5 Tips for Properly Attaching a Stovepipe

A stovepipe is a pipe that connects your heating unit such as a freestanding gas, pellet, or wood-burning stove, to the chimney flue.

A chimney stove pipe can be attached in different ways, depending on the style and type of chimney and connection that is present.

What type of chimney is present will largely dictate what type of stove pipe needs to be used, as well as spacing to walls or other combustible materials.

Here you will find some of the factors you will want to keep in mind when considering installing or replacing a stove pipe.

1. Chimney

Stovepipe can not be routed through walls, ceilings, or windows, ever. Stovepipe is meant to be connected to existing masonry or an insulated steel chimney.

Chimneys also have specifications that must be met in order to be considered safe and well functioning. Check with your local building official for specifications to ensure the existing chimney is in good repair and up to current safety codes.

Also, not all chimneys are set up to accommodate freestanding units. Again, check with your local building official to ensure they are appropriate to use with this type of heating unit.

2. Spacing

All stove pipe is meant to be kept at least eighteen inches away from combustible materials. This primarily means walls, but can also include ceilings, mantels, and furniture or anything that can burn.

There is also a stovepipe that can be as close to combustibles as nine inches, but this type of stove pipe is insulated and meant specifically for that purpose.

Do not be tempted to swap one for the other. The stove pipe is made of heavy gauge steel and becomes extremely hot.

3. Materials

Stovepipe is made of heavy gauge steel, typically 22 or 24 gauge steel. They come primarily in black and are painted with special high-temperature paint or baked-on porcelain.

Double-wall, or insulated, stovepipe can be positioned closer to combustible materials (but still at least nine inches away), and is constructed with a painted steel outer layer and stainless steel inner wall.

This creates an air space between the two walls, which allows the outer wall to cool significantly more than a traditional single-wall pipe, thus it can be closer to walls, ceilings, furniture, etc.

4. Types

There are different types of stovepipe in terms of shape and connection to the flue. Most stovepipes will connect to the chimney flue either through a wall or through a ceiling.

In either case, there are connectors designed for this particular purpose which can withstand the heat of the pipe without the risk of igniting the materials with which it is in contact.

Never improperly connect the stove pipe to the flue through the wall or ceiling, and if there are any questions, make sure to get clarification prior to installation.

5. Cost

Stovepipes can be purchased in kits with all the components, but more frequently, you will have to purchase individual components and piece them together.

A single component can run anywhere from 10 dollars to almost 100 dollars, so the overall cost will depend on each individual setup.

Overall, the cost of the components needed will most likely run between 100 to 200 dollars.