Where to locate stove.

[W.B.]

New house in the country and our only source of heat is an electric heat pump. After burning our Englander insert for the last 3 years, I'm sold on wood heat. I want to install a new stove on our main level by next winter. I have 2 potential options to locate the stove. Both options are on the west exterior wall. I like location 1 because I think it will help move the heat throughout the main level better than location 2 in the corner.

The only problem with location 1 is that my electrical panel is located outside on the wall right where the stove will sit. If I run single wall to the ceiling in the main level before turning the pipe outside it will exit the wall approximately 2 - 2.5' above the panel. Do you guys see any problem with that?

I'm thinking a Woodstock Fireview (maybe) but would like to hear about other options. House is approximately 1500sf half on the main level and half up stairs with a centrally located stairwell.

 

[Jags]

I agree with position 1 being the best option of the two. You should have no problems with the electrical panel. The double wall should not radiate enough heat to bother it at all.

 

[begreen]

I like position 1 as well. Is there any possibility of going straight up and through the ceiling instead? If you are going above the panel, remember that double-wall, connecting stove pipe needs to be at least 9" from the ceiling, and single-wall is 18". I would also check with local inspecting authority to be sure there is nothing in the mechanical or electrical code setting the distance from the panel and the exterior class A chimney.

 

[W.B.]

I wish I could go straight up, but there is a spare bedroom directly above where the stove would sit. I'm afraid my only option is to run a good length of the chimney piping outside.

Good points about the other code books. I'll look into that. If I needed to, I guess I could always shift position 1 more to the left to get additional clearance from the panel. I just like it in the corner because that's an area of the room we really aren't using.

 

[begreen]

How about a chase enclosing the pipe up in the spare bedroom? It's not uncommon to do this for a chimney.

 

[W.B.]

Hadn't thought about that. What kind of clearances would I need inside the chase?

 

[rideau]

I'd have some concern about there being lots of wires in the wall by the electric panel. Might not be so easy to put the pipe through near the panel. I'd go through the bedroom. My pipe goes through two bedrooms in my house. We deal with it. Would I rather not have the pipe there? In one of the rooms, definitely. But it was by far the best option and I have no regrets. Delighted I have an interior pipe.

 

[Jags]

I'd have some concern about there being lots of wires in the wall by the electric panel. Might not be so easy to put the pipe through near the panel.

Very valid point and definitely worthy of checking into.

 

[W.B.]

Yes, good point on the wires. It is underground service from my power pole to the panel. So all of the lines feeding the panel come up from underneath. Not sure about wires going from the panel to the upstairs though. Definitely possible.

I'm assuming if I build a chase and run it through the spare bedroom above that I'll still have to use a double wall pipe? If so, what benefit would I be getting over just running it up the outside wall?

 

[begreen]

Hadn't thought about that. What kind of clearances would I need inside the chase?

As soon as you penetrate the ceiling you need to switch to class A chimney pipe. The clearance is 2" from the class A pipe.

 

[W.B.]

Thinking something like this for main level. (Just a random google pic.)

 

[W.B.]

And then this for the outside. Do they make a product to support the chimney so I can go around the roof overhang? This house has a brand new metal roof and I don't want to put any penetrations in it if at all possible. (Obviously not to scale)

 

[W.B.]

Any stove recommendations for this set up? House is a 1500sf two story. New construction, pretty tight with 6" walls and double pane windows.

 

[begreen]

View attachment 123302 And then this for the outside. Do they make a product to support the chimney so I can go around the roof overhang? This house has a brand new metal roof and I don't want to put any penetrations in it if at all possible. (Obviously not to scale)Link Removed

That will be more costly, uglier, and less ideal functionally. Why build a defect into a new house?

For stoves I would stick in the 2 cu ft range. What style of stove appeals to you the most? Cast iron classic, modern steel, soap stone?

 

[W.B.]

I agree on the aesthetics, but I'm a function over form guy. Can you explain to me why it is functionally not as good? I assume the two 90 degree bends won't help draft, but I'll have quite a bit a pipe to cancel that out (maybe.)

And once I go through the ceiling I have to use class A anyway correct? So, going outside would eliminate building a chase and cutting though 2 ceilings and my new metal roof. I think it might be a wash on cost.

I like the looks of the soapstone, but my wife doesn't like the price! Modern steel would be fine with me and I have liked the performance of our Englander insert. I'm probably more concerned with long burn times than looks. I would love to be able to have coals in the morning after an overnight burn. That hasn't been possible with insert.

 

[begreen]

It's going to look like a silver rocket attached to the house. Not that it will need to be 2' taller than the nearest building structure (roof) within a 10ft radius. The cold exterior pipe will have a propensity to build up creosote easier due to the slowing of the draft and exterior exposure. The fittings are more expensive too.

There will be no insert, just a freestanding stove, right? With a highly insulated 1500 sq ft new home I think the Englander 30NC may be too much stove. I'm thinking you may be better off with a 2 cu ft stove like the PE Super 27 or Napoleon 1400. Have the heat load calculations been done on the house yet? What's going in for regular heat?

 

[W.B.]

Hmm, so I may be building a chase. I don't think the wife will be pleased!

Yes, this will be a freestanding stove.

The current heating setup is all electric heat pump. The home is already built, I should've said "newer" construction. We are the second owners, but the house is only a couple of years old. So any stove we put in will have to work around the existing construction.

 

[eclecticcottage]

What kind of price are you looking to stay under?

On both of our houses, all of the wiring leaving the electric panel comes out of the top of the panel, some of which runs straight up.

 

[W.B.]

Don't really have a budget in mind yet. It's going to be a DIY job and I won't be putting everything in until late summer, so I have plenty of time to save up. Just in the planning stages now.

 

[W.B.]

I'm starting to think that the best plan of action may be to put the stove right in the middle of that west wall. I would need to relocate some electric and the cable lines, but then I could utilize part of the upstairs bedroom closet as the chase. It would make the stove the center piece of the room instead of the tv.

 

[begreen]

I like it. But maybe avoid dead center so as to avoid hitting the ridge pole? Is the closet centered on the wall upstairs?

 

[W.B.]

Yes. I want to say the closet is 2' deep so I could offset a foot from the center wall and still have the necessary clearances keeping the closet as the chase. The only real hurdle after that is making sure I clear the trusses in the attic.

 

[eclecticcottage]

Check out Blaze King if burn times are an important factor. I asked about budget because they aren't cheap.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

I'm starting to think that the best plan of action may be to put the stove right in the middle of that west wall. .

If you measure and plan it just right, the best way to do it is to get the metal chimney flashing to slip right up under the ridge cap.
Here is a picture of what it should look like when you are done.

Keep in mind this chimney is missing the metal storm collar.

 

[begreen]

Thx for posting that shot lumberjack. I was going to search for it.