I'm building The Continental (big cook stove) designed by Matt Walker, with a few modifications, in front of an existing fireplace. I removed a "Better-N-Bens" inefficient and ineffective
wood stove that was vented right into the firebox out of the rear of the stove. I removed the stove and hearth and cut out the old damper and will easily be able to remove a brick or two to fit a 6" stove pipe, with a couple 45's, through the throat.
I'm in the foothills of the high desert in Southern California. We have high winds that blow from every direction imaginable. Neighbor's ranch is incorrectly named Nine Winds Ranch (
should be 99.) Hot and dry summers with cold and mostly dry winters that have extreme temp swings. The flue liner is 10'-6" tall, 18" x 13-3/4" oval diameter and in excellent shape (had a reputable sweep clean and inspect a few years ago.) Then two more ft to the edge of the smoke shelf where the damper was. The chimney is made of
concrete block and exits the roof at the ridge with ext dimensions of 20-3/4" x 16-1/2" and is in the center of the house protruding 24" above the ridge. All exterior walls and the wall that connects the chimney to the rest of the walls are un-insulated concrete block. The attic has good insulation but is not well sealed. It's built in 1952 and has 1150 sq ft. The house gets hot in the summer and cold as crap in the winter. My sons and I got through the last three winters by wearing a lot of layers. I did install a mini-split, but after the first electric bill, it was retired except on special occasions or the really bitter nights.
The plan is to run stove pipe from the flue collar all the way up and out the top of the chimney. I will be installing an insulated block off plate at the throat and lining the back of the stove with Rockwool to keep the heat in the living space. The stove chimney is going to jut out the rear, into the old fireplace, and give the straightest shot up the FP chimney (see pic). Matt has answered nearly a hundred questions from me and has been an invaluable coach as he walks me through the build process. I've learned a lot over at hearth.com as well, but wanted to get some input from those that are familiar with
RMH and masonry stoves on the best and safest
course of action for venting the stove through the existing chimney.
With all that said, is there a
rocket stove scientist amongst the Permies that can guide me in choosing the proper components to get this stove off the ground and safely through my chimney? Such as: type of stove pipe: single wall, I doubt this but there will be plenty of cold starts, the chimney is short, the winds are strong and unpredictable and there may not be a substantial delta T on start ups. Double or triple wall? Stainless on some parts, or all? Add insulation in the field (a cheaper solution)? Is there a brand or company that is more trusted with quality control in selecting the stove pipe components? Is it better to use one of those flex lines to get through the throat or use 45's to clear it? Does it need to be secured to the chimney? I am next to the the San Andreas Fault. If so, where and how often? Can I use standard ducting strap or do I need a connector made for the purpose? I assume one would be needed where the stove pipe exists the chimney, especially with my high winds. Because of the conditions enumerated above, is there a specific cap that would provide more benefits? Should I extend the pipe further out the top of the chimney to improve draft? Should I build a block off plate for the top of the chimney as well? Should it be insulated? Etc, etc...
As I put all this together in my minds eye, these are some of the questions that pop up in regards to the routing of the stove pipe and I thought they might be better answered here than anywhere else. I've searched through the forum and stumbled across threads that mention this, but didn't find where one had been documented and shared. If this has been covered, please give me a clue as to its location or, if you have done this yourself, a brief description of how you accomplished it, maybe the components used, and if it is functioning as planned or if there were any changes you'd make. I'd like to get this right the first time through and have something that is durable, functional and safe, so any guidance or advice is greatly appreciated. If there is any more info needed to ascertain the best course of action, please ask. I did my best to provide as much relevant info as I could. If you read through all that, I thank you for taking the time!
Jason
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