We might want a wood stove. Do we actually?

[begreen]

Monthly inspections are not a rule, but the flue system should be inspected after the first cord burned as one learns the stove. The best way to reduce inspections is to have a well-designed system that keeps the flue gases warm and to burn only fully seasoned wood. With a good EPA stove run properly this combo should only require once a year cleaning. YMMV

 

[gyrfalcon]

So as I continue to read around this forum, I found something that concerns me.

A number of threads are recommending that one inspects the flue and cap monthly at first to make sure it's not seeing a lot of build up. This simply isn't possible for us. Given the weird design of our house, there's no way my wife or I can get up onto the roof to look down the flue. We'd have to hire someone to do it and certainly can't afford to do that monthly.

Is that a deal breaker?

Remind us again what your chimney set-up is? My sense is that monthly checks are recommended only if there's something marginal about your chimney/flue or your wood supply or both. I've never had more than a couple of cups of sooty particles from my chimney, even in my early years of burning with a small stove I didn't know how to run and a far from perfect wood supply.

 

[jeff_t]

So as I continue to read around this forum, I found something that concerns me.

A number of threads are recommending that one inspects the flue and cap monthly at first to make sure it's not seeing a lot of build up. This simply isn't possible for us. Given the weird design of our house, there's no way my wife or I can get up onto the roof to look down the flue. We'd have to hire someone to do it and certainly can't afford to do that monthly.

Is that a deal breaker?

If it's straight up, it's usually easy enough to clean from the bottom. Depending on the stove, it is possible to use something like the SootEater without disconnecting the stove pipe.
http://www.sooteater.com/chimney/

My sister's chimney is nine feet out of a 10/12 roof and is 26' tall, so I definitely only do that from the bottom. I rented a lift when I installed it. I just have the standard brush and fiberglass rods, so I slide the telescoping pipe up, start the brush in, tape a plastic bag to the pipe and poke a hole in it to feed the rods in. Very little mess, and it's best to lift the pipe on her stove to clean behind the cat, anyway.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

A number of threads are recommending that one inspects the flue and cap monthly at first to make sure it's not seeing a lot of build up.

That seems like solid internet advice (eyes rolling). While one can never be too careful in any of manner of activities, monthly checks are overkill. If your chimney clogs with build up you'll know because your stove won't draft properly and smoke will leak from any seams on it's way out.

 

[williaty]

The chimney setup will be a straight shot up out of the stove, 17' from floor to ceiling, through the 10" of ceiling/roof, and then whatever number of feet required by code. Effectively, a 20-21 foot shot straight up out of the stove.

 

[jatoxico]

The chimney setup will be a straight shot up out of the stove, 17' from floor to ceiling, through the 10" of ceiling/roof, and then whatever number of feet required by code. Effectively, a 20-21 foot shot straight up out of the stove.

Sounds like a winner to me. Inspection of the cap can be done from the ground with binoculars and you can clean the chimney yourself from the ground in a 1/2 hr (see SootEater). Cleaning once a year will be fine. If your cap (which is the coldest and therefore most prone to problems) clogs in a month it's most likely because you were using Really lousy wood and choking down too much but that won't happen to you cause you came here and know better.

Like I said before decently dry wood and a proper install and you won't have any problems.

Here's a link to a good if a bit corny video called Efficient Wood Stove Operation that might help.

http://www.woodheat.org/wood-heat-videos.html

 

[jjs777_fzr]

So as I continue to read around this forum, I found something that concerns me.

A number of threads are recommending that one inspects the flue and cap monthly at first to make sure it's not seeing a lot of build up. This simply isn't possible for us. Given the weird design of our house, there's no way my wife or I can get up onto the roof to look down the flue. We'd have to hire someone to do it and certainly can't afford to do that monthly.

Is that a deal breaker?

You should expect to have it inspected yearly.
Does everyone do this ?
NO!
Should you ? yep.
You should also drive within the speed limits.

In my state it is the law to have the flu professionally inspected I believe at least once a year. I looked it up at some point.

 

[gyrfalcon]

The chimney setup will be a straight shot up out of the stove, 17' from floor to ceiling, through the 10" of ceiling/roof, and then whatever number of feet required by code. Effectively, a 20-21 foot shot straight up out of the stove.

