Fireplaces, Heating Stoves, Flues and Chimneys - Reduced Wood Stove Flue - Advice Please

I have an older “Buck Stove” insert in my vacation home in New Hampshire. I love the stove and it works great, although it gets little use. The stove currently has an 8” flue and has been operating with a short length of pipe ending below the damper frame. I am aware that this setup is a code violation and is dangerous, so I am planning to install a full SS liner before using the stove again. The problem is that I will have to go to a 6” liner. The chimney has a very strong draft (almost too strong), since it is an interior, 2-story chimney. As an experiment, I temporarily reduced the flue to 6” pipe and the stove drew just fine with no backpuffing.

My question is this: IF the stove drafts OK with a reduced flue, are there any possible safety issues/problems with operating with a smaller pipe? I am willing to go to the trouble and expense of reducing and connecting the stove to the liner so that it can be tested. My only alternative is to trash this stove and replace it with a new one having a 6” outlet, which I would rather not do.

Thanks in advance for any advice that you can offer.

I would check with the manufacture of the stove and see if a reduction is size would be OK.

Call me at 925 373 0811. Leave a message if I don't answer. You have enough problems that I could write a book. I'm a retired contractor/chimney sweep and may be able to :eek: