What Is the Female End of a Wood Stove Pipe?

Stove Pipe Specifications

• Standard single-wall stove pipe diameter dimensions are 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 inches as measured from the inside edges. Common lengths include 12, 24 and 48 inches. Telescoping stove pipe that extends from 44 to 68 inches is also available and is particularly useful when setting up a completely vertical stove-to-ceiling pipe. Double-wall stove pipe is cut to the same lengths as single wall, but telescoping models extend from 29 to 46 inches and 40 to 88 inches. All stove pipe sections feature male and female ends to facilitate assembly.

Assembly

• Stove pipe should be assembled with the male end facing down toward the stove and inserted into the female ends in that position. While this might seem to conflict with the path the smoke and other emissions take on their way up to the chimney, this actually prevents wet creosote and other debris from leaking out between the pipe edges. For extra protection, use stove cement when connecting the pipe sections together and use three small sheet metal screws at each seam. You can dispense with this step, however, as a stove pipe draws air into the system that essentially blocks any gaps that might exist in the stove pipe.

Slip Connectors

• Stove pipe installation rarely goes as smoothly as you'd hoped it would. Depending upon your particular installation, you may want to eliminate having to connect many sections together. In this case, a slip joint adds footage to the stove pipe while minimizing connections. The joint's narrower female end fits into a section of pipe below it, and the upper male end can be extended up to 18 inches.

Considerations

• Stove pipe is not to be confused with chimney pipe. It is meant for interior wood stove venting only, as it is not designed to withstand the weather conditions that a standard chimney experiences. Both single and double-wall stove pipes are to be used only to connect your wood stove to the chimney, and should never be passed through an exterior wall. While double-wall stove pipe considerably minimizes the safety clearance to a combustible wall, it is not designed to be used outdoors.