Coalpail.com Forum

I'm still planning out the stove install on our ranch home, using a class A chimney. Where the stove is planned to sit, and with the manufacturer minimum chimney height, we'd be looking at a chimney sticking out the roof about 12-13 feet. However, using the 10-2-3 rule, we'd be in code to have the chimney be about 5-6 feet out the roof. At 5-6 feet, this would also put the chimney about 2-3 feet higher than the roofline (which is about 10 feet from where we'd be exiting the roof).

Is a 13' chimney (total from top of stove to where the raincap starts) enough to draft a hand-fired stove?

Making it larger wouldn't be an issue EXCEPT cleaning the chimney would be nearly impossible for me if it gets too tall, and if I need to spend big $$ having someone with a cherry picker to clean it once or twice a year, I'm really not saving anything over the existing setup. I don't mind the extra work to burn coal (or wood), but not if it's also costing me more $$.

Alternatively, how difficult is it to remove a section of chimney to do the cleaning, then put it back when I'm done? I've personally not assembled a class A chimney before, but it looks like it just twists together, so I don't see why this wouldn't be an issue, but thought others would know better.

On a side note, a chimney the same height of the house sticking out the roof would look comical... but whatever.

Thanks,
Chris

How are you setting it up? Out through wall then up? Put a tee with clean out.

I'm going straight up from the stove, and through the ceiling, attic, and roof. I'm trying to keep it a straight shot up without bends. There will be a little less than 5 feet from the stove to the ceiling, another 2-3 from the ceiling, through the attic, and to the roof penetration, and then up above the roof from there however high I'll be going. The roof peak is only about 2-3 feet above the proposed roof penetration.

I hope I explain this right... Your stove has to be 100% out and cold to do this. find several real good plastic shopping bags or a pair of small garbage bags. Disconnect the pipe somewhere above the stove, maybe a foot from the ceiling. Take a chimney brush with one rod attached and poke the rod backwards thru the bag(s) and then insert the brush into the pipe. Now lift the bag over the pipe, tape it real well onto the chimney or stove pipe. Then add the extensions needed onto the rod that is already thru the bags and sweep your chimney. When done let things settle a few minutes and then remove the bag from the pipe with just the one rod left on the brush. Carry the whole thing outside and you can figure out the rest.

There will still be a little ash fall thru the hole you made in the bag but most will stay in it. Ive been doing this for years on one of my chimneys. Not perfect, not 100% clean, but beats the heck out of going on a roof. Just watch that hole in the bags to make sure it doesnt grow while brushing. It would be real wise inside of a house to have a tarp or similar sized plastic on the floor just in case of a big boo boo.

You will be good to go with 10-2-3 rule for class A pipe. Straight up is best.

Chimney "system" height is the better rule of thumb.
Height from the stove grate level to bottom of chimney cap.

A few member here have stubby SS chimney pipe kits or rather short masonry chimneys. They still have good draft.

Thank you both. The cleaning routine from below makes sense, and I appreciate the insights on chimney height as well!