VCBurner
Minister of Fire
,Hi momof2, as a dad of 5, I sure am glad you got your $ back and never burned in that set up!
A proper class A chimney would be easy to install so you can just go up and through the roof and have a much better set up. I would also try to make sure that the new flue meets the height requirement of your specific stove. It is an easy mistake to make the chimney too short. As far as the old chimney, you just don't know if it is useless. The beam under it may very well support it just fine. It all depends on how it is built. A tear down may not b e necessary. Although lining that chimney would have been the best way to use it for a wood stove, there are some stove manuals that allow you to go up to the clay liner with a vent pipe and not all the way up. Clay liners have been used in chimneys for a long time and are indeed a safe way to vent a fire. That said, the other set up was a joke. Even if the chimney is safe it probably would have been too short and wide(8x12) to draw properly and make up for all the single wall turning pipes.
From the sounds of it the flue was not inspected properly. However, there is no way for any of us to tell from your pictures that the chimney is not usable. Unless someone knows of a specific code violation it is speculation. I may come under fire here, in no way am I saying it would be better or safer to use the old chimney with the set up that was installed. There just may not be a need to tear down the old chimney. You should just make sure that the effort is put into making a safe hearth and class A chimney with all the clearance to combustible concerns addressed.
There are lots of knowledgeable people here who will help you through the process. If you get another pro to do the job have him draw up the proposed chimney and post it here before you agree to anything. There is no reason why they can't give you a plan that you will approve, just like any other construction project in your house!
Good luck!
A proper class A chimney would be easy to install so you can just go up and through the roof and have a much better set up. I would also try to make sure that the new flue meets the height requirement of your specific stove. It is an easy mistake to make the chimney too short. As far as the old chimney, you just don't know if it is useless. The beam under it may very well support it just fine. It all depends on how it is built. A tear down may not b e necessary. Although lining that chimney would have been the best way to use it for a wood stove, there are some stove manuals that allow you to go up to the clay liner with a vent pipe and not all the way up. Clay liners have been used in chimneys for a long time and are indeed a safe way to vent a fire. That said, the other set up was a joke. Even if the chimney is safe it probably would have been too short and wide(8x12) to draw properly and make up for all the single wall turning pipes.
From the sounds of it the flue was not inspected properly. However, there is no way for any of us to tell from your pictures that the chimney is not usable. Unless someone knows of a specific code violation it is speculation. I may come under fire here, in no way am I saying it would be better or safer to use the old chimney with the set up that was installed. There just may not be a need to tear down the old chimney. You should just make sure that the effort is put into making a safe hearth and class A chimney with all the clearance to combustible concerns addressed.
There are lots of knowledgeable people here who will help you through the process. If you get another pro to do the job have him draw up the proposed chimney and post it here before you agree to anything. There is no reason why they can't give you a plan that you will approve, just like any other construction project in your house!
Good luck!
