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Old 10-06-2008, 09:20 AM
 
Location: Charlotte, NC
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Its too bad that you can't trade both units in for a single unit that burns a variety of fuels.
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Old 10-06-2008, 09:01 PM
 
Location: Not far from Fairbanks, AK
20,243 posts, read 36,884,312 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by megensmom View Post
Ah didn't think about the backdaft. So even if both aren't running there could be a backdraft issue you think. I guess it would be possible to elbow off the stove pipe now when we are going to town and don't need the wood stove that way we don't have to worry about having to do a whole different stove pipe in essence they would share the same pipe just not at the same time.
As long as you are not sharing the main stove pipe (both units connected to it), it should be OK. I imagine that's what was done before. In other words, remove the black stove pipe from the wood stove at the elbow above, and connect to the same elbow another pipe from the oil stove. But check with the oil stove company to make sure you are using the right type of pipe, just in case.

Also, make sure that you check with the oil stove company the proper fire-code clearance from the stove to the back wall (or any other flammable structure). You can reduce the clearance with the correct back shield, but only the company can give you the details on that.
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Old 10-07-2008, 02:49 AM
 
Location: Haines, AK
1,121 posts, read 4,469,148 times
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Default ask the pros

For advice of this type, it's best to bite the bullet and ask the pros. I'd bring in some photos of the way you've got it set up now (indoors and out) to a couple of heating/woodstove shops and see what they say. Might not be a bad idea to run it past the fire martial as well and see if they've had any problems with sharing a flue between two different stove types. The backdraft issue is real and potentially deadly, there are CO related deaths in even newer houses. Just because the setup has worked before doesn't mean that it's safe or up to code, maybe they just got lucky.
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Old 10-07-2008, 08:25 PM
 
Location: Rural NY
94 posts, read 265,335 times
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Having used wood as my primary heat source for over 30 years, I definitely second the idea of hiring an expert if you're not sure.

If you do end up needing to move the oil stove and running a new chimney for it, remember you can probably go out a side wall then up from there on the outside of the house, if going straight up from the stove is not an option.
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Old 10-07-2008, 10:14 PM
 
Location: Not far from Fairbanks, AK
20,243 posts, read 36,884,312 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce 01 View Post
Having used wood as my primary heat source for over 30 years, I definitely second the idea of hiring an expert if you're not sure.

If you do end up needing to move the oil stove and running a new chimney for it, remember you can probably go out a side wall then up from there on the outside of the house, if going straight up from the stove is not an option.
That's why I let The Woodway (in Fairbanks) install my wood stove. It was expensive, but much easier to deal with the insurance company.
This is the hearth (I took care of it myself)

And the stove installed by The Woodway

The stove is vented straight back through the wall, and has a back shield. I kept a little over 18" all the way around. But this stove is designed to be installed as close as 6" from the back wall with the shield. As it is now, the back of the stove is 18" from the wall, and the shield is 12".
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Old 10-08-2008, 12:57 AM
 
Location: Naptowne, Alaska
15,603 posts, read 39,641,516 times
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I don't see why you couldn't install a manual dampner (one of those twistyhandle things) in one or both pipes to isolate the stove not being used. That way you'd get no backdraft and you wouldn't be drawing warm air out of the house via the venturi effect through the unused unit. Pretty simple stuff really. Ensure the china cap or what ever the top of your stove pipe/chimney stands above the roof line so you don't get wind forcing itself down the pipe, out the stove and into the house.
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Old 10-08-2008, 10:27 AM
 
Location: Rural NY
94 posts, read 265,335 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RayinAK View Post
That's why I let The Woodway (in Fairbanks) install my wood stove. It was expensive, but much easier to deal with the insurance company.
This is the hearth (I took care of it myself)

And the stove installed by The Woodway

The stove is vented straight back through the wall, and has a back shield. I kept a little over 18" all the way around. But this stove is designed to be installed as close as 6" from the back wall with the shield. As it is now, the back of the stove is 18" from the wall, and the shield is 12".
Sweet!

Someone in a previous post mentioned about contacting the stove manufacturer to find what distance a particular stove must be from flammables.

I bought a new Hitzer 6 years ago, and am assuming they all now probably have a permanent metal tag on the back, like mine does, that shows the required back and side minimums to flammable walls/objects. Stoves made some decades ago, as I recall, did not have them.
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Old 10-08-2008, 11:02 AM
 
Location: The Woods
18,332 posts, read 26,352,341 times
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I could be wrong but it looks like an old (or maybe new) boxstove (non-airtight likely) in megensmom's picture. If so, I believe the suggested clearance on those is 36 inches (3 feet) in all directions.
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Old 10-08-2008, 12:08 PM
 
Location: Alaska
5,356 posts, read 18,483,523 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arctichomesteader View Post
I could be wrong but it looks like an old (or maybe new) boxstove (non-airtight likely) in megensmom's picture. If so, I believe the suggested clearance on those is 36 inches (3 feet) in all directions.
I believe if you have a non-flammable surface, you can be closer. It looks like the stove has a brick wall behind it so it should be OK for clearance.
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Old 10-08-2008, 02:13 PM
 
Location: The Woods
18,332 posts, read 26,352,341 times
Reputation: 11328
Quote:
Originally Posted by akck View Post
I believe if you have a non-flammable surface, you can be closer. It looks like the stove has a brick wall behind it so it should be OK for clearance.
But there's a staircase next to it too, and I can't tell how close just by looking at the picture...
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