Wood Stove Chimney Installation
Chimney installation needs to be done correctly to ensure that smoke does not enter the home, a real health and safety danger. Expense and how the room and roof are built influence the type of chimney to install. It is best for safety to have an expert check the new installation.
Wood stoves can make a room warm and snug if installed correctly. The most important element of its installation is the chimney. This is what keeps the smoke out of the house, an essential health and safety step.
Every wood stove is required to have a chimney. There are three types. Masonry chimneys work well though they are difficult to build and therefore expensive. A fireplace chimney that is already in place can be used. Factory-built metal chimneys, UL-approved, are the most simple to install.
There are three types of new installations. The first is a regular black stovepipe running up from the stove and connecting the insulated chimney just below the ceiling level at a special support box. Insulated chimney is then stacked up until the necessary height is reached. All chimneys need to extend a minimum of three feet above the roof surface and two feet higher than any part of the building within 10 feet.
The second type exits through a wall, and goes up along the side of the house.
The third works on a slanted roof. The pipe is supported at the level of the roof by brackets. Insulated chimney pipe hangs down into the room to connect to the interior black stovepipe.
Safety is the first consideration. The middle of any chimney should be stainless steel, which resists the high temperatures and corrosion. It is important to use only a Class A, all-fuel, or solid-fuel chimney for a wood stove. No stovepipe is allowed to pass through walls, ceiling, floors or windows.
The taller the chimney, the better the results. You get the best draft, which is chimney suction, when it has the fewest bends. Caps are important because they stop birds from flying into the chimney. Have the installation checked by an expert to make sure it meets health and safety codes.