Adding Duct For Wood Stove Heat Distribution [3 Easy Steps]

Adding duct for wood stove heat distribution is a convenient way to keep your house warm. This wood stove duct system helps to avoid shivering in the cold and makes you feel super comfortable. 

adding duct for wood stove heat distribution

But do you know how to install a cold air return duct between studs? Be patient. We’ll explain everything. Here you will learn about the benefits, precautions, and installation methods of the ducting system.

Also, you will discover all other best alternative ways of room heating efficiently. 

So, now go through the details and thank us later!    

Advantages Of The Wood Burning Stove Hot Air Ducting

This system is great for heating multiple rooms with a wood stove. Here we are listing the benefits of adding ductwork to a wood stove in a nutshell:

  • It helps to reduce the heating cost
  • Optimize the efficiency of the fireplace working process.
  • Decrease the temperature gap between the ceiling and floor 
  • Helps to distribute the heat more homogeneously.

The ducting heat from the wood stove basically helps to distribute the hot air to the selected rooms. Sometimes the system can work for the entire house, too. It works through a network of insulated ducts.

The fan blowing on the wood stove is connected to the fireplace. Additionally, a bypass vent balances the whole system. You will see how to duct heat from a wood stove easily in the following section. 

Adding Duct For Wood Stove Heat Distribution In 3 Steps

You can connect your wood stove fan to your fireplace or fire pit to make sure the proper distribution of heat through the central heating ducts. The heat distribution box is known as the plenum. 

If you want the fireplace connected to the central heating system, place it on the top of the fireplace. Also, the woodstove should be adjacent to the firepans. Therefore, the fan will be able to supply heated air. 

Now let’s see how to duct heat from a wood-burning stove in just three simple steps:

Step 1:

Mark about six inches below the plenum using a tape measure instead of mounting the collar at the top of your plenum. It will determine the top starting collar. 

Try to place the end part of the collar to the plenum. Mark the outside diameter using a marker on the sheet metal.  

Step 2:

Create a hole in the plenum with a needle on the mark that you’ve just drawn and insert a scrap of tin in the hole. Now cut the hole out. 

If the top plenum is tightened with a screw, loosen it first and then pull the top plenum. 

Step 3:

Put the starting collar inside the hole. Bend the tabs of the collar so it will retain the collar in place. Now it’s time to attach the duck workup with the inline stove fan. Secure the duct with the stove with a self-tapping metal sheet screw. 

You’re almost done. Now burn the wood stove and operate the duct fan. It will help to blow the warm air into the whole plenum. Thus the heat will be distributed evenly through the central ducting system. 

Just in case you are wondering how to connect a wood furnace to existing ductwork, simply follow the steps I’ve described above. It will be a much easier task.  

Some Precarious To Maintain:

To keep the ducting system workable and to maintain the process, you will need to be careful about some simple details that I’ve mentioned below—

  • Don’t allow the cool air to enter the house
  • Try not to place the stove in a higher place
  • The interior doors should be kept open to ensure the distribution of heat.
  • The speed of the fan should not be stormy.
  • You only need a little time to refill the oxygen.

These are precarious things you should always maintain while using a stove to warm up your house.

3 Alternative Ways To Distribute Heat Evenly All Over The House

Many people do not have a ducting system and thus face difficulties with heat distribution from their stoves. Here we will mention some alternatives to ensure the proper heat distribution so that they can get a comfortable environment. 

Change the Stove Placement:

Installing the stove in your basement can give you a better result. The heat will rise above and warm up the rooms quickly. 

Utilize Your Ceiling Fans:

Turn on the ceiling fans. They will disseminate the heat. Also, they will pull the cold air up and push down the warm air.

Ensure Proper Insulation:

If your house is properly insulated, the generated heat won’t go out and the cold air won’t come inside your house. Therefore, you can get a comfortable place.

You can easily get a comfy sleep on a cold winter night by following these methods. These are some effective ways that can make your room warm and pleasant.   

FAQ:

Which pipe can I use for a wood stove?

You will need a single-walled stove pipe for a standard wood stove. The pipe needs to be thicker and made of at least 24 gauges of sheet metal. You should not use the HVAC duct for wood stoves as they are triple-walled and differently constructed.

How can I circulate the heat from my fireplace?

If you are using a wood-burning fireplace, you can turn the fan on to distribute the heat. If the fan rotates clockwise, it will pull up the cool air and push down the warm air. Also, there are some easy methods except fan blowing on the woodstove—
1. Keeping the fan on 
2. Upgrading the thermostat 
3. Insulating the walls
4. Cleaning the air ducts
5. Adjusting the air vents, etc. 

Can I vent my wood stove horizontally?

Yes, you can. All stoves need a venting system, but the system is different for gas, pellets, and wood stoves. A ducted pellet stove should always vent through the roof. You can vent it horizontally against the wall or vertically against the roof.

Do wood stove ductwork heat the whole house?

The wood-burning stoves not only heat up the room where it is placed. It can heat up the entire house, too. The stove keeps the waste gases from the firebox for a long time and produces more heat. That’s how it can heat up your whole house. Also, the efficiency of the stove changes depending on the way of stacking the logs.

Is the black stove pipe galvanized?

Galvanized stove pipes use high-grade rolled and cold steel. They are laser-welded, too. This pipe can create a fume-free heating system. The black stove pipe is galvanized and coated with zinc.

At what temperature does galvanize steel become toxic?

Galvanized steel may become toxic when it is exposed to the environment. The yellowish fume of welding or heating the steel may turn it toxic. More than 392°F or 200°C, galvanized steel can become toxic.

Is it cheaper to run a pellet stove or natural gas?

A pellet stove is cheaper than natural gas. Usually, pellet stoves cost less to heat up your house. Natural gas is efficient, too. But the pellet stoves cost less even if you heat the entire house. However, you will need to buy pellets, haul, etc. for using a pellet stove.

Can I run a pellet stove without electricity?

Pellet stoves can not be run without electricity. To heat the house you will need to operate the stove that needs electricity or any alternative power source. Otherwise, you can’t ignite the stove. However, you can purchase a non-electric pellet stove to run it without electricity. 

How to get the most heat from a wood stove?

You can get maximum heat from a wood furnace duct by following some tips and tricks—
1. Fire up the stove properly 
2. Keep a feasible temperature 
3. Monitor the airflow
4. Always keep the stove clean
5. Use the perfect amount of fuel
6. Circulate the warm air from the wood stove
You can get the optimum heat from a wood stove if you maintain it and keep the ducting system in work. 

Conclusion

In winter, when the temperature falls below 0°C, the only basic need we feel is to give some comfort to our lives.

Adding duct for wood stove heat distribution is one of the most suitable and advisable options for heating up the whole house or some selected rooms. 

Once you have successfully installed the system, you can happily enjoy the winter.

Well, if you still face any issues, let’s know in the comment box. We’ll be happy to help you.

About William

William is the founder of Fireplacehubs.com. He has real life practical skills in fixing smoker & heating appliance issues. He loves to share his knowledge & helps others in fixing their appliances & saving their money. William firmly believes that anyone can repair his or her unit with the correct guidance & knowledge. See more at about us.

2 thoughts on “Adding Duct For Wood Stove Heat Distribution [3 Easy Steps]”

  1. Can you run a masonry stove (kachelofen) with a hot air distribution system? Does the masonry work take too much of the heat away from the flue?

    Reply

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