For many, a potbelly stove is not just a stove that serves to heat a room, but a real relic. These devices have not only been used since ancient times for several centuries, but they continue to do so to this day. Despite the emergence of modern equipment, such devices are still popular due to the wide list of their advantages. In addition, they can be used not only as heating equipment, but also for cooking, as well as in the role of a decorative element that gives comfort to the home.
As you know, the quality of work of such a device largely depends on the device of its chimney. Serious attention should be paid to this part so that the entire structure functions without any problems. Therefore, you should consider in more detail the process of how to make a chimney for a potbelly stove with your own hands. But to begin with, it will be more correct to study some technical characteristics of this equipment.
Design features of a potbelly stove
Modern models, used both in private houses and in household type buildings like a garage, are able to qualitatively heat a room with an area of 50-60 m². Over the years, the stove-potbelly stove has changed significantly, and today's samples have acquired new functions that are not characteristic of old appliances:
- Work in the mode of slow burning. Thanks to a special lock that tightly closes the doors of the mechanism, the risk of smoke in the room disappears, and special valves allow you to control the process of burning fuel.
- A system that allows the processing of exhaust gases. It is mounted on top of the furnace, and its main purpose is to increase productivity and reduce the temperature of the smoke entering the pipe.
- The interior is made of heat-resistant material, due to which the heat is retained inside for longer, while the mechanism itself does not overheat, which has a positive effect on its service life.
- A special insert made of refractory glass, placed on the door of the potbelly stove, decorates the entire structure and allows you to observe the operation of the device without any fear.
Types of bourgeois
As already mentioned, equipment such as a stove-potbelly stove has undergone significant changes over time. The devices have acquired new, certainly necessary functions, their productivity has also improved. It is customary to divide modern models into several categories, among which special attention should be paid to the following:
- Classic cast iron appliances. They are quite compact, but at the same time they serve for a long time and reliably.
- Round army potbelly stoves. Ideal for field conditions, and in addition, they are able to work on various types of fuel - peat, wood, etc.
- Mechanisms working on the principle of a gas generator. They are the most productive devices. Equipped with two cameras: afterburning and gasification. Such devices have a lot of advantages - fuel economy, a long process, long cooling, etc.
- Potbelly stoves having a cooking surface. Their main purpose is cooking, but can also be used as a heater.
- Potbelly stove-fireplaces are elegant decorative patterns that will become a real decoration of any interior. The main fuel for them is briquette coal and firewood.
The virtues of the bourgeoisie
Modern production methods allow us to produce more and more new samples of these furnaces, which have a number of advantages:
- quick kindling (10-15 minutes), while equipment, for example, made of brick, needs about an hour;
- high productivity (efficiency - 80%);
- convenient size;
- very light weight (for the equipment of a potbelly stove there is no need for a foundation device);
- stylish and modern design (innovative models are equipped with various decor tools - openwork molding, glass inserts, etc.);
- simplicity of operation;
- high level of functionality (these devices are intended not only for heating, but also for cooking).
The main disadvantage of bourgeois stoves is that models made of steel or cast iron are prone to rapid heat loss, which requires constant maintenance of fire inside them.
Features of the chimney stove
One of the most important functional parts of such a mechanism is the chimney. Its arrangement should be approached with special attention, since the work of the whole mechanism will largely depend on the quality of its manufacture.
But before you figure out how to build the right chimney for a stove, you need, of course, to study its main technical features. The basis of this part is made up of two main parts: the output and heat transfer. The first has the form of a metal pipe, which, in turn, can either be connected to the output channel, or have direct access to the street. The entrance to any chimney should be equipped with a damper that is only allowed to open if fire is burning inside the stove. The part of the mechanism that is responsible for heat transfer is located inside the stove.
The chimney for a potbelly stove having an elongated shape is called a “smoke bag”. All waste products in such structures first fall into this part, and only then into the pipe. Models elongated vertically have a more complex structure. So, the pipe for the chimney of a potbelly stove of this type is not standard, since the whole system is a channel bent along a knee or spiral type.
