What Piping Do I Need?

Installing a wood stove or fireplace in your home requires multiple steps, and one of the most important ones is installing the correct piping. Piping is used to exhaust your wood stove or fireplace to the outdoors, and it's essential to follow all safety guidelines when installing it.

Installing Piping

• You will need three basic things to install piping for a wood stove or fireplace: stove pipe, insulated piping, and a chimney.
• Stove pipe is designed to run from your stove or fireplace into the wall. It should not be used inside walls or floors. Most stove piping is black painted or finished in heat-resistant enamel.
• Insulated piping is used to pass through walls and up through the roof inside the chimney. The insulation is a safety factor that prevents the heat from starting fires inside the walls. It also prevents condensation from forming on the pipes when cold outside air meets the hot air inside the pipe.
• Your piping should reach up into the chimney and end a minimum of 3 feet above the roof. You may need different types of installation work depending on whether you have a masonry or a stainless steel chimney in your home.

Some Tips on Installing Piping
It's important to consult an expert when installing a wood stove or fireplace. Because the installation can be complicated, particularly if your stove or fireplace was already in existence and you're not sure what kind of shape it is in, experts can help point you in the right direction. The tips below are general guidelines for you to use when planning out the expense of adding piping to your heating system.

• The fewer bends in your stove pipe, the better upward pull your system will have.
• All chimney pipes should be capped to prevent birds and squirrels from getting trapped inside.
• Local regulations on chimney piping vary greatly regarding the required lengths of piping and types of materials allowed. Be sure to consult your local building officials before investing money in any construction.