help on a wood stove

[klhitman]

as mentioned in another thread, i get all the free wood i want at work. i don't have a wood stove in the garage right now but i have thoughts about putting one in.

i have a stick built garage with r-11 insulation and vinyl siding.

other than the stove what else would i need and how would i go about putting all this in?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I assume you have a ceiling. If the ceiling is high, a ceiling fan or two would not hurt, helps push the hot air back down.

You will need a insulated double wall chimney system, and that will be a major expense, as you can drop $1500 or more on the pieces for a flue pipe and chimney system.

What kind of wood can you get free? Nice dry hardwood? Pallet Oak?

Other than that, I don't know a thing that could help you.

Charles

 

[smallbloc]

You need to read up on installation and general safety with wood stoves.
A good pipe system shouldn't cost more than $500 for your need, google shopping is a good place to start. Safety is a priority, wood stoves get very hot, i've had the front door open when the temp outside was below 10 degrees.[in Ohio]
don't cheap out on any stove or materials.
only burn seasoned wood.
Have the pipe the proper height above the roof to avoid downdrafts
use a good air tight stove
make sure all the connections are secure/braced

 

[anthony666]

wood stoves are awesome, especially when you're getting free wood

things to think about;

-most important is CLEARANCE - free heat is great unless you burn your shop down.
-cold chimneys don't draft well and will condense creosote faster, meaning more annoying cleaning and potential chimney fires .. you really don't wanna be up on a snow covered roof feeding a brush down a clogged chimney, so install clean-outs and make sure your indoor chimney pieces will come apart easily when necessary
-stoves heat the air around them, get that air moving with a squirrel cage and some ceiling fans
- they don't turn on instantly, so consider another system to bring the area up to comfort level fast, then switch to woodstove to maintain temp
-the more thermal mass you have, the longer it will radiate heat .. a big heavy woodstove and stratigically placed slabs of rock can be your friends

 

[buildmyown]

First thing to check is if your home owners insurance will cover a wood stove in a garage some will some will not.

 

[waltmcq]

the woodstove maker usually has the requirement for installation requirements. City or county permits maybe need which will satisfy your insurance company. Craigslist is a great place to find a used woodstove some even come with the pipe

 

[paullie]

check your area for the legal bull **** and get it ok'ed from your insurance company. dont get cheap of the flu, buy stainless steel, it aint cheap but it's not that bad, good pipe is about $50 for 3 foot, use a some common sense and dont burn the shop down, i love my wood heat in the shop

 

[klhitman]

thanks guys. this seems a little out of my price range right now. i will just stick to the heaters that i got know. but i will keep this in mind for when i do want to pull the trigger on it. maybe when i get that bigger shop i want.

 

[mypov]

doesn't matter but in this order (if it were me)
Check insurance,
Check building code
secure wood stove if it's approved - some insurance companies go easier on you if the wood is the second source of heat.
Next determine where in your shop you want to install the stove, check the wood stove specs for the clearances required - most specify the distances required from near by artifacts furniture, wood, etc.
Next, install the chimney flashing - this is probably the most difficult part of the entire job...There will be two parts to this job, cutting the exterior hole in your roof, and (if your shop is drywalled or sheated) then cutting the hole in your interior ceiling. They sell these pieces at hardware/wood stove stores - you will need to check with your wood stove manufacturer to determine what size the stove will accept (most are 8" or 6" diameter) They are measured by inside diameter...Buy appropriate pieces - ensure your chimney goes 2 feet above the nearest peak of your roof. Also ensure that you buy double wall chimney (it's the only kind that is up to code anyway)...On the inside you will need an inside flashing that your chimney will attach to your wood stove. You can get a telescoping chimney that will go from your wood box to this interior flashing - this also must be double walled. Depending on your ceiling height, and your local costs, you SHOULD be able to do this job for around 2-3000 dollars including the wood stove.

When installing this stuff you must ensure that the corrugated end of the pipe is DOWN - this is to allow the creosote to fall into the wood furnace when cleaning the pipe, or to ensure it does not come out of the pipe into the house when cleaning the chimney.

To make a longer post even longer - I just recalled that you can get a woodstove that is outside - they are called "wood boilers" and you can heat multiple buildings with them. If I were able to secure a long term FREE source of firewood - this is FOR SURE what I would do. You can tie these systems in to your existing forced air furnaces, or you can run heated floors, but the beauty with these systems is you do not need to get all that double walled pipe, and you also don't have to worry too much with insurance and all the extra costs. The only cost is initial investment in the wood boiler, and mating them with your existing system.
Good luck.

 

[fireguy]

The only thing I can add to the post by mypov is if you are really concerned about the possiblity of the pipe pluggind and needing cleaning during the heating season is to use a tee fitting near the ceiling. That way you can run a brush from inside the garage. But, I have never needed to clean my chimneys during the season. In fact, my garage smoke pipe rusted out before it needed cleaning. I have not cleaned the pipe in the house for 5 years. If you burn the stove properly, annual cleaning may not be needed. Every stove is different and cleaning schedule depends on the use, wood, temps of the stove and outside.

 

[Highbeam]

It is not legal to install a solid fuel burning appliance in your garage. It is right there in the fire code. A stupid law for sure and one that many people break but you need to be aware of this for the liability issue.

Definitely remove the stove when you sell the home/shop/garage.