You have to remember we're talking the 1800's here. Transportation was slow and costly to many areas. Many locations had no rail transport. Wood was local and plentiful. Some railroads even ran on it.
The old "I wouldn't burn that in my house" thread...
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Coal is also much more dangerous if it does loose draft either from being blocked of low temps. Wood you will know right away coal you may not. And you may just get tiered and go to sleep.
This can happen with a wood fire too if the screen is plugged and the draft is lazy and reverses at the coaling stage. It's why having a proper functioning CO alarm is important.
This is from a story by the editor of Outdoor Life.
Yes absolutly it can but typically with wood people notice because of the smoke. Anthracite has no visible smoke and many people dont notice the smell.
I
it is getting to be more common from high efficency gas furnaces if the pvc vent isnt run up high enough
jetsam
Minister of Fire
Bootstrap
Burning Hunk
When I ran a coal stove in my last house, I cant figure out a single reason why it would lose draft.
Ash buildup in a horizontal pipe would do it but....most of us know not to do that.
Nah, the hot flue gas it lighter than air. It'll hold the pipe up. Lol
I realize some wont agree but I know of many folks who want a long interior pipe to increase the heat sent into the room. The stove in that church appears to be old wide open stove that couldnt be damped down if tried. Its heating a huge space so when lit its probably running at full bore. The church is probably not insulated so the long interior pipe probably provides radiant heat to the congregants as I expect the actual space never really warms up. Since the stove is run full bore, creosote is much less of an issue as the stove is probably running quit hot with plenty of air.
My old junior high school was built in the late 1800s, it had a large masonry fireplace on one end of the room that hooked to an iron pipe that ran roughly horizontal about 30 feet before it tied into vertical chimney.
My mother grew up on a farm in Quebec. It was 2 story building with unlined chimney, they could see the flames through the cracks and they expected a couple of chimney fires a year.
Different methods for different times.
My old junior high school was built in the late 1800s, it had a large masonry fireplace on one end of the room that hooked to an iron pipe that ran roughly horizontal about 30 feet before it tied into vertical chimney.
My mother grew up on a farm in Quebec. It was 2 story building with unlined chimney, they could see the flames through the cracks and they expected a couple of chimney fires a year.
Different methods for different times.
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Bootstrap
Burning Hunk
No argument there.
Its common to see setups like that in old buildings that are left original or are restored to look original for show purposes.
Bootstrap
Burning Hunk
Do tell. I am always willing to be educated.
My chimney was triple insulated stainless Simpson Duravent. It started from the floor joists in the basement as you see here:
And then went straight up through the house and exited here:
From what I can tell, aside from that slight 45 degree angle coming off the coal stove I cant see how I would ever lose draft. I had the pipe that high off the house because wind coming over the roof would hit the chimney and momentarily reverse the flow. Once I added another section and made it this high, that never happened.
I'm not being sarcastic, I would really like to know.
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Atmospheric conditions, negative pressures in the house, low fire in the stove and warm temps outside, wind conditions, we have seen trees fall on caps screens get iced up screens get clogged with fly ash and i am sure there are other things i am not thinking of. That is why co detectors are so important for anyone with any combustion source in their house. Yes if it is set up right it should not happen but even then unecpected things can happen.
Bootstrap
Burning Hunk
Yea I guess a tree would have been possible if one were close enough.
That chimney setup worked better than any I've ever seen. Its followed closely by the current one I have in my cape style house. That one is 20' tall. I never get smoke in my house from my wood stove insert unless you whip the door open quickly and even then its just a small puff.
I get completely baffled when I see chimney setups with long horizontals and such. And I do see that in friends houses. I try to be nice about it though, I've told them a few times what not to do yet I continue to see it anyways. Then I hear later down the road their house fills up with smoke...
I did have a co2 detector so that was covered.
The ones in my new house are combination smoke/co2.
That chimney setup worked better than any I've ever seen. Its followed closely by the current one I have in my cape style house. That one is 20' tall. I never get smoke in my house from my wood stove insert unless you whip the door open quickly and even then its just a small puff.
I get completely baffled when I see chimney setups with long horizontals and such. And I do see that in friends houses. I try to be nice about it though, I've told them a few times what not to do yet I continue to see it anyways. Then I hear later down the road their house fills up with smoke...
I did have a co2 detector so that was covered.
The ones in my new house are combination smoke/co2.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Actually it depends on the manufacturer . . . I've seen some with a recommended change out date as early as 3 years, a few at 5 years and some at 7 years.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Wow... can’t believe it’s even legal to sell a detector with a 3 year rated life. Most folks don’t even check their batteries, that often.
I agree . . . I personally think there should be a standard of at least five to seven years.
TheIndian
Member
Saw this today on Main Street. Wondering how long it will take to either...
1-be cause for a 3-Alram fire
2-get shut down by Inspector or
3-meet the owner on this forum
Love how the siding is turning brown...
1-be cause for a 3-Alram fire
2-get shut down by Inspector or
3-meet the owner on this forum
Love how the siding is turning brown...
Attachments
edyit
Minister of Fire
probably something that requires decent draft, burning wet wood, so they can complain the stove sucks...
Bootstrap
Burning Hunk
In all reality the house will probably not burn down. The smoke is probably not anywhere near hot enough to ignite anything by the time it reaches the siding. Im not saying theres no way it can happen, Im saying its probably not likely.
Also, I don't think town inspectors have the right to barge in your house and shut down your wood stove. The only real authority I know of that towns and/or police have regarding wood stoves is if your stove belches out so much smoke that the neighboring house can reasonably consider that a nuisance. And that kind of stuff certainly varies by region.
The whole purpose and point to the inspector is to ensure proper install so that some day the next home owner can rest assure that things are to code.
Woody5506
Minister of Fire
Even if they could, you have the right to make them leave your property. Shortly after I moved into my house about a year ago, and after my stove was installed (without a town permit...GASP) as well as other interior improvements we had done, the town assessor ironically and casually dropped by during the day in hopes of being able to do an interior assessment of my house. My wife and I were at work, so a note was left on the door letting me know to call their office to set up a time to have this done. That request was thrown in the garbage and I've heard nothing since.
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