Replacing pipes for pellet stove

My parents have a pellet stove and recently had a guy out to clean it. The original installation was a wood burning fireplace. The guy cleaned the pellet stove and said some of the piping wasn't the proper piping and was melting (they've used the pellet stove every winter for 6 or 7 years now).

Assuming he is correct, I have some questions:

1. Is it possible the wood fireplace cause the melting and it's fine now?
2. Which burns hotter, wood or pellet stoves?
3. If we have to replace all the piping, does anyone have any idea how much the materials costs? This guy gave an estimate, but it seems extremely high just for the materials alone. I did a quick scan of home depot and the like and can't come up with enough materials to get to that number.

Getting a second opinion is tough because they live in a remote area, but I'm encouraging them to do so but I'd like to learn what is going on before we go any further if possible.

fossil said:

Maria, I'm going to slide your thread over into the pellet stove forum where the expertise on those appliances resides. Plenty of knowledgeable folks there who will be glad to help you figure this out. Rick

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Thanks Rick (and Highbeam). I couldn't figure out where to post it! I appreciate any advice anyone can give.

Okay, I'm trying to get the information. The fireplace/now pellet stove uses pellets (wood). It goes straight up through the attic (one story) via the chimney. Is the vent you're talking about the vent to the outside? Or some other vent I don't know about?

I didn't talk to the contractor so I don't know where the "melting" has occurred. From what I recall, the piping, at least in part, was replaced when the pellet stove was installed. I know the length from the attic to the outside was done because when the house was built (3 years earlier) No One put in any piping at all through the attic...Every time my parents tried to use the wood fireplace, the house mysteriously filled with smoke. But that is another story (and what led to the whole pellet stove installation in the first place.)

Oh yes, it is going up an existing chimney and they've been using it with the pellet stove for several years. And yes, I'm kind of looking for a quote on what the whole "vent" would be (materials and/or separate out labor). I didn't know it was called a vent; it was described as replacing all the pellet piping through the wall and up the chimney (where the existing piping is).

Oak? Do you mean oak pellets? My parents buy whatever pellets are on sale. The pellet stove is already installed in an old fireplace (tile surrounding). My parents can drive to get materials if it would save significant dollars. They live in a rural area in NM but have a truck and can buy the material to avoid delivery charges. The guy is also talking about replacing "insulation" and that makes no sense to me. The attic has been recently insulated and I don't know what other insulation he might be talking about. The fireplace/pellet stove butts against the garage and house walls (no outside walls).

The pellet stove installed is a yankee bay. I don't know what "piping" was installed--the guy just says it is the wrong kind and is melted or has melted and could melt much worse and cause a big problem. I"m going to try to talk to the contractor myself directly tomorrow to get a better understanding, but at this point either he can't explain it to my parents or they can't explain it to me.

imacman said:

The word "vent" in this instance is referring to the actual pipe used. Pellet stoves typically use "venting" that is particular to pellet stoves, although wood burning stove pipe can be used if the stove is replacing a wood stove (I did this in my case).

I'm having a hard time picturing a wood stove venting through the ceiling into the attic, but there's NO pipe in the attic??? Maybe I'm missing something here......

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There was a fire place(not a wood burning stove) and they FAILED to put the piping in at all--but that was a previous problem, which is why I didn't mention it in my original post. Yes, it was a total fail. The only relevant point is that NO piping was there so whoever installed the pellet stove should have been installing the right materials (it's possible they did not, but they had to do some materials because nothing was there!)

imacman said:

OAK = Outside Air Kit

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Sorry, sorry. I'm obviously a total newbie at this. I only know it vents through the chimney. I do not know if an OAK was installed and my parents won't know without climbing up there to look.

TLHinCanada said:

If you give the general area of your parents house, someone maybe able to recommend a dealer or technician. Once a stove is install properly it will provide years of service (with the proper maintenance). If the pipe has melted then its not the right pipe.

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Yes, I understand that. I guess what I don't understand is that if they've been using it for 5 years...without a problem, it seems like maybe the pipe melted from the times they tried to start a fire in the fireplace. I also understand that if some of the pipe is incorrect, someone probably has to replace the entire "vent." But I'm kind of scratching my head on what this guy is talking about when the pellet stove has been working just fine for 5 years (actually longer).

He quoted 650 to 700 for the materials. So even if we can get the materials ourselves and save money it would be worth it for us.

Agreed. They have other heating options. How does one tell a pipe has melted while cleaning a pellet stove? I guess, the question is: what is involved in cleaning it?

We have no issue with fixing the problem, but they need to get a fair quote and a better understanding of the problem. Since they (and I) know nothing about pellet stoves other than how to light them, I'm trying to obtain as much information as possible.

TLHinCanada said:

I realize the frustration you must be feeling. Its like when you take your car into the garage, and you get told you need brakes. The car still stops and its expensive to fix, but you have to have to bite the bullet and get it fixed.

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Sure. As soon as I'm certain there is a problem. And understand what the problem is and why the materials might cost 650. I priced 20 feet of vent piping and everything else I could think of and can't really get close to that number. Since I don't know what is involved in cleaning and inspecting a pellet stove I want to learn.

In doing some more pricing I've found some of the venting systems are quite expensive -- 300 dollars for a kit. That doesn't get me to 700, but the piping has to go about 15 feet to reach the chimney so there's a long pipe in there that isn't in the kits--just the tops and the connectors and usually an angle. But still having trouble figuring it all out. I talked to the contractor and he basically said he didn't have time to explain what needed to be done, that I could take his word for it or not and he wasn't willing to go over a parts list with me. I realize I'm new at this, but it seems a bit unusual that someone can't take 10 minutes to explain what they will be doing, what part is labor and what part is parts. So I guess the next step will be to look for another contractor, although we'd have to pay for a restocking fee on parts ordered. Even though he ordered parts and charged us, he won't tell us what the parts are, so I'll have to start fresh and make sure someone is willing to explain the job upfront. If anyone has any suggestions for website that might help me get some basic ideas/knowledge, please direct me! We haven't paid him for labor, just some unknown list of parts.

Thanks,
maria

rmcgr8one said:

I recently had my stove installed my liner that ran up the chimney was 400 for 25 feet at 4 inch diameter. Also I think the insulation they are referring to goes above the damper. The insulated the chimney. I had a harman tech install.

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Thank you, much! I am pretty sure we need the 4 inch diameter. Was 400 the total cost of materials for the vent? When talking to the contractor on the phone he didn't mention insulation to me (but apparently did mention it to mom) so I still don't know what that might be. Much appreciated.

Thank you Eric. We are thinking some of the chimney could have (and may have just been sleeved). Do you know if the chimney was "unfinished" (only done from the room to the attic--can that part be sleeved and then finished with pellet stove pipe to through to the chimney?

4Dtvman said:

Maybe you can take some pictures of this because I think most of us are having a hard time understanding the problem.



.

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Yes sir, so am I. The contractor said he would give us pictures, but has not done so. I am not certain my father should or could be on the roof (and I am not currently there) so we're working on that. When speaking with the contractor I was unable to pin down how much vent needed to be purchased and/or get an exact description of the damage. When I asked he said that the pipe used was gas vent pipe (which I know should not be used--it should be pellet stove pipe) but he was unwilling to provide the length/amount and items he had "ordered to fix it before the house burned down."