Converting Shed to sugar house

[MapleME]

Well, I have an 8x10 shed I really dont use so I figure why not convert it to my sugar shack this fall. The roof is almost flat (go figure, someone built a structure in Maine with a flat roof).

SO im just trying to grasp what I need to do. My thoughts are 2 major things.
1. Install roof jack so I can bring the evap stack up through the roof. Any advice on doing this is great. Im not a roofer, nor plan to be one- but the shed needs new shingles anyway so here is my chance.
2. some venting. What are my options here? I thought I could just install 2 or 3 roof vents (metal, about 16" tall) above the area of my evap pan. Or even some of those crank open vents you would see in an RV. Just thinking out loud here. Im not sure I have the money for a hood for the evap.

thats all-just looking for some thoughts advice before I go cutting up my shed.

MapleME

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

You could build a coupla that would work to vent all the steam if you put some thought in it. If you are not sure what one looks like, there are several members with pics on here. If you put flashing and roof cement around the bottom, it would deter any leaks

[VT maple maker]

MapleMe,

When I decided to go a bit bigger we had the perfect building for the job. An old barn right in my parents back yard. Only problem was the back part of the roof was rotten and partly caved in. Me and my father rebuilt all the back half of the roof and built a cupola to vent the steam throughout the summer with lumber we had milled from my fathers land. I have pictures of the cupola on my page, and if you have any questions id be glad to answer what i can for you.

Kyle

[brookledge]

MapleMe
If the roof is nearly flat and it needs new shingles then I think your best bet is to tear off the roof and build it with good pitch, louvers to vent the steam, and proper spacing for your smoke stack to go through the roof.
I know you said you are not a roofer but when it is only an 8X10 building you should be able to bribe a friend or two that could help you and give them some syrup in return.
That way the roof will vent properly and you can have good clearence for your stack so you don't have to worry about catching fire.
Good luck
Keith

[JohnM]

My 2 cents as a thrifty backyarder.

Brad from Leader Evaporator spoke at our State Maple Association meeting in 2007.

His family still boils on an evaporator without a hood.

To get the steam out of their sugar house they have doors at the top in both gable ends.(something like they used to have to put hay in a barn).

He said they open a window on the side of the building to draft the steam out through the doors.

You could probably get by cutting some openings at the high end of your flat roof and leave the door cracked for ventilation. Cover the openings with a board when not in use?

Best to you and your family in your next sugaring season.

[MapleME]

I appreciate the help and ideas with this. Ive got an 8" stack-

can you tell me about the roof jack I need to install?

Also, I think I just scored a 4 foot long skylight which seems like it would be a GREAT vent to have over the evap (for 20 bucks!).

MapleMe

[MapleME]

I will try to bump this thread to the top. I hit up the local stove shop looking for 15 feet of 8" stack for the new evap, and I am totally stuck on how to get this up stack up through the roof. I know I need a roof jack, BUT everything I have found is for metalsbestos pipe (i.e.insulated) not for just plain-old 22 or 24G stovepipe. I found a roof jack that is 8" wide (so the 8" stovepipe will fit) but it was my understanding that I needed some space around the pipe and roof jack so they were not actually touching. So, meaning I would need a 10 or 11 inch opening for the 8" stack to go through.

Am I after the wrong thing here, or do I just need to dig further? at 5 bucks a foot the stovepipe seems like all I need and is affordable compared to the insulated stuff. This is going in my shed (converting to sugarhouse). People may just assume Im using this for a wood stove in a dwelling, which is where I may be confusing people, not sure...

Im no roofer, nor a super handyman...but Im not afraid to ask questions.

Thx again,

MapleMe

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

If you have a little space around the pipe, you should be fine. 9" jack would be enough, it would give you a little space. I like the design of the Leader roof jacks. I have a 10" stack and the roof jack at the bottom is aprox 11" or maybe just over and it tapers down to 10" at the top. This way, there is no collar to worry about and the pipe fits up into it tight just below the top of the roofjack which is aprox 3' tall and you just keep adding sections of stack to the top of it. Insulate good around the roof boards and around anything close to the stack with ceramic blanket which you can pick up on ebay and you should be fine.

[TapME]

MapleME, give me a call and I will come over and help you get the stack through the roof. At the same time I will give the info on the sugar-house in Danville.