How to install a wood stove
A wood stove can be an added attraction in any room. Unlike central heating, which produces heat throughout the house using a duct system, the wood stove provides heating only for the room it’s placed in. The exciting feature about installing a wood stove is that it can provide a low-cost heating source. However, it’s a good idea to know what you will be dealing with.
Here are a few things to consider.
Types of Stoves
Where you will place them.
Do you have a fireplace?
Are you willing to do a small amount of masonry work?
Read the manual that came with your wood burning stove.
There are many types of wood burning stoves. Therefore before you start shopping around, take the time to research your options and know where in the house you will be using it. There are some stoves that can fit directly into your fireplace. The installation is less time consuming than for traditional freestanding wood-burning stoves, but they are more costly. However the traditional cast iron wood-burning stoves you have seen in kitchens or living rooms are sometimes larger, and add visual warmth to the room. Another bit of information worth considering is that cast iron holds heat better than steel and will burn at higher temperatures. On the other hand, the soapstone stove may take longer to heat than the cast iron, but the heat lasts throughout the day.
Once you have decided what type of stove you want, look around your house and imagine where you can use it. Keep in mind that you will need to have a space where you can install a stainless steel, double-insulated pipe outside and then build a chase to cover it. The walls are going to need protection so make sure you do not place it against a combustible wall. If you have decided to install a freestanding wood stove, make sure you consider floor protection. This is very important and it needs to extend 18″ around the appliance. Some people use colorful or even Italian tiles around the perimeter of the stove to add a little something extra to the project.
Ideally, you’ll want the chimney pipe to be as straight as possible in order to get a good draw. If you already have a fire place, simply install a direct-connect kit. The kit you will contain an oval pipe that fits through the flu and metal paneling that seals off the area around the pipe. You will need to add flashing and a seal to prevent leaks. Make sure you have measured the fireplace opening before choosing this option, since there are different heights for different vents. All installations will require a six-inch pipe to run through the flue. Generally speaking, flues measure 12-by-12 inches. A chimney liner with a chimney cap is also needed for the outside part of this project. You should use insulated chimney pipes and have plenty left over in order to take it up to your ceiling.