Modern baths with a built-in chimney began to look much more attractive than those that our ancestors had. They had to wash and bathe "in black." Now in the baths there is neither settling soot, nor carbon monoxide. In this article we will tell you what the chimney for a bath stove should be and how to install it with your own hands.
What is a chimney for a bath stove?
Before writing about the requirements for the chimney, you need to understand what it is. In ordinary language, this is a kind of pipe that removes combustion products from the furnace and provides traction to maintain this process. That is, a chimney for a bath stove removes smoke and creates draft.
Types of chimneys
Designs have several classifications, most often they are divided into:
- internal;
- external.
The first are most often found in Russian baths. They do not violate the single architectural style of the steam room, in terms of efficiency - this is the best option. All thermal energy remains indoors. Such a chimney for a bath stove is easy to operate, it is easy to care for, it does not require additional insulation, and its draft is much better. What can not be said about external structures. To install them, you need to make a hole in the roof of the bath, which in itself is not very beautiful.
Chimneys are made of the same materials as the designs for fireplaces and other similar equipment. Most often produce stainless chimneys. In addition to steel, ceramics and brick are widely used. Very often you can find combined models, where a steel pipe is installed inside a brickwork. Sometimes a ceramic outlet is hidden in stainless steel chimneys. It is forbidden to use aluminum and asbestos cement in saunas and baths, since the level of thermal conductivity and fire resistance of these materials is very low.
Design requirements
The chimney in the bath must meet certain requirements:
- The inner surface of the tap should be as smooth as possible, this will help reduce the amount of soot deposited in the future.
- In order to achieve the best draft, the chimney must have a circular cross section. In this case, the air will meet the least resistance.
- If you use a rectangular or square chimney, then the internal cross-sectional area should correspond to the power of the furnace. For example, a 3.5 kW furnace requires a cross section of 140 * 140 mm, 5.2 kW - 140 * 200 mm, etc. The same applies to oval sections.
- In order for the traction force to be optimal and soot to be deposited as little as possible on the inner sections of the pipe, it is necessary that the flat and horizontal pipes have a total length of not more than one meter.
- When a chimney crosses the roof, it is necessary to install a fire butcher. In these places there should be no pipe junction.
Various chimney arrangements
Any chimney in the bath includes a pipe, flanges and fittings. It is better to position the structure closer to the inside of the wall. At this point, the chimney will not give off thermal energy to nowhere, and the draft will be the most effective. If this cannot be established, then there is another way to preserve heat - to insulate the walls. The temperature of the pipe depends on the outside temperature. For regions with severe and prolonged frosts, it is better to make solid walls 58-68 cm thick, for others 38 cm are also suitable. For each furnace you need to install your own chimney. The slitting device is made at a height of 75 cm.
According to the installation method, two types of chimney are distinguished: attached and chimney. The latter is mounted on the outlet pipe and usually has the usual shape. Such a chimney is most often brought out through the roof. The attached structure is mounted to the side wall of the furnace or boiler. On the street such a chimney is discharged through the wall, after which the pipe is lifted vertically to a predetermined height.
Installation of a chimney to a metal furnace
Installation of the chimney starts when the stove is installed. To do this, you will need restraining supports, which, thanks to the gaps for expanding the pipes, are perfectly attached to the structure. It is best to use not iron bends, but "sandwich" channels. The upper part of the pipe is equipped with a cone-shaped iron plug. It will protect the chimney from precipitation. As for the lower part of the outlet, it is closed with a traditional plug for cleaning pipes and draining condensate.
Installation of a chimney with a brick stove
A chimney made of bricks is usually laid out independently with a stove. The construction of the installation begins when the installation of the last row of stone firebox ends. Some begin to create a chimney when the brick hides the side doors of the heater. On the 21th row of masonry, two branches are formed, each of which will be one brick wide. Above, they will connect into a single channel. The space above the core overlaps, and the gap between it and the bends is filled with mineral wool. On the 22nd row, the free space is completely hidden, and the process of connecting the taps into a single channel begins. Gradually, the brick chimney is narrowed until the space inside becomes equal to the width of one stone. At this point, 2 valves are installed through a row. After laying, it goes into the classic fluff. If you are not very familiar with the technology of installing bricks, then such a task as building a chimney with your own hands, you can not do. Care must then be taken so that cracks do not form during masonry.
How to mount the chimney yourself?
The easiest way is to make a chimney for a stainless steel bath stove. For self-installation, you will need some tools and materials:
- 3 elbows of galvanization, 2 of which 16 * 120 cm, 1 - 20 * 120 cm;
- tee with a plug at 16 cm;
- 3 stainless steel elbows - 16 * 10 cm;
- 20 cm fungus.
All pipes must be fastened with self-tapping screws. A hole with a diameter of 16 cm is made in the roofing plate. The thermal insulation, tile and other materials that are on the roof near it must be removed. The outer part of the pipe is wrapped with basalt wool and additionally tightened with asbestos cord. A pipe is put on top of it, fastened and coated with a solution of bitumen mastic. To avoid gaps between the bends, you also need to wind a cord of asbestos. This will save the pipes from moisture and the formation of mold and fungus.
What to do with the finished chimney?
There are ready-made chimneys, the price of which starts from 400 rubles per 1 unit. How to install them correctly? The smoke exhaust pipe is placed so that the outward passage is at least 50 cm. At the junction of the roof with the chimney, an “otter” is made - a sealed gate to protect the pipes from precipitation. If soot appears inside the channels, then the chimney is installed poorly, it is possible that there are cracks or gaps in the structure that make the resin settle on the surface.
Cleaning a chimney for a bath stove
Absolutely any chimneys, the price of which is 500 or 5000 rubles, need constant cleaning. It is best to use a mechanical method of cleaning with brushes and special weights. It happens that this procedure is accompanied by blows of a sledgehammer with a hammer. It is advisable to clean stainless steel chimneys outdoors, as this is a very dirty job with a lot of dust and soot. Usually the remaining elements of the chimney are covered in bags or newspapers in advance. You can use a regular brush, it is pushed into the channel. As soon as the soot resistance is weakened, then the pipe is completely cleaned.
Some bathhouse owners clean the chimney in a special way; photos of such manipulations are found in construction magazines. They throw a ball of snow inside the chimney. You can clean the pipe by tapping its outline with a hammer from the outside. Many bathhouse attendants use aspen firewood, which when burning creates a special traction. It allows you to remove the ash from the pipe. Strong dry heat of aspen and coniferous trees contributes to faster combustion of resinous substances in pipes. Some resort to more economical options. Potato peelings have the same properties as aspen wood. However, it is not always possible to procure raw materials in the right amount. But if such an opportunity exists, then this will save your costs and efforts several times.
There are special chemicals with which to clean the chimney. Photos, cost and characteristics of such funds can be found in various construction publications. Drugs carry all the soot out along with it, some substances loosen the soot, and it falls off by itself. Experienced bath attendants are advised to clean the chimneys in the baths after rain.
Proper installation, easy maintenance and timely cleaning - all that is needed for the efficient operation of the chimneys of the sauna stoves.