I live in South Carolina....do I need a Duravent Chimney?

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carolinagirl

Member
Sep 17, 2008
47
SC
I am getting a Quadrafire7100 and it will be a DIY install. One vendor who is not local said that if the temps here get below 32°, I need a Duravent Chimney system. The local vendor says that the Duravent is more for folks who live in REALLY cold areas and that in South Carolina the SL300 chimney system is fine. Quadrafire approves of either one and does not really say which is appropriate for me. Our typical night time temps are in the mid 20s to mid 30s, with an occasional dip into the low to mid teens. I will be burning mostly hardwood, but will also burn some pine. The Duravent is very, very expensive. If it's necessary, of course I won't hesitate to get it. But do I need it? Thanks!
 
I don't know what cold has to do with it. I think the non-local vendor is blowing smoke, and local vendor is telling it like it is. There have been other threads in the forum before about this fireplace (very attractive, BTW). A search might dredge a few up. Whatever chimney piping is installed simply has to be UL tested & approved for the application, approved by the appliance manufacturer, and fit the appliance properly. No reason to not go with the more economical SL-300 system. It will require that an outside air hookup be installed, where the Dura Plus would not, but for my money, that's no big deal. Rick
 
they said that in my climate, the SL-300 would get condensation in it (or on it...not sure which) and it could cause premature rusting. the cost for the duravent is double, and that's if I don't need any offsets.
 
I am getting a Quadrafire7100 and it will be a DIY install. One vendor who is not local said that if the temps here get below 32°, I need a Duravent Chimney system. The local vendor says that the Duravent is more for folks who live in REALLY cold areas and that in South Carolina the SL300 chimney system is fine. Quadrafire approves of either one and does not really say which is appropriate for me. Our typical night time temps are in the mid 20s to mid 30s, with an occasional dip into the low to mid teens. I will be burning mostly hardwood, but will also burn some pine. The Duravent is very, very expensive. If it's necessary, of course I won't hesitate to get it. But do I need it? Thanks!

Your Non-local vendor is full of crap. The ONLY approved venting for the Quad 7100 are the HHT SL-300 series components.
 
Actually page 43 of the manual does say that the Dura-system chimney can be used. But it does not say under what circumstances it should be used.
 
Actually page 43 of the manual does say that the Dura-system chimney can be used. But it does not say under what circumstances it should be used.

I stand corrected. I didn't read far enough into the venting section. The SL-300 series venting uses a Corrosion resistant Stainless Steel alloy for the inner section, so moisture (ie. RUST) will not be a problem. Save yourself the added cost & use the SL-300 series. I have removed at least 25 woodburning fireplaces vented with the SL-300 vent - ONLY because the new homeowners wanted the convenience of Natural Gas, & I have NEVER seen any corrosion on the inner liner of the venting.
 
The main thing you will want to watch with your new fireplace is not the chimney, it's the wood. Burn well seasoned wood and the condensation (creosote) will be minimal. For oak, hickory and denser hardwoods, this means seasoned for a couple years after it's been split and stacked. For softer hardwoods and ash, one year is sufficient.
 
Thank you. I am beginning to think I will just hire this local place to supply and install the stove and pipe, even though the non local place has a much better price tag on the unit.
 
The main thing you will want to watch with your new fireplace is not the chimney, it's the wood. Burn well seasoned wood and the condensation (creosote) will be minimal. For oak, hickory and denser hardwoods, this means seasoned for a couple years after it's been split and stacked. For softer hardwoods and ash, one year is sufficient.
we have quite a bit of pine that was cut last year and also have a few nice sized oak trees that are standing but very dead (2 years dead). Will wood season while standing?
 
It won't season very quickly while standing dead, but that's easier to tell once the wood is down, split and moisture tested. I wouldn't bank on it for this season.
 
ok. thanks. I may be a bit limited on firewood for this year then but I will work on getting these trees down and split for next year. I am so looking forward to finally being able to burn wood again. The fireplace was in my original plans when I built this house but the quadrafire is a little pricey and other things took priority. The chase is in and framed for the quadrafire, with the opening sheetrocked over. It's going to be nice to finish this part of my house finally.
 
they said that in my climate, the SL-300 would get condensation in it (or on it...not sure which) and it could cause premature rusting. the cost for the duravent is double, and that's if I don't need any offsets.
A stainless chimney wont rust?
 
Thank you. I am beginning to think I will just hire this local place to supply and install the stove and pipe, even though the non local place has a much better price tag on the unit.
Tell them that, put one against the other. Its a bluff but dont tell them that.
Say money is a priority and you really need to watch it here,and can they match the pricw?
 
I don't see any compelling reason to go with the Dura-Plus system, and I seriously doubt that at twice the price there's gonna much price-matching by the out-of-towner. I'd get the best overall system parts/installation price I could from the local guy and git 'er done. Down the road, you just might be real glad the guy's local. Rick

ETA: Besides that, a claim of penury on her part probably would have a hard time getting off the ground when she's springing for a $3K - $4K fireplace. ;lol
 
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I already talked to the local place to see if they could match the price and she said she couldnt come close. The distant place inplied that they would feel uncomfortable even selling me the quadrafire with the SL-300 pipe because of the problems. Yeah....right. So I am going to call the distant place back and tell them that I want the stove with SL-300 pipe or not at all and see what she says. But because of their "hard sell" approach I am not sure I even want to deal with them.
 
Besides, I like the idea of professional installation and a local place that will stand behind my purchase. The distant place ships the unit free, but only if I buy the pipe from them too.
 
Is the price on the fireplace, chimney, and installation being offered to you by the non-locals significantly lower than that of the locals? Talking about the whole package here...soup to nuts...including everything. Travel, transport, whatever...everything. Rick
 
Besides, I like the idea of professional installation and a local place that will stand behind my purchase...

I couldn't agree more. Rick
 
total price for stove and sl-300 locally (including tax) is 5320. Total price for stove and Dura Vent from the distant place is $4944.24. So really...the actual difference in price is only $376. If I need the offsets, the cost of the duravent will go up quite a bit. I don't know how expensive offsets are for SL-300. The local folks can install for $500. I like the idea of professional installation.
 
you know, typing this out and looking at the actuall numbers has made my mind up for me. I am hiring the local people. It's just not worth the risk to deal with some out of state place to save less than $400.
 
you know, typing this out and looking at the actuall numbers has made my mind up for me. I am hiring the local people. It's just not worth the risk to deal with some out of state place to save less than $400.

Sure sounds to me like the right decision. Looking forward to reports/photos of the project as it moves forward. Rick
 
Just curious where in SC are you? Im guessing not the cost, cause if i was down there i sure would not spend that kind of $$ on a fireplace!!
 
Just curious where in SC are you? Im guessing not the cost, cause if i was down there i sure would not spend that kind of $$ on a fireplace!!
I am in the midlands area. It gets plenty cold enough here to justify a good heater. I really hate spending this much because it has tank me a while to save the money up for this project. If I had it to do again, I would have used a freestanding woodstove. But the house is built, the chase is already in place, the raised hearth has a large granite slab on it. The hardwood runs up to the hearth. The hearth is not big enough for a woodstove and tearing the hearth out is not going to happen. I figure that even if I could rework the house to make a wood stove work I'd probably still be looking at several grand for a nice one and it would look like an after thought. I have wrestled with this expenditure for a long while. But in the end, I decided to just go ahead and bite the bullet and get what I have wanted all along. The quadrafire is a good stove that looks wonderful so I know I won't regret this.
 
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