If you are looking for a way to heat your home while saving money on heating costs, then installing a wood stove chimney might be the perfect solution. In this blog post, we will show how to install a wood stove chimney through the roof and discuss some of the best brands that you can find.
Installing a wood stove chimney can be tricky, but with this complete guide it will be as simple as possible. The first thing you need to do is go up on the roof and measure where your chimney needs to come out of the side of your house. After you know where it will exit, take some measurements and make sure that this spot is free from any obstructions like trees or power lines. Once you have found an open location for the chimney, its time to cut a hole in your roof!
Determining the Chimney Height and Roof Pitch
How tall is the chimney and what roof pitch will be used to install it? Determining these things before beginning construction of a DIY wood stove chimney through your roof ensures that you build something sturdy enough to support the weight and heat created by burning firewood. If you already have a metal flue in place, you can use that height to calculate the height of your new wood stove chimney. If you are just installing a metal flue, be sure to add on another six inches for safety and stability and to ensure that the chimney is tall enough to vent heat without creating a fire hazard.
Determining Wood Stove Chimney Height – Measure from ground level up to where your chimney will come out of the roof. This is how tall it needs to be in order for your DIY wood stove to be tall enough.
Determining Roof Pitch – Use a ruler to measure the depth of your roof rafters. This is where you will attach your wood stove chimney through the roof. You can attach the stove pipe to a rafter with special brackets, or you can drill through the roof and add an eyebolt. If you already have a metal flue in place, you can use that height to calculate the height of your new wood stove chimney.
Installing a Roof Flashing
A roof flashing is a piece of metal that’s installed over the penetration in order to help prevent water from entering behind it. You can buy these at your local hardware or home improvement store. The size you get will depend on what type of wood stove chimney, flue pipe, and other accessories you are installing through the roof. In this guide, we’ll be installing a metal roof flashing for our wood stove chimney installation.
Cuting holes in the ceiling for Stovepipe and Vent Pipe
- Cutting the hole for stovepipe and vent pipe is no easy task. You will need a reciprocating saw (sawzall) or circular saw to cut through drywall, plywood sheathing, insulation, fiberglass batts and metal roofing/siding. It could be done with a handsaw but it’d be a very difficult and time consuming job. If you’re not comfortable using these tools maybe ask someone for help or hire it out to a contractor (but expect to pay).
- We found it easiest cut the hole in between two rafters instead of through an existing roof vent because we didn’t want any loose shingles falling down on our heads. The rafters gave us a place to nail some plywood and stand while we cut the hole.
- -The vent pipe for wood stoves needs to be at least as large as the stovepipe diameter (minus two inches) so that proper combustion occurs in your home heating appliance. If you don’t have enough venting it can cause smoke to be drawn back into the house, burn too much creosote in your chimney and set off carbon monoxide detectors. Get an UL listed/approved kit that has a damper at the stove pipe side of things so you don’t have air coming down your chimney when it isn’t being used.
- Make sure you measure twice and cut once! Take your time, have a pencil or pen to mark the cuts through sheathing with so you know where to cut. Have an assistant hold up batts as you cut holes for pipes if necessary.
Securing the Stovepipe with Hangers
One of the most important parts of installing a wood stove is making sure that it’s secure. This includes ensuring that your chimney has proper supports and braces to keep it from falling over or being pulled away from the wall if there happens to be a strong gust of wind outside. Installing a metal H-brace far enough above the stove will go a long way toward securing the chimney. You can also install metal straps around your chimney to provide extra support if needed.
Sealing around Stovepipe with Insulation Foam
Sealing around the stovepipe with insulation foam is a crucial step. The last thing you want is for air to flow through your walls and out of the chimney, which will lead to poor drafting (and wasting fuel). A quick search on Google Images shows how much damage can be done by drafts! Check out this picture:
How to seal around stovepipe with insulation foam:
- Make sure you’re working on a clean surface (the roof) and that the chimney is located in an area of your house where it’s not too cold or hot. You don’t want all that work to get undone!
- Cut pieces of fiberglass insulation into small strips that will fill the space between your chimney and roof.
