Originally Posted By: Victor

Woodstove: If you are going to have a woodstove you should give some consideration to the chimney. If you are going to use a triple-wall liner than I think that you can go through the wall and roof. It will probably have to go above the roofline to get a decent draft. If you choose a masonry chimney, the foundation is going to fall right in the middle of your garage due to the knee-walls. Maybe you could relocate it to an end of the building, choose masonry, install two flues and have a woodstove in your shop, too. Some don't like woodstoves in shops where gasoline vapors could be ignited. Be careful. An option could be to put in out outside wood boiler and a hydronic heating system, but that may not work if you are going to be a part time resident. If you are going to burn wood, you will have to clean the chimney. That is a steep roof, and a high chimney in the middle of it may not be easily accessible. I permanently mounted a ladder on our roof to make the task easier but it is still not easy.


So, let's talk woodstoves...
Theo and I touched on this a bit a few posts above. I know a little about them, but enough to say I know exactly what I want. Here is what I do know that I want:

  • a freestanding woodburner with a door on the front (that closes to seal the firebox) with glass to view the fire
  • something that burns fairly efficiently
    • reasonable, low cost
  • I have seen a Vogelzang unit that has the look I seek, but don't know if it's just a piece of consumer junk.
    -
    That's a very good point on the chimney regarding location on the structure. I want to keep it very simple, so an insulated metal stainless steel stack might be where I'm going. I don't want another unit downstairs; just the unit upstairs in the main living area.
    Doesn't the flue have to have a couple of bends to draft correctly?
    If I go thru the roof where it is currently located, the stack is gonna be pretty tall (and spindly) to make it up the same height as the ridge. Maybe I run the flue up from the stove, inside the structure and follow the interior roof line until it is closer to the peak; then exit....?
    Tell me about the chimney cleaning thing. What is involved and how bad is it?