Finished Wood Stove and Hearth
Just a quick post about some changes I made to the heating system since my Wood Stove and Chimney post last November. After some very cold nights last winter (< -10F), it seemed that my Jotul 602 was having trouble keeping the cabin warm enough. I was worried that I might need to get a larger stove, and even started perusing Craigslist to see what might be available. I also spent some time researching potential fixes on various forums when I found the answer.
The problem was the double wall stove pipe from the stove to the chimney. I had originally installed it because I read that they created a better draft and required a smaller heat shield. In January, I installed a 22 gauge single wall one piece adjustable length stove pipe from Selkirk. The heat output from the stove after switching to the single wall pipe was dramatic. The Jotul 602 had absolutely no difficulty keeping the place warm after that. This was even with some questionable wood that I picked up from a local seller – this year I’ll be using some well dried elm from my own property.
The drawback to the single wall pipe was the need to scrap my existing heat shield – a couple of custom 3’x4′ galvanized steel panels – for a larger one. I was fortunate to find a reasonably priced solution when I visited a friend with a wood stove in his home. His heat shield was constructed from steel studs affixed to the wall, to create a one inch airspace, with 1/2″ cement board screwed onto them. While his was nicely tiled, I think I’m going to leave mine plain for now.
I’m already looking forward to my first fire of the season in a few weeks.
I used tin ceiling panels behind our stove brad nailed to the cement board heat shield. Works great and added some “bling” to the room. We went with a powder coated “antique copper” color but there are lots of options.
JP:
Interesting idea with the tin panels, and it would be easy to do too. I do have to say that the minimalist look of the heat shield is growing on me though. I’ll probably keep it as is until I get tired of it – or am itching for another project.
Steve
Are you using an outside source of air for combustion? It seems with the solid walls and insulation package that the stove would starve itself. Additionally, are you using any carbon monoxide detectors?
The cabin has two small built in vents that are remnants of the original shipping containers. They are definitely not enough when the wood stove is in full swing, so I usually need to have one of the windows cracked. My plan is to add some additional ventilation to the cabin, which may include a dedicated fresh air supply for the stove.
And yes, I do have carbon monoxide and smoke detectors in the cabin. I can’t imagine not having them.
Steve