- Use a caulk gun to apply insulation foam around any gaps you may find, such as where two sections of stovepipe meet or join onto another pipe. Allow 24 hours for it to dry before continuing with other steps in this project. Once fully dried, there should be no gaps between the insulation foam and your chimney or roof, which will prevent air from escaping.
Sealing around the Vent pipe
You will need to seal around the vent pipe with high temp silicone, or whatever you prefer. Just make sure it is weatherproof and doesn’t leak any air. This step may not be necessary depending on your chimney liner kit.
Chimney Liner Installation When you are ready to install the chimney liner, unroll it so that is has some slack. It should not be taut or tight in any way. You can use a piece of rope to pull through if needed for this step as well (don’t roll up your new flexible flue liner). *When you cut the liner, leave a few extra inches to play with. You can always cut off more later if need be.*
Cutting the Existing Chimney Off If your chimney is still installed in the wall and is not removed yet, then it will need to be cut down so that you have access for installing your new chimney liner. You may need to cut into the roofing material around it or you can just remove the entire thing if there is no other way (depending on how your house was built).
After the old chimney is removed, you will need to caulk around where it was once installed.
Attaching it to the roof flashing on top of the House
You will need to make a small cut in the roof flashing on top of your house. This is where you attach your chimney pipe onto it. The size of the hole doesn’t matter much, as long as there are no leaks during rain or snowfall through this area. Make sure that both sides are sealed properly with sealant and screws. Make sure that everything is secure and there are no gaps, otherwise you will have issues with the chimney leaking smoke into your house.
You can’t always rely on what people say or post online without seeing it for yourself first hand. It’s never a good idea to take anything at face value, which is why I like doing my own research online. For example, I came across a post on how to install wood stove chimney through the roof and it didn’t really go into detail about what you need or where to place everything. It was basically just stating that if your house doesn’t already have one then you might want to consider putting in another pipe for smoke exhaust instead of just carrying the fumes outside through an opening.
While this seems like a good idea, it doesn’t really work out all that well in practice since you might not get enough height clearance to do so and the smoke will start coming into your house instead of going away from it. This is why I decided to put together my own guide on how to go about installing a wood stove chimney through the roof. It not only covers how to properly do it but also provides you with some tips and tricks that I came across when doing my own research on this topic.
Adding exterior Trim Boards or siding over exposed Areas of Pipe
If you want to finish off the installation by adding exterior Trim Boards or siding over exposed Areas of Pipe, it will require a few extra steps.
The first being to create a starter-Stud out of the pipe. The Second is to attach one end of your trim board or siding with screws to this mitred stud so that when you install it, it will be tight against the roofing material and hold everything in place while the sealant dries between both areas.
Environmental Protection and Safety
The process of installing a wood stove chimney through the roof is very safe and environmentally friendly. The installation does not require any power tools, making it great for home owners who live off-grid or in ecofriendly neighborhoods where gas powered devices are frowned upon such as condos and HOAs. Furthermore, putting up the piping only requires some basic carpentry skills using only a few common tools (hammer, saw, drill) and minimal materials.
Materials you need to install the chimney:
- A drill with a ¼ inch bit.
- Saw to cut the plywood for your chimney collar. Make sure it’s deep enough so that you can screw in two pieces of wood on each side, creating a tight fit around the pipe when installed through the roof. Cut at least ½ inches deep and large enough to accommodate the thickness of your chimney pipe.
- Screws for attaching a collar around the piping, and weatherproofing sealant such as caulk or clay used in roof repairs.
- A stud finder (to locate wooden beams inside walls).
- Wood shims (thin pieces of wood that you can use to prop up the roof while you work)
- A ladder that’s tall enough to get on top of your house.
Safety Tips for Installing a Wood Stove Chimney
In order to install a wood stove chimney through the roof, you must follow these safety tips. First of all, do not attempt this project if it is freezing outside or snowing heavily – your roof will be much more slippery in winter than at other times during the year.
