Someone told me it would be better to move the elbows down close to the stove for better draft and also easier cleaning. What do you guys think?

wat are you calling the Bellows

the back to back 45s that bring it closer to the wall before your ceiling thimble ?

the logic I follow is anything changing the strait line of the pipe gets the most heat , better to have the bends further from the stove

it is already drafting up several feet of chimney before the turn and also had a chance to give up some fo the heat by the time it gets to the bend

this is how mine is done bend right before the ceiling thimble

now my pipe is also a double wall telescoping so the cleaning is easy remove 3 screws in the middle slide the pipe over it's self a couple inches and take it outside and brush

but it is seldom anything but grey ash in that length of the pipe so just brush it out

when I install it again place in between the stove top and ceiling thimble expand into flanges line up screw holes and put screws back in

I think keeping the pipe away from the wall as much as possible would be my preference when it come to wood heat.

I would not have the 45 in I would a straight pipe out.

Yeah, right. I agree. Plus what is code for that appliance for distance to wall. Using a fire resisting backing board on the wall would be a must. Also something under it as well , fire resistant hearth board unless it is on concrete or something like that.

when there is a joist in the way , that is what has to happen without changing the structure.

it isn't completely Ideal but it works and you can't move the stove any closer to the wall in those cases so it is that or move the stove way out and then you are still at the mercy of how valleys and farming in the roof line up.

They dont draw air very good with elbows on and might smoke up your house when you open the door. Straight is always best if you can.

I would box the ceiling & roof joists, especially if they are 16" on center...You want a straight flue pipe.

Is that all single wall pipe?

The flue pipe is already too close to the, looks like, unprotected walls.

Nothing on the floor, no metal heat shields with air gap behind and in a corner, to close to walls all look bad to me. Not sure about the elbow, but doesn't look good that close to ceiling. In a corner the specs require more distance than on a wall. Thinking 18 inches but not sure. You will not like my further safety ideas so will quit here. Good luck.

You should have the fire department on speed dial..

talking about just the 45's I don't think they'd make much of a difference.
Like most things we tend to over think them.
Yes, straight is best in an ideal world but the small jog he has is inconsequential.

if you think those jogs are problem you should see the flue path on my wood burner, it goes up about 1 ft, turns 90 for a foot then 90 so its heading down for about 4 ft, then 90 for a 2 ft horizontal run, then 90 for another 4 ft horizontal run, then 90 again for another 2ft horizontal run, then 90 up followed by a whole bunch of more 90's and horizontal runs all before it gets to the ceiling of the 2nd floor. Needless to say then there is about 10 more ft or so of chimney before its finally out into the air.

The way I maintain a draw is its all heavy masonry so that holds heat. Warm chimneys draw better.

45's and 90's are not an issue in stovepipes. I've been heating my home and camp with woodstoves for decades. My current set up at home the pipe comes off the stove about three feet and has a 90 elbow then out the wall to a masonry chimney, zero issues ever.

I guess none of you were ever in old farmhouses where the stovepipes ran through every room to utilize as much heat as possible? They worked fine. They were cleaned often but elbows weren't an issue.

I think some guys giving advice don't actually heat with wood and are just repeating stuff they heard.

Heated with wood for 40 years. your house and insurance company but darn get a expect to look at it.

I've got 4- 45's in my pipe. Draws just fine. To clean I go on the roof, drop a 5 ounce egg sinker tied to cord from the top down to the wood stove. Go attach a 6 inch flue brush and pull up. I do this 2-3 times a year. Like mentioned earlier. a warm pipe draws better. At camp sometimes we preheat the stove pipe inside with a blow torch to start drawing earlier and better.
OFF TOPIC- Has anyone of you all ever hooked a 8 inch stove to a 6 inch flue? My flue is double walled 6 inch. I may have an opportunity to get a nice blaze king stove with an 8 inch flue??

Whenever auto engine exhaust gasses make a turn, heat is evident. I watched a race engine on a dino once and the headers turned white hot. The tempory headers were made of a thin high-nickel steel to test the efficiency of their shape. An engineer measured the temp at the turns to determine how to achieve the least restrictive shape.

I suppose the elbows in your chimney will be the hottest point unless a lot of heat is already lost between the stove and the first elbow. My guess is that you will he happier and safer if the elbows are much lower. You might harvest more heat as well.

I made my living for years and years building fireplaces and chimneys. NFPA 211 covers all of your clearance to combustibles. The stove worries me more than the pipe. Your local library probably has a copy of 211. You need to heed it for your own safety.

Your homeowner insurance application asks about wood stoves. Make sure you are compliant with your policy requirements. I used to sell homeowner policies.

I never knew so many OSHA employees were Tman members.