Greetings from Pennsylvania,
I am in need of some expert advice from the readers of this forum…After having been pommeled by my homeowners insurance for heating my 36′ x 55′ detached workshop with a wood stove, I am looking at alternatives. The insurance company gave me 7 days to remove the stove or face cancellation of my homeowners policy.
It gripes me to pay current prices for propane or heating oil. Right now I’m researching the merits of a Yukon Eagle multi-fuel (wood/coal with LP back-up) hot air furnace. When I’m home the furnace would be operated on good old Pennsylvania anthracite,which is fairly reasonable around here at $190.00/ton, and the wood scraps generated by my shop. The propane back-up would keep the shop from freezing during hunting season and weekends away from home. To meet the demands of the insurance company, the furnace cannot be in my shop. To accomplish this, I’m considering a small room addition to my shop (subject to their approval) which would only be accessible from the outside. The warm air duct work would be routed from the furnace room into the shop.
That brings me to my question…is it unreasonable to install a new thimble into the opposite side of an existing chimney(the same one that formerly served my wood stove) and seal the old thimble, thereby allowing the new furnace to use the existing chimney?
I would appreciate any advice you can give.
Best Regards,
Replies
bill, my cousin had a disasterous fire in his house from a woodstove
when he rebuilt he installed one of those exterior wood fired boilers
it lives in it's own shed about 50' from the house...( it could have been attached with a firewall)
he only has to load it once a day..... and he's in Michigan.... so it gets plenty cold
and yes, you could reverse the thimble and make it come out the other side, any competent mason ( or stubborn DIY ) could do this
Edited 2/24/2008 5:14 pm ET by MikeSmith
You could, but maybe it is the actual chimney too that they are balking at.
I'd shop for new insurance, I lived in pa, had woodstoves/coal stoves in every house , 4 homes total..never an issue. I did have to plug a flue that the stove was removed from when I sold and moved out tho'
Here in Ky. I have ONLY wood heat in a log home, same deal..no problem, no rate increase, not even a whimper.
Erie Ins. By any chance? They can be cheap, but they are a tuff nut to deal with.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"
Ditto.
Get a different insurance company.
Riversong HouseWright
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