with another Absolute steel hybrid but there is one issue I need to remedy before installing. Our current stove (see pic) has a serious issue with a lot of condensation dripping down the single wall interior pipe and severely rusting the old stove. Our home is ICF and absurdly well insulated and air tight. We have a very common issue of water actually pooling around the base of the stove during the heat of the summer. I want to prevent that issue but I don’t know what to do to achieve that goal. I’ve posted on this in the past but am finally able to afford to do everything.

Attached is a pic shortly after we installed the current stove 6 years ago. The chimney stack is 7’ of interior single wall and approx. the same double wall outside, all straight up. Would installing a damper along the ceiling that I close in the summer stop the condensation? Would double wall interior pipe help? I don’t want to install a significantly more expensive stove and have it rust out nor do I want this issue to continue. I don’t know what the root cause of this is as I’ve had multiple wood stoves over the years and never had such a significant condensation issue like this.

Thank you in advance for any assistance you are able to provide.
Have you tried plugging it for the summer right on the roof? Or is that too hard to get to? If you have someone or yourself clean it at the end of the season someone might be up there anyway. I'm not sure how you would remind yourself or someone else not to light a fire.
Maybe put something in the firebox with a sign. I have used 1 inch exterior foam board and you can cut it to any shape.
 
pop open the connection to the stove then put a plastic bag around it then seat it again. Will block any air transfer. Tho i never bothered. If your pipe is set up right any moisture should end up in the stove not on top.