Up the existing chimney versus through the wall?

[SciGuy]

So I'm trying to line up the ducks to allow heating with a pellet stove instead of not too efficient propane forced air system. The cabin has an existing fireplace and chimney aka heat sucker that we could adapt to provide an outlet for the stove and there is also a wall that might be suitable for through the wall venting. I'm now trying to weight the pros and cons of using each of the methods.

Is one highly preferred over the other?

How does the expense of materials stack up for each. I'm reasonably handy and not averse to doing much if not all the work.

Is a full length lining of the chimney critical. We will likely tear down the chimney and fireplace in the coming year as it acts as a huge radiator to the frigid outdoors. We could then direct vent out the new wall created to fill the gap left where the fireplace and chimney now reside.

Thanks for your thoughts

Hugh

 

[Harmanizer]

You will need a stainless chimney liner and they are expensive.You will also need a chimney cap.Probably cheaper and easier to go through the wall.

 

[Mt Bob]

Some stoves have a strong enough combustion system to vent into a chimney,without running a liner all the way up.The p61 you are looking at does,unless the chimney itself has problems,or the flue is huge.It is always preferable to run a liner,and,sometimes local codes require it.My integra ran,as main heat,for many years this way,but lots of stoves,especially newer ones,do not do well in this type of install.You could probably get away with it with the p61,even if you have to install the high altitude exhaust impeller,then change it back,after tearing out the chimney.Oh,once rented a house with one of those masonry 1/2 outside chimneys,(poorly built) what a cold wall that was.Only thing that saved me was I was burning coal.

 

[scotthershall]

Yeah, though the wall is probably much cheaper than a full liner down the chimney, especially if it's only temporary. Also, cleaning the through-the-wall vent is much easier so long as you can do it from the ground (rather than the roof).

You could also send the vent pipe straight through the masonry assuming it's just a standard brick chimney. That way you don't have to put a hole in a wall that you'll have to repair once you relocate your stove to the former fireplace location. I did this with an inexpensive SDS hammer from Harbor Freight.

 

[SciGuy]

Yeah, though the wall is probably much cheaper than a full liner down the chimney, especially if it's only temporary. Also, cleaning the through-the-wall vent is much easier so long as you can do it from the ground (rather than the roof).

You could also send the vent pipe straight through the masonry assuming it's just a standard brick chimney. That way you don't have to put a hole in a wall that you'll have to repair once you relocate your stove to the former fireplace location. I did this with an inexpensive SDS hammer from Harbor Freight.

Thanks or the reply,

I visited the local Harman dealer today and was told that they often vent directly into chimneys by running a stainless flex pipe up beyond the smoke shelf and packing the throat where the damper was with rock wool insulation. They've never had a problem with this method. So for an inexpensive perhaps single year solution it's tough to beat.

Thanks for all who have posted,

Hugh