installing a stove in a tiny home

This is a little more than a summerhouse! but the same principle I guess, when it comes to installing a stove into the space for heating and to promote that homely, snug atmosphere. This is a space in tiny wooden house in Warwickshire that have fitted a Hobbit stove. For more information about this tiny home visit their tiny home website

Tiny home with Hobbit stove

flue kit for the stove installation.

Hobbit stove with summerhouse flue kit

 FLUE COMPONENTS IN THE KIT

1 x 1000mm single wall flue pipe vitrelux matt finish

1 x 500mm single wall flue pipe vitrelux matt finish

1 x stainless steel joint clip

1 x 100mm diameter single wall vitrelux to 125mm diameter HT-S twin wall adaptor.

1 x 1000mm twin wall stainless HT-S flue pipe.

1 x 30 degree stainless steel trim plate.

1 x HT-S 125mm 30 degree aluminium roof plate flashing.

1 x HT-S 125mm aluminium storm collar.

1 x HT-S 125mm stainless steel standard cowl.

The wall behind the stove has been shielded using fire rated plaster board to reduce the distance the stove is adjacent to the wall. The safe distance being 100mm from a shielded wall and 300mm from a combustible wall.

Hobbit stove fitted in a summerhouse

Installing the flue system through the summerhouse roof

flue exit hole

The stove can be positioned on the hearth with the collar of the stove or the 90 degree T and cap in position at the rear of the stove. The plumb line can then be used to locate the position on the roof above where the centre of the flue exit needs to be marked. The trim plate can be used to mark the hole to be removed. Drill a hole at the edge of the line to locate the jigsaw and remove the hole. With a good jigsaw blade this will also cut away the felt roof shingles. The aluminium roof plate can be flashed over the hole from the outside with the trim plate covering the hole on the inside.

roof plate for external weatherproofing of stove pipe exit

The flue system was a summerhouse flue kit and used a combination of single wall vitrelux 100mm flue pipe and HT-S twin wall stainless steel 125mm flue pipe. made in Great Britain by Midtherm
Click here for technical information.

The Hearth - installing a hearth for the stove

The stove needs a non- combustible hearth to stand on in case a spark or log should happen to drop out when the door is open. The current building regulations have stipulations for the adequate size in relation to the hearth and the thickness can only be 12mm if the stove temperature down towards the hearth does not exceed 100 deg. c. The building regulations do not actually apply to the stove installation in a summerhouse situation but I would suggest sticking as close to the recommendations for safe distances contained in Approved Document J,  as much as possible. This document is available as a free download so it is worth having a look at.
Materials for the hearth can vary and the modern trend is for a glass hearth which looks amazing but is a little pricey!

Glass hearths look amazing but prices start at about £90

Other options are slate     or

Tiles

or even an old paving slab will suffice, just as long as it is non-combustible and extends to the front and sides of the stove. The hearth can be fixed with screws or some kind of cartridge adhesive.

Morso stove with a round fronted glass hearth

For this summerhouse Mercurius chose a nat

One pc. square natural slate hearth 600mm x 600mm 

Installing a woodburning stove into a summerhouse

Octagonal summerhouse stove installation

The Summerhouse is that special place at the end of the garden where you can escape from the stress and strain of modern life. A spiritual womb for contemplation, meditation and the odd epithany, if you are lucky. A place to sit and gaze, and then sit and gaze some more. Just you and your kindle.
But when Summer turns to Autumn and then quickly to Winter, the summerhouse by definition is often then abandoned for several months. Worse, it turns into a 'shed' for the storage of summer stuff.
That hallowed space has turned into a skip before your eyes and the stresses and strains are back!!
The remedy for this, the saviour of the summerhouse, is to turn into that spiritual womb all year round! The best way for carbon emissions and the best way for the soul is to bring the primeval attraction of the flickering flame into your den, your cave. Summerhouse becomes summerhomefromhome when you install a woodburning stove.
The summerhouse pictured above is the sanctuary of Mercurius Stone from Devon.
He and his wife have installed a Hobbit stove on a stand with a summerhouse flue kit from Fluekit.com.

www.fluekit.com

The tools required for this stove installation were not overly expensive or difficult to use and the work itself not incredibly tricky if done step by step.
Tools
A plumb bob. - Used by the ancient egyptians to construct the pyramids this tool is the best for determining the position of the flue exit point.

the plumb bob is ancient technology for the 21st century. Picture by Sean Kernan www.photographywest.com

An electric jigsaw. - Most people have one or have a neighbour or friend who could lend you one, especially as it only for cutting one hole ( hopefully!)

electric jigsaw to cut a hole in the roof