Masonry? Lined? Inspected? Or are you having a new stainless one put in? If it's not a crumbly old masonry chimney with a cracked clay liner or something, you should be good to go. And it can be inspected/cleaned from the bottom on the inside-- a bit messy, but not as messy as falling off your roof, or having a chimney guy fall off the roof.

 

[gyrfalcon]

In my state it is the law to have the fly professionally inspected I believe at least once a year. I looked it up at some point.

Really? SInce when, just curiously? And is that only for chimneys in active use or something? I ask because my family home back in Mass., an old late Victorian in the burbs, had two chimneys and several fireplaces, only one of which ever got used, maybe once a year at Christmas. I sure never heard of that law, and I know my elderly long-widowed mother had no idea. Pretty sure my dad when he was alive had a sweep once a year on general principles, but that may have been just for the one the boiler used.

 

[jjs777_fzr]

Really? SInce when, just curiously? And is that only for chimneys in active use or something? I ask because my family home back in Mass., an old late Victorian in the burbs, had two chimneys and several fireplaces, only one of which ever got used, maybe once a year at Christmas. I sure never heard of that law, and I know my elderly long-widowed mother had no idea. Pretty sure my dad when he was alive had a sweep once a year on general principles, but that may have been just for the one the boiler used.

Now we're going off topic. But here goes -
I can't find the verbiage I have seen before which I believe was from my own town facts and questions page.

But this should suffice (and not just for MA)

NFPA code 211 (I don't know if this is the latest edition of the code).

13.2 Annual Inspection. Chimneys, fireplaces, and vents shall
be inspected at least once a year in accordance with the requirements
of Section 14.3.

Chapter 14 also calls out the inspection must be done by a qualified agency.

GAS vents class B etc are exempted.

 

[dougand3]

Williaty, it would help if you posted pics of your house. Eg: Proposed stove location, walls, ceilings and roof line.

 

[Poindexter]

Very late to the party, I agree with about everything posted. OP should have his heat pump system checked out. Pellet stoves are less trouble/ time commitment to operate, but you are stuck paying market price for a product.

Air leaks, within reason, should be fixed no matter what fuel is used for heat. I can probably seal my house up a little bit tighter without needing a separate air intake for my stove, but I still have enough air turnover that I don't seem to have mold problems. I use chalk during the winter to mark noticeable leaks, then get busy with caulk and spray foam in the summer when the products can cure correctly. I suggest "drafty house heat" thread started by Jotul in the last couple weeks, good reading.

Might be a good idea to beg/borrow a chainsaw (and safety gear) to process the logs on the ground now, get them split and stacked, even do just one cord. Once you have that one cord split and stacked expecting it to be dry enough to burn well Oct 2015, how much time did it take to process that one cord, how much can you sell it for, how much can you buy it for - delivered- and how much will the BTUs in that cord save off your regular heating bill? Was it fun? How much will you save if you cancel your gym membership and become one of us? Do you own a truck?

A free standing stove stove, cat or non cat, soapstone or not, convection or not, (My Ashford 30 I think is a catalytic convection stove, yes?) should get the wifey warm enough for, umm, anything without too much trouble.

Depending on how many dollars per hour you make at your regular job, it might make sense to have a pro come in, harvest your dead trees and leave you with a big pile of stove length splits that you will need to stack and season before burning.

Stoves are very much like chainsaws. If you are choosing between comparable Husqvarna and Stihls the correct question is not "which saw is better" (they are both good), but rather which dealership service department do I want to deal with for the next several years.

I upgraded this year from a ten year old non-cat to a brand new cat equipped stove. I am not going back to a non cat, but I am in a position to feed my new cat a steady diet of 12-16% MC splits. Mine will run on 20% MC, but not as well. If you can split small and season quick the latest cat stoves will give you incredibly long burns and very good thermostatic control (mine is a Blaze King). I am lead to understand that non-cat performance has come a LONG way since my last stove was manufactured. On two acres with a house and detached 2 car garage having this years wood in a shed and next years wood out on seasoning racks should be doable, getting another year ahead would be highly desirable. If you break a leg or something having that bonus year already in the pipeline will keep your stove running uninterrupted.

A vertical flue with no elbows in it can be cleaned from indoors fairly easily. With a new stove I started with a clean flue, burnt one cord, swept, burnt a second cord, swept; I am comfortable going four or five cords before I sweep again, because I know what happens with my wood in my stove with my install.

Best wishes for a happy new year, thank you for reading first and asking second.