Materials for creating a chimney for a stove
The device of this mechanism in different models differs little from each other. In order to understand how to calculate the chimney for a potbelly stove and make a reliable and stable working structure, you will need to have the following list of building materials:
- metal pipes that can be cut with one's own hand from a single sheet;
- a tee with a plug with a parameter of 160 mm;
- three butt joints (the size of one is 100x1200 mm, and the others are 160x1200 mm);
- 200 mm fungus to protect the end of the chimney pipe from unwanted particles from the outside;
- material for thermal insulation;
- passage glass;
- bitumen based resin;
- joint sealant (a standard asbestos cord may work).
Having acquired all of the above materials, you can begin to assemble a chimney for a stove yourself.
Chimney manufacturing process
All work should proceed as follows:
- The first part of the metal pipe must be fixed either to the chimney opening or to the pipe.
- Then you need to build up all the knees of the structure, and this must be done right up to the overlap.
- After that, a neat hole should be made in the ceiling. To calculate its parameters, it is necessary to take into account the diameter of the chimney for a potbelly stove, it is important that its figure does not exceed 16 cm.
- The heat-insulating material located on the pipe passage through the ceiling must be removed, otherwise there may be a risk of unexpected fire.
- The passage glass should be inserted into the previously equipped hole. And then a pipe should pass through it, which should be connected to a part of the system located outdoors.
- Outside, a chimney for a potbelly stove must be treated with bituminous resin and, if necessary, wrapped with any material for thermal insulation.
- In order to avoid foreign objects entering the system, the end of the pipe should be equipped with a specially designed fungus.
It is by this principle that the correct chimney for the potbelly stove must be assembled so that the entire system works smoothly and for a long time.
Heat exchanger installation
Sometimes there is an urgent need to cool an excessively heated pipe through which all waste products exit. But in order not to lose heat in the furnace itself, it is recommended to equip a special mechanism directly on it - a heat exchanger.
This device is capable of functioning in two main modes. Each of them differs in the process of heat transfer from smoke to the pipe. The essence of the first is that a cold water tank is connected to the mechanism, which, in turn, leads to the formation of condensate inside the structure, due to which the heat exchanger is heated with water vapor. With this version of the device, the maximum temperature of the pipe walls will be 100 ° C.
As for the second mode of operation, vapor condensation does not occur here. The flow of heat passing through the pipe in this case is stronger. Many experts recommend: using a heat exchanger as a register for water heating, it is best to use compact structures with thick walls - this will significantly reduce the amount of condensate formed.
Chimney Care Specifics
Did you make a chimney for a stove yourself? Now do not forget to take into account some features of the care of this equipment. The main recommendations are as follows:
- It is very important to regularly check the entire length of the pipe for various kinds of deformations. Any flaws such as cracks, chips and rust deposits will inevitably lead to the destruction of the integrity of the chimney and, as a result, reduce its service life.
- It is imperative to periodically (at least once a year) carry out pipe cleaning. The methods for such work can be very different: you can use specially designed briquettes, which during the combustion process emit a special gas that can destroy plaque. Or, to heat a potbelly stove with aspen wood, which is more a preventive measure than a means to remove soot.
Additional recommendations for the arrangement and operation of a chimney for a stove
Creating a reliable and high-quality chimney for a stove is possible by observing the following tips from experts:
- As the main material for the pipe, not only metal, but also asbestos cement can be used. It is important to remember one rule: these structural parts of the chimney can be installed exclusively at the top of the structure, since the maximum temperature they can withstand is 300 ° C.
- The joint sealant must withstand the high thermal effects.
- Any of the deformed chimney elements can always be dismantled and replaced with a new one without disassembling the entire system.
- The use of a ruff or a core for cleaning the pipe is undesirable, since these devices can damage the walls of the structure.
- When installing the chimney directly under the roof slope, it is recommended to use a special anti-rain visor that protects the pipe from rain.
A strict adherence to all these tips will allow you to build a reliable and high-quality system that will definitely last a very long time and does not require any repairs.