Next, wait until there is no wind or rain in the forecast, as this will make working on your roof dangerous and difficult. Even if it’s a nice day out, you may need to wait for some time before beginning work in order to ensure that nobody else needs access to the chimney. You don’t want someone walking up onto your roof while you’re up there!
Lastly, make sure that you have someone in the house with a fire extinguisher in case something goes wrong. If your roof is high enough for this to be safe, it may also help if somebody can come outside and keep an eye on you while you work.
This guide will walk through all of the necessary steps for installing a wood stove chimney through a roof.
If you follow these instructions, your project should be a success.
FAQs
What is the height of this stove pipe?
The length of the chimney kit depends on your specific application. Please review our Chimney Height Calculator to determine which product you need, based off of your appliance height and distance from combustibles. For reference, we recommend that you install a wood burning fireplace or masonry heater with an appliance height between 32 78.
What is the size of this stove pipe?
The inner diameter (ID) of our chimney kit is listed in its product name. For example, part number 1000 has an ID of four inches. This information will be helpful if you plan on lining your chimney with a stove blanket or other insulation.
What is the weight of this stove pipe?
This product weighs approximately 16 lbs., which may vary depending on your chimney height and spacing from combustibles. Our products are designed for a maximum temperature rating at 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, so please plan accordingly if you have high-temperature appliances such as pellet stoves or fireplaces.
What is the warranty on this product?
Our chimney kits are backed by a 20 year limited warranty, which covers any defects in materials and workmanship from date of purchase. Please note that damages caused by improper installation or other modifications will not be covered under our warranty agreement. Damage to your property may also cause an exclusion from our warranty agreement.
What makes this product better than other brands?
Our products are made in the USA and offer a 20 year limited warranty for your peace of mind. The stove pipe has an inner diameter (ID) of four inches, which may be helpful if you plan on lining it with insulation such as fireproof stove blankets.
How do I determine the height of my chimney?
You can use our Chimney Height Calculator to help you choose which product will best suit your application. Please note that we recommend a minimum 24 inches above any roofing material and 42 inches above any framing members (such as ceiling joists). If you need further assistance, please feel free to reach out via phone or email.
How do I measure my stove pipe kit?
Please refer to the product details of your specific chimney kit and check the inner diameter (ID) listed in its description. If you require further measurements, please contact us so we can help determine which size is best for your application.
How do I install my stove pipe kit?
The installation process will vary based on your chimney height and spacing from combustibles. For a complete guide, please refer to our Fireplace Chimney Installation Guide for more information. If you need further assistance, we recommend consulting with a professional contractor or contacting us directly via phone or email.
How do I clean my chimney?
Our primary recommendation is to contact a professional chimney sweep service. If you choose to attempt it yourself, we recommend using a brush and scraper as well as an ash vacuum such as the Ash-Away Cleanout Tool. Please note that this tool should not be used with pellet stoves, since the high temperatures could cause damage to your chimney kit.
How do I determine which size stove pipe kit I need?
The inner diameter (ID) listed in our product name will be helpful information for determining which size you'll require. For example, part number 1000 has an ID of four inches and would best suit appliances with a height of 32 78. If you plan on lining your chimney kit with insulation, we recommend using our Chimney Height Calculator to help determine which size will best fit the application and materials that you'll be lining it with. Please note that we offer different kits for masonry heaters as well as wood burning fireplaces.
Conclusion
This article should help you to figure out what kind of wood stove chimney is right for your home. There are three types: pre-fabricated, factory built and masonry. No matter which one you choose it will require professional installation services because the flue path must be designed properly so that no toxic fumes or gases can escape into your home.
Any wood stove chimney that is built into the house must be listed and approved by an independent organization such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL). There are other organizations which test for safety but UL has the most comprehensive list of standards to ensure a safe installation. When you purchase your chimney it should come with documentation showing its listing.
To find a qualified contractor to install your chimney you should contact the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) or National Fireplace Association (NFA). These organizations have members who are pre-approved and regularly checked for safe installation practices. You can also do an online search for “chimneys” combined with the name of your city or town. The first few pages should be companies who can help you with a wood stove chimney installation.
Good luck!