Installation

Single wall elements should only be used as a connecting piece between your stove and the chimney stack.

Stove pipes should never pass through walls, ceilings, floors or windows. Other products should be used for this purpose, such as the twin wall flues.

Avoid bends in your chimney if possible; the fewer bends, the better the upwards draft will be UK Building Regulations and HETAS recommend no more than four 45 degree bends in any one system.

When installing a wood stove flue, remember that the higher the chimney, the better the draft will be.

The ideal flue assembly is one that rises straight up from the appliance flue collar and directly into the chimney with no elbows. The system can include inspection panels to allow easy access.

A straight flue assembly offers the least restriction to gas flow and results in stronger draft. Straight assemblies also need less maintenance because there are no corners for creosote deposits to accumulate.

A perfectly straight stove pipe assembly is another good reason to install chimneys up through the warm space of the house, instead of out and up and outside wall.

The (inner) diameter of your stove pipe is usually the same size as the flue collar on your stove. Follow manufacturer recommendations whenever applicable. Never use a chimney that is smaller in diameter than the flue size of the appliance it is being connected to. An improperly sized chimney results in excessive creosote formation and poor draft.

Be sure to also install a chimney cowl to prevent animals and rain from entering the chimney and to further improve an upwards draft.

Problems to avoid:

• Retrofitting an old chimney: Old chimneys are often too big for today's wood stoves. In that case the amount of air they draw is not proportional to the amount of heat the stove produces: you will burn more wood than you need, and likely spend more time than necessary on fire maintenance. You need to install a "flueliner" stovepipe within the entire chimney. Its length should never be any bigger than the stove's exhaust opening.
• Setting the stovepipe to minimum height. A short chimney may look nicer (though that's a matter of opinion), but it may not supply an optimal draft to the stove. Work with us to figure out the right stovepipe height for your stove.
• Running too much horizontal stovepipe: A flue works best when it's vertical. Do not create chimney holes in the roof, run stovepipe out windows or through walls.
• Running the stovepipe along an exterior wall: This isn't a safety issue so much as an efficiency issue. The stove will heat more of the house if the pipe travels up along an interior wall, so all the heat from the pipe stays in the house. Twin wall flue pipes can be used for outside.
• Creating too many twists and turns: Flue pipe systems should be direct and straight. Twists and turns in a stovepipe invite the buildup of creosote, which raises the risk of fire .

Regulations