Where to vent?

[nutz1225]

Hi All,
Just purchased an Avalon Astoria freestanding pellet stove. Have a 2,500 sq. ft 1920’s 2 story brick colonial (not counting full unfinished basement and finished attic); backup is oil heated water radiators (and electric in finished attic). Interior walls are plaster and lathe.

Question is regarding venting for the stove. House has an existing chimney, which I prefer to vent to, the salesman (who was not familiar with the stove, they just started selling Avalon products this summer) said I shouldn’t vent through. He said I should vent through the wall. The chimney did have a freestanding stove at some point (the hole is badly plastered over). And by reading the forums, I know I would need a chimney liner, if there isn’t already one there.
Can I vent to the chimney, would it increase maintenance costs considerably more then venting through the wall? Is there any reason I shouldn’t vent to the chimney? Is it possible to vent through a window (creating a fire proof window fitting to vent through the upper half of an existing window that slides down)?
The venting question has completely stalled the installation, because I really hate to punch a hole in the brick wall. I bought the stove intending to vent through the chimney and just continued with the purchase after he said no, thinking I would figure something out. I thought pellet stoves decreased waste/creosote, so a chimney venting would be ideal? The more I think about it, the more I hate to cut a hole in the bricks though.
BTW, I am a girl and new to pellet stoves, please excuse any lack of knowledge/use of proper terms about this subject. But I learn pretty fast.

The shop (http://lanchestergas.com/index.html)is also giving me $100 off my first ton of pellets (Clear Choice, I believe). His price was $249 per ton in Gap, PA.

Anyways, any help, ideas, tips, encouragement to go for the hole in the side of the house would be greatly appreciated. I will not be doing the work, I have a handyman who is waiting for the final decision.

 

[Snowy Rivers]

Myself, I prefer a direct vent straight out the wall with the minimum of run that is possible.

Keep the stove as far from the wall as practical to make working on the stove/cleaning as easy as possible without having to unhook the venting.

Extend the pipe outside about 18" and then add the screeened turndown cap.

I have 3 units this way, and the cleaning is a snap and requires little time to do.

I just shut the fir off and allow the stove/stoves to cool for a bit, remove the vent cap and run the shop vac hose right up the pipe until its right at the fan housing, Pipe done.

The internals can be done easily and once the guts are cleaned, its off to the rodeo.

Now if you have issues outside that preclude a direct vent, then there is always the chimney.

Venting into the old chimney is going to make cleaning a lot tougher.

You will need to line the chimney with a flex pipe too.

IMHO the direct venting is the Cats Meow.


In over 20 years of pellet stove operation here I have never had even one bad experience with the direct venting.

Snowy

 

[wingman1776]

I rent so making hole in wall was out so I opened window framed it in ran vent and oak tho that. So when i move i can remove it all close the window no dmage to the house. Has been working great for me.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Depending on the final length of the chimney and what is needed in the way of elbows to get to the existing hole in that chimney you might not be able to get a decent burn.

There is a limit to how much the combustion blower can handle.

 

[jtakeman]

Careful with the window install. If you need it inspected, some inspectors just wont pass them. Depending on the height of the chimney? It is possible. But not if the chimney is shared with another appliance, If the furnace is using it? I'd say not worth the bother.

Poking a hole thru the brick isn't that big a deal and is repairable later on.

 

[Doublea88]

it's against code with 2 different fuel burning appliances sharing the same chimney.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

it's against code with 2 different fuel burning appliances sharing the same chimney.

Flue yes chimney no. Multi flue chimneys are both common and within code.