There are many factors that should be considered before ordering a wood stove and thinking about how it will be set up in your space. With that in mind, we thought it would be a good idea to outline some of the most important things you should know before ordering so that you do not encounter any surprises and can get everything you need on the first shot.
Here are the 10 most important things to know:
1) You will need to cure the paint before installing
Before installing your stove indoors, the paint on it will need to be cured outside.
To do this, burn it outside with at least two sections of 24" pipe attached for about 20-30 hours in total (meaning it can be done over multiple sessions). You want to get it as hot as possible to sufficiently cure the paint, so keep the fire going by continuously packing it with wood. This process will remove the moisture from the paint and eliminate the unpleasant chemical smell, allowing you to begin enjoying the stove right away after it's installed inside.
2) You will need to clean your pipes regularly
When you burn your stove for long enough, creosote will eventually build up in your pipes and they will need to be cleaned. The cleaning frequency will vary from person to person, but we recommend checking your pipes once a week at first, which will allow you to determine your cleaning schedule going forward. The cleaning process is usually done by going up on the roof and pushing the creosote down the pipes and into the stove with a brush and scooping it out with a small shovel.
We go over the cleaning procedure in further detail here.
3) You should NOT exit out the side
Perhaps the most common question we get is whether the piping can be exited through the wall instead of the roof. We strongly suggest that you exit through the roof and use a completely vertical run of pipe without any angles. The reason for this is that our pipes are a smaller diameter than most other stove pipes and angles will create turbulence in them. This, in turn, will disrupt the draft and negatively impact the performance of your stove. It is ultimately up to you how you choose to exit the pipes, but keep this information on hand and know that we do not carry any angled pipes or parts for a side exit.
4) The piping must surpass the peak of your roof by 12"
Assuming you are okay to go through the roof, your run of pipe must surpass the highest part of your roof by at least 12". This includes any structures that sit on the roof, such as solar panels, AC units, etc. This is necessary so that the flue gases can be carried out without being blocked, which will help generate a good draft and allow the stove to perform properly. (When using our Build Your Order tool, do NOT add the 12" to your measurment when inputing the total height of your space. The tool is already programmed to take this into account when calculating your pipe length).
With this in mind...
5) You must have at least 40" of pipe
Before choosing where to install your stove, please know that you need to have at least 40" of total flue pipe length in your setup. This is the minimum amount necessary in order to generate a draft. If you have less than 40", your stove will not perform properly. On that note, be aware that 40" is the absolute bare minimum, This means that while you will get a draft, it will not necessarily be a strong one.
The more pipe you have, the stronger your draft will be, which is why...
6) Lower is always better
Apart from allowing for more pipe, you should install your stove as low as possible due to the simple fact that heat rises. The lower you install your stove, the more efficient it will be in terms of heating your space. While it may look nice, installing the stove high up off the ground will drastically reduce its efficiency since the space below it will not be heated. With that said, you also want to make sure that it's not so low that it's inconvenient to interact with (cleaning, refilling wood, admiring the flames, etc.)
We find that having the top plate 2-3 feet off the ground (about waist height) is a pretty good sweet spot.
7) The flue pipe colour will turn bronze
Yup! The flue pipes you receive will be in stainless steel colour, but due to the heat, the colour will change to bronze over time.
8) You may need to pay an import tax
If you are ordering from outside Canada or the US, you will likely need to pay an import tax. This fee would not be included in the total order price that we charge you and it would need to be paid directly to DHL upon the shipment entering your country. The amount is not determined by us, so we unfortunately cannot provide it in advance. We completely understand that this is a major bummer, but sadly we have absolutely no control over it.
Speaking of overseas orders...
9) We cannot ship to France or Germany
To all our French and German friends, we are very sorry about this!
We can ship anywhere else in Europe, so if you can provide a shipping address in a nearby country, we can ship your order there where you can pick it up or arrange to it have it sent to you.
We're fairly certain the reason we cannot ship to these countries is because...
10) Our stoves are not certified
Probably the most important thing to consider before ordering is that our stoves are not certified in any capacity. Most spaces in which our stoves are installed do not require certification, however we always recommend doing your due diligence with regards to insurance and building codes before installing your stove, especially in a house. The good news is that we are currently in the process of getting certified, but we do not have an end-date for now. Rest assured that we will excitedly announce it when it happens.
As always, if there is any other information we can provide, or if you have any questions whatsoever, don't hesitate to contact us.