Chimney & Vegetation Help

[FlyinFish]

Hi everyone,

I'm in the early stages of planning oven placement and deciding on type of oven. I'm still bouncing between pre fab metal, kit, or full brick. But I need some help on chimney placement and any issues with our wisteria vine or apple tree.

We have a small yard, so don't have any other real choice other than this one side. I'm trying to decide between either putting it where the two BBQs are now or over where the red toy truck is.

I'll be rebuilding the little arch/trellis thing that holds up a portion of the wisteria. Over by the truck, there's a bit of an opening right above, but the apple tree and vine are pretty close. I'm wondering if a standard chimney would be fine there. I assume the exhaust is not very hot so as to damage the plants. The plants would all be a couple feet from the chimney/exhaust.

I've BBQed many times near the wisteria, and the only time I had an issue was when it was sagging down with leaves and I was starting a coal fire in a chimney starter and the flames kissed the leaves.

On the deck, by the BBQs, the vine is fully covering right above. If I put it there, my thought would be to do an extended chimney, going up several additional feet to clear the vine. I can build this structurally no problem, but want to see if it's truly necessary. Is the exhaust hot enough to damage the plant? And if I'm buying a pre fab, I'm not sure I can get a double walled chimney. Will just a single walled be okay to pass through the vine?

Thanks for any help! I'm determined find a spot for a wood oven and move on from using a steel in a kitchen oven. Sorry if the picture is bad. I can upload a better one if it helps.

[Gulf]

Hi FlyinFish,

Welcome to the forum. Do try and load a larger pic

[FlyinFish]

Hi FlyinFish,

Welcome to the forum. Do try and load a larger pic

Thanks for the heads up. I think I got better ones uploaded now.

[Gulf]

When I first started firing my oven there were some small oak branches within 3 or 4 feet above my chimney/flue. I could see them moving with the rising current of the hot exhaust. I really didn't notice them for a few years. They are not there now and no others are trying to fill in that space above the flue. I guess the exhaust discourages new growth.

You may want to check for any possible set back ordinance that your jurisdiction may have on the books. That, and the fact that a flue is best installed right above the entry, you may find that the hot exhaust will be further from the trellis than you may think.

[deejayoh]

That Chinese Wisteria will probably solve the problem for you by taking down your fence soon - it's a pretty destructive vine.

That said, you can probably place your oven where the barbeques are, as the front of your oven where the chimney is will be 4 or 5 feet from the fence. You should be able to keep the wisteria trimmed back further than that.

I saw you're in seattle. You'll likely need a doghouse style enclosure to keep your oven dry over the winter. I have on on mine, haven't had any problems in ~10 years

[FlyinFish]

Thanks guys. The wisteria comes out a lot more on the deck than maybe it looks like in the photo, especially with leaves. But by the grass, you're right, the chimney may be farther out. But, it'll still be close and the tree is still a few feet above. Your oak branch experience is helpful.

Deejayoh, we've been here almost ten years and the wisteria was here a long while before that. Haven't had any issues. You just have to break off any new sprouts.

Definitely planning some sort of roof or cover structure.

I should clarify, I'm most concerned if I go the pre fab metal route, since it'll smaller and not sit out as far.