Wood burning Stove

[doctordream]

I want install a wood burning stove. Can I hook up the wood burning stove to a chimney that is hooked up to a working furnance? I could use all the help out there.

Thank-you

[jloomis]

Is the existing chimney built for the furnace? What kind of furnace is it?

[Bill]

No, against code.

A wood stove basically needs its own chimney. Furthermore, a wood stove needs a specific "size around" chimney depending on the *model* of the wood stove.

To install a wood stove "to code", you basically need to follow the manufacturer of that wood stove's installation directions for that SPECIFIC model. This means specific distances from the wall, a certain r-value floor, hearth distance out from the front and sides of the wood stove, and a certain size chimney.

Also for the wood stove to work properly, you need a good "draft". This is caused by the sides of the chimney getting hot enough to cause an air flow upwards. This in turn will draw air into the wood stove. If you don't get a good draft, then air will not be drawn into the stove and the fire will die out. Then the chimney needs to be cleaned out once or twice a year or you may have a creosote fire which can burn through the chimney into the attic and burn down your house.

Also special stainless steel double wall chimneys are required and must be installed in a certain manner so the heat from the chimney will not be too close to any wood framing in your ceiling, attic, or roof. Again keeps your house from being burned down.

Then the "clincher" is that for your wood stove to be covered by your homeowners insurance, it must be installed to code, inspected by your local building inspector, and then inspected by the insurance company. Then they will add it to your policy and you will be covered.

If you don't install it to code and have a fire which burns down your house, then the insurance company does not have to pay a dime!

When I installed my wood stove, I thought about the insurance thing and this made me decide to do it by the book. This cost about $2,000.00 for the chimney and $1,000.00 for the wood stove. Of course installing to code pretty much makes it a safe wood stove and chimney with a low risk of fire. I guess that is the general idea...

Note: I got the largest stove I could find and am glad I did. I need paper, kindling, and about 3 pieces of wood to start a fire. Then there is about 3 or 4 inches of ash in the bottom, then I need space above the 3 pieces of wood to add more wood to the fire. Wood can come in all shapes and sizes, so much easier to have fires in a larger stove. And the larger the piece of wood, the longer it will burn. My large stove turned out to be just the right size with just enough space inside for the above. I think I would be frustrated with anything smaller. (Would not be enough room inside.)

Stove I purchased...

[George]

No, and since you are asking questions like this you really need to get up to speed on all of the other stuff that applies such as clearances from combustible surfaces etc.

Just don't drag the thing in and hook it up. For many people that was the last home project they ever did.

[PeterD]

In a word: no.

Violates must codes. Voids most insurance policies. Generally a bad idea.

[woodenhead]

Besides make you look amature

[Matt Whiting]

And makes you like like an amateur also!

Matt

[PeterD]

amature... What's an amature?

[Matt Whiting]

I think it is an armature that lost its RRRRm. :-)

Matt