Things you will need:
- Tape measure & pencil
- 1/4″ X 12″ pilot bit, holesaw (size will vary according to size of pipe you use), drill
- Drywall saw
- Caulk gun, high temperature sealant
For venting, you can use any of the following:
If you’ve just bought your first wood pellet stove or pellet insert, congratulations! Your next step after getting it home is the installation. Now, if you bought it from a store, a lot of them will include installation on the unit at a discounted price. It usually ends up being around $400, depending on your location for the stove.
If you bought the stove online, or got a used one from friend or local paper, you can always locate a local store that can install it for you. If you are at all unsure on whether or not you can do it yourself, I highly recommend just having it professionally done. It may cost a bit more, but it may be worth saving yourself a lot of headaches.
However, if you are pretty handy, and somewhat a do it yourselfer, you can save yourself a little cash and install it yourself. If you decide to do this, make sure you follow all instructions very closely. If you bought it used, you should be able to find some instructions for the particular stove/insert online.
If you purchased a free-standingwood pellet stove, you’ll need to make sure the stove is located in a central spot. This is to ensure that the heat will be distributed more evenly. Pay close attention to the manufacturers guidelines regarding the placement of the unit. The wood pellet stove will need to be set a certain distance away from the walls for the stove to work with maximum efficiency. Also make sure you have an outlet nearby, as it will require 120 volts to power it.
The floor where the wood pellet stove is sitting on will need protection, such as tile, brick, or some sort of hearth pad. This is to protect it from the extreme heat, and hot embers that may fall on it. Instructions will tell you what types of floor you need to use, and how big of an area you will need.
Keep in mind that some stoves can hold up to 85 pounds of pellets. You add that to the weight of the actual stove, and you have quite a heavy load on your floor. My point is to make sure that the floor is strong enough to hold the additional weight. If you are unsure, you can have a carpenter check it out for you.
Once you have located where exactly you want the stove, you need to route how it will be vented. Take your pipe pieces, and determine how you want it vented outside, making sure it’s not near any windows or doors. Mark your center of the vent pipe on the wall. Drill your pilot hole with a drill bit. Using a holesaw, drill a hole from the outside. Cut the interior hole using a drywall saw. Make sure to fit the wall thimbles into the holes. These will provide a noncombustible surface to pass the exhaust pipes through. Use the same method to install the fresh-air intake vent. Attach outside vent hoods to the siding and caulk with a high-temperature sealant.
The thermostat would be the next thing to install. Then, move the stove into position, attaching exhaust pipe together and flexible pipe to stove for the fresh air.
L