patrick.net

I'm looking into a woodstove for the same reason. Are you going to run the vertical part of the chimney outside the house, or inside it?

I am going through the ceiling and the roof. Peninsula Heating and Air Conditioning can do this for you. They are real professionals!

Be careful with the local ordinances. Here in Santa Clara wood burning fireplaces are tightly regulated. I don't know if stoves are treated differently. One CAN install a wood burning fireplace but it must meet current emission standards which means it has a catalyst. Burn the wrong fuel, even a single sheet of glossy magazine paper and the very expensive catalyst is ruined.

A gas stove might also fit the bill. Gas works in power outages and a gas stove can radiate heat as effectively as a wood burner.

Yeah, check local codes. Things have gotten nuts in the Bay Area when it comes to adding a fireplace. As far as I am aware, no new wood stoves are allowed to be added. As new Renter said, maybe the ones with catalytic converters are still allowed. Even then, Thanksgiving and Christmas are more and more frequently becoming "no burn" or "spare the air" days around here.

I looked into putting in a wood burning fireplace just a few years ago. This manufacturer was one of the few that offered wood burners that were allowed. I personally spoke with the San Jose building department about permitting such a fireplace. As long as it meets the emission standards its fine. YMMV though.

http://www.fireplacex.com/ProductGuide/FuelTypeOverview.aspx?fueltype=wood&fueltab=0

I eventually decided to go with gas. This is the company we had put in the fireplace and they did an excellent job:

http://scstovesandfireplaces.com/stoves/

Before committing to wood be consider the possibility of blowback. Most fireplaces are sealed during operation but when you open the door to add wood if the conditions are right the smoke may go into the room rather than the chimney. Its very unpleasant. Wood burners also build up residue in the chimney which require periodic maintenance or a chimney fire may result.

Oh, I grew up with a wood burning stove (1990's compliant, had exhaust recirculation/burn, no catalyst though). One of my favorite things as a kid was getting to light it...and douse everything in rubbing alcohol to get it going when mom wasn't looking lol. But yeah, blowback is entirely possible and I set off the smoke alarms a few times when outside conditions were just right so as to push smoke into the house.

My uncle installed a pellet burning stove like 10 years ago. That sucker puts out some serious heat, has none of the hassle of wood and you still get some of the nice fire ambiance. Wood stoves are hard to beat in terms of ambiance, but gas or pellet burners are much more efficient, thermally and cost-wise.

Interesting. I didn't think that building new wood stoves is legal in CA - something about carbon black. At least, that's the story my builder gave me when I requested a wood fireplace. Perhaps it's only a permit issue for new houses, perhaps it's a local regulation, or possibly he was wrong.

lenar says

Interesting. I didn't think that building new wood stoves is legal in CA - something about carbon black. At least, that's the story my builder gave me when I requested a wood fireplace. Perhaps it's only a permit issue for new houses, perhaps it's a local regulation, or possibly he was wrong.

Don't take a builders word for ANYTHING! Check into it yourself.

I can't tell you how many outright lies I was fed by my builder. In one case I was told me a tree had to be removed at my expense as ordered by the city inspector. I went down to the building department to complain and they had no idea what I was talking about. There was nothing about it on the inspections and as I was told unless it is in writing it doesn't (legally) exist.

The builder just wanted it out of the way and didn't give a damn how it affected his customer.

I love wood stoves. They are great "off grid' solutions! I put a Jotul in my house in the mountains! Love it! When the power goes out in a big storm--we are cozy!

New Renter says

One CAN install a wood burning fireplace but it must meet current emission standards which means it has a catalyst. Burn the wrong fuel, even a single sheet of glossy magazine paper and the very expensive catalyst is ruined.

I use to sell wood stoves. There are a couple of brands that meet the emission standards WITHOUT having to use a catalytic converter. Wood heat warms you like nothing else. Since I moved to Texas, we don't have a big use for them. They do like fireplaces down here, but more for looks on those cold 50 degree nights (lol) more than anything else.

You are correct on the codes however. Make sure you (or the installer) pulls a permit. Improperly installed wood stoves, and I've seen more than my fair share, can and do start some nasty fires. Good luck.

bmwman91 says

My uncle installed a pellet burning stove like 10 years ago. That sucker puts out some serious heat, has none of the hassle of wood and you still get some of the nice fire ambiance. Wood stoves are hard to beat in terms of ambiance, but gas or pellet burners are much more efficient, thermally and cost-wise.

We sold those too. The two drawbacks are that you are stuck with/limited to HAVING to use pellets. And they work via an auger to feed the pellets and a glo plug (similar to a diesel glo plug) to ignite and set the pellets on fire. So when you power goes out ... the stove can't work. But yes, they do put out the heat, the fuel is cleaner and easier to handle than big logs, but there is that down side.

New Renter says

Be careful with the local ordinances.

Yes, a very valid point - I live far from the Bay Area; the ONLY local codes or permits in my area are for septic systems.

You need heat in the Bay Area enough to warrant a wood stove.

Not to be confused with a pellet stove which does require some electricity (especially to start).

On July 9, 2008, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Board adopted Regulation 6, Rule 3: Wood-burning Devices to reduce the harmful emissions that come from wood smoke. The new rule will:

http://www.baaqmd.gov/?sc_itemid=156191E5-F112-4633-935E-FE9B58272325

Temperature inversions are a bitch.

Forget wood stoves, just wait for global warming to raise temps so you don't need them! Then install a wood burning air conditioning unit! Hmm, how would that even work? Maybe if you set it up outside the home, added a boiler for making steam, a turbine for converting steam to electricity, and ran wires from there to a conventional AC unit, that would qualify as a wood burning AC system, right?

Quigley says

Then install a wood burning air conditioning unit! Hmm, how would that even work? Maybe if you set it up outside the home, added a boiler for making steam, a turbine for converting steam to electricity, and ran wires from there to a conventional AC unit, that would qualify as a wood burning AC system, right?

Sounds like a fun project. Of course I'd probably blow myself up or electrocute myself in the process.

But what a way to go!

Quigley says

Forget wood stoves, just wait for global warming to raise temps so you don't need them! Then install a wood burning air conditioning unit! Hmm, how would that even work? Maybe if you set it up outside the home, added a boiler for making steam, a turbine for converting steam to electricity, and ran wires from there to a conventional AC unit, that would qualify as a wood burning AC system, right?

A natural gas or propane powered powered A/C unit would be more feasible, as would a window unit powered by solar cells or a wind turbine.

zzyzzx says

A natural gas or propane powered powered A/C unit would be more feasible, as would a window unit powered by solar cells or a wind turbine.

I just plug mine into the wall outlet. Economies of scale. : )

I was thinking burning wood was using a renewable energy source and good for everybody. The things you learn about the Bay Area that go against its so-called "green" stance.

Being in New Hampshire I know all about catalytic converters for wood stoves. they are fine if:
1) you are OK with staying awake nights to watch for chimney fires
2) you like to spend $500/year on a new converter when you get your stove and chimney swept
3) you like back-puffing (in effect an explosive sudden burning of smoke that has built-up in the firebox... think of how a piston works... suddenly all those gasses fire up at once... generally all that happens is there is a loud boom, the wood stove shakes, smokes gets pushed out of every crack in the thing... usually back puffing once it starts, only occurs rhythmically every 20-30 seconds)
4) you enjoy looking through all your fire starter materials for the odd piece of trash, such as a gum wrapping, that might destroy the converter
5) you like knowing that the converter is making no environmental difference whatsoever, but at least you are keeping a black Soweto miner a slave in a platinum mine