Just to give an update on my masonry heater's performances after 4 months of intensive use. We have used so far 7 steres of soft wood ( i think it must be equal to 4 cords?). For the first month or so we lit 2 fires/day. Since, we are down to one fire/day which allows the central heating system to kicks in for about 1/2h in the morning and the same in the evening. That takes care of the rooms which are not directly heated by the masonry heater. The bedrooms which are above the living room are heated by the masonry heater without problems. Our natural gas consumption is down by as much as 75%. As to our confort, well it is sensational. We have discovered radiant warmth and chances are we will never go back to anything else. Of course it does come with chores ( carrying the wood, preparing the fire..) but it is such a small price to pay for so many benefits including the immense satisfaction you get when you know you have done something for our planet.

So is there any reason why I couldn't install the stove with an ordinary 6" stove pipe, since it will be surrounded by a stainless liner anyway? They're talking almost $2k for the new stainless pipe, and I've already spent more than that on the existing liner. As far as the smoke, a guy at one of the FP stores I visited believes it's the return air on my furnace that's sucking smoke into the house when it kicks on. I can probably test for this by using the FP with the furnace off, but the rest of the house will get might cold, so it's not a permanent solution. I also considered having a mason reduced the size of the fireplace opening, which currently is 35" high and 48" wide, too big for the flue size, and continue to use it as an open FP. But this doesn't address the efficiency issue or provide a backup heat source that a wood stove would provide.

Let me tell you about "junk" LIner mfg'rs recommending stainless with coal - 2-5 year lifespan w/ sudden complete collapse causing a potentially life-threatening situation. This is typically 316L or ti, the most corrosion resistant stainless liner material. Complete collapse - looked like a slinky. Lining was recommended strongly by installer - tile liner was in excellent shape and this potentially deadly disaster could have been completely avoided if the chimney was never lined with stainless. Liner mfg'r did step up and offer a free replacement. (North east Penn); Stainless class a metal stack interior collapse after three years w/ coal ( Coal rated and warrantied chimney - documented - Fredonia, NY) + Many more. Stainless class a chimney failure 316L (Westport, NY) Less than 15 years use w/ well maintained oil boiler. Top two sections failed internally from corrosion - every section had visible pin-holes. Stainless 304 liner failure - top three sections badly pinholed/pitted and many remaining parts felt like aluminum foil (Akron, NY) Numerous aluminum liner failures including total collapse w/ Nat. gas (Buffalo, NY) Partly due to poor installation practice (uninsulated liner in unlined masonry flues in contact with alkaline mortar parging and joints). Many other liner failures were partial failures of the liners (either top or bottom) and could not be attributed to faulty installation. One of the few areas where stainless liners DO serve the purpose of increasing safety is in flues serviced by enclosed wood-burning appliances - stoves, boilers, and furnaces. With wood, there doesn't seem to be widespread pitting corrosion the stainless steel (hopefully insulated) offers protection to any masonry against the rapid temperature rise and damage of a chimney fire. Chimney fires, of course, are a non-issue with other fuels. With fuels other than wood, a metal chimney liner is often not necessary and CAN fail catastrophically - potentially causing an unsafe condition that otherwise would not exist. This is especially true with fuels such as coal and heating oil.

I havn't read all these post but here is my experience. I had all my teeth extracted after the birth of my 3rd son in 1963.They were pulled at a navy base in New Hampshire.After the gums healed i was sent to a dentist in town to have impressions and dentures made.I had never seen that dentist before,nor he me.He asked me to bring a picture of me smiling,he also asked me to try and remember any imperfections in my teeth ,which i did. So he got all that info,took impressions and made me the dentures.I swear they looked exactly like my original teeth.He didn't make them a snow white either as he said no one has them that way.He put in all the little imperfections i told him about etc.To say i was blown away is an understatement. He told me to try and keep them in all night and to put a lifesaver in my mouth when i went to bed the first couple nights til i got used to them,he said if i woke up in the morning and found them on the floor,to just rinse them off and put them back in.Said the trick is to keep them in so you get used to them,i did. I went back one time to get a rough place sanded down.That was the one and only time i had to go back.Those dentures lasted me for over 30 years and probably would have lasted longer had i left the ice,hard candy etc alone,but i didn;t. People always complimented me on my beautiful teeth and asked if they were mine.I always told them yes they were mine and thanked them.I didn't lie,they were mine,i paid for them.LOL Then several years ago i had a new set made,and the new dentist used the old set ,and new impressions.When i got them the top ones were like bugs bunny and had an overbite,so back i went.He only had to redo them once and they were fine. So i say no your DH shouldn't have to go thru all that,time for a new dentist,i'd say. I must also say,no one ever sees me without them.I keep them in all the time,and only take them out while i shower,and as soon as i'm out they are back in. Kathi