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 for several centuries, but continue to do so to this day. Despite the appearance 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 a decorative element that makes the home cozy.
As you know, the quality of the operation of such a device largely depends on the design of its chimney. Serious attention should be paid to this part so that the whole structure functions without any problems. Therefore, it is necessary to consider in more detail the process of how to make a chimney for a potbelly stove with your own hands. But for starters, it would be more correct to study some of the technical characteristics of this equipment.
Design features of potbelly stove
Modern models, used both in private houses and in household-type buildings like a garage, are able to heata room with an area of 50-60 m². Over the years, the potbelly stove has changed significantly, and today's samples have acquired new functions that are not typical for old appliances:
- Work in slow burning mode. 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 the intensity of fuel combustion.
- 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 chimney.
- Internal finish made of heat-resistant material, thanks to which the heat lingers inside longer, and the mechanism itself does not overheat, which has a positive effect on its service life.
- A special fire-resistant glass insert placed on the potbelly stove door decorates the entire structure and allows you to observe the operation of the device without any fear.
Types of bourgeois women
As already mentioned, equipment such as a potbelly stove has undergone significant changes over time. The devices have acquired new, certainly necessary functions, and their performance has also improved. Modern models are usually divided 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,are able to work on various types of fuel - peat, wood, etc.
- Mechanisms operating on the principle of a gas generator. They are the most productive devices. Equipped with two chambers: afterburning and gasification. Such devices have a lot of advantages - fuel economy, long process of work, long cooling, etc.
- Potbelly stoves with a hob. Their main purpose is cooking, but they can also be used as a heater.
- Potbelly stoves-fireplaces are elegant decorative patterns that will become a real decoration of any interior. The main fuel for them is briquette coal and firewood.
Dignity of bourgeois women
Modern production methods allow us to produce more and more new models of these ovens, which have a number of advantages:
- quick kindling (10-15 minutes), while equipment such as brick needs about an hour;
- high performance (80% efficiency);
- handy size;
- very light weight (no need for a foundation for potbelly stove equipment);
- stylish and modern design (innovative models are equipped with various decorative tools - openwork molding, glass inserts, etc.);
- easy operation;
- high level of functionality (these devices are designed not only for heating, but also for cooking).
The main disadvantage of stoves is that models made of steel or cast iron are prone to rapid heat loss, whichrequires constantly maintaining the fire within them.
Features of the chimney potbelly 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 operation of the entire mechanism will largely depend on the quality of its manufacture.
But before you figure out how to build the right chimney for a potbelly stove, you must, of course, study its main technical features. The basis of this part is made up of two main parts: the outlet and the heat exchanger. The first has the form of a metal pipe, which, in turn, can either be connected to the outlet channel, or have direct access to the street. The entrance to any chimney must be equipped with a damper, which is allowed to be opened only if a fire is burning inside the potbelly stove. The part of the mechanism that is responsible for heat transfer is located inside the stove.
The chimney for a potbelly stove, which has an elongated shape, is called a "smoke bag". All waste products in such structures first enter this part, and only then into the pipe. Models stretched vertically have a more complex structure. So, the pipe for the chimney of this type of potbelly stove is not standard, since the whole system is a knee-shaped or spiral-shaped channels.
Materials for creating a chimney for a potbelly stove
The device of this mechanism for different models differs little from each other. In order to understand how to calculate the chimneyfor a potbelly stove and at the same time make a reliable and stable working structure, you will need to have the following list of building materials available:
- metal pipes that you can cut yourself from a single sheet;
- tee with a plug with a parameter of 160 mm;
- three butt elbows (one is 100x1200mm and the other is 160x1200mm);
- mushroom 200 mm to protect the end of the chimney from the ingress of unwanted particles from the outside;
- thermal insulation material;
- passing glass;
- bitumen-based resin;
- seam sealer (standard asbestos cord may work).
After purchasing all of the above materials, you can start assembling a chimney for a potbelly stove with your own hands.
Chimney making process
All work should go as follows:
- The first part of the metal pipe must be fixed either on the chimney opening or on the branch pipe.
- Then you need to build up all the knees of the structure, and you need to do this right up to the overlap.
- After that, a neat hole should be made in the ceiling. To calculate its parameters, you need to take into account the diameter of the chimney for the potbelly stove, it is important that its indicator does not exceed 16 cm.
- Insulating material located in the area where the pipe passes through the ceiling must be removed, otherwise there may be a risk of unexpected fire.
- The lead glass must be inserted into the previously equipped hole. And then a pipe should pass through it, which should be connected to the part of the system located outdoors.
- Outside, the 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 a potbelly stove should be assembled so that the whole system works smoothly and durably.
Installing a heat exchanger
Sometimes there is an urgent need to cool the overheated pipe through which all waste products exit. But in order not to lose heat in the oven 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 the smoke to the pipe. The essence of the first is that a reservoir with cold water 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 by 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, there is no vapor condensation. The flow of heat through the pipe is stronger in this case. Many experts recommend: using a heat exchanger asregister for water heating, it is best to use compact designs with thick walls - this will significantly reduce the amount of condensate.
Chimney maintenance specifics
Did you make a chimney for a potbelly stove with your own hands? Now do not forget to take into account some of the features of caring for 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) clean the pipe. Methods for such work can be very different: you can use briquettes specially designed for this, which, during the combustion process, emit a special gas that can destroy plaque. Or heat the potbelly stove with aspen wood, which is more of a preventive measure than a soot remover.
Additional recommendations for the arrangement and operation of a chimney for a potbelly stove
To create a reliable and high-quality chimney for a potbelly stove, the following tips from experts will allow:
- As the main material for the pipe, not only metal, but also asbestos cement can be used. It is important to remember one rule here: it is allowed to install these structural parts of the chimneyexclusively at the top of the structure, since the maximum temperature they can withstand is 300°C.
- Seam sealant must be able to withstand high heat.
- Any of the deformed elements of the chimney 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 a pipe is undesirable, as 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 cap that protects the pipe from rain moisture.
Strict adherence to all these tips will allow you to design a reliable and high-quality system that will definitely last a very long time and will not require any repairs.
