Good morning, everyone -- my husband and I just installed a Quad Castile insert in our masonry fireplace. We did the installation ourselves using 4 inch FlexKingPro chimney liner kit and a custom adapter (purchased from our local stove specialty retailer - they use it in their own installations, which cost $1300!) to step the liner pipe down from 4" to 2" to fit the vent pipe on the back of the stove.
We fired it up last night for the first burn and things went well *except* there was some smoke coming out of the front of the unit from the heat exchanger tubes. And occasionally we'd see a spark (fly ash?) from the back of the unit heading up the chimney. We did not see smoke in the chimney, however -- that all appeared to be going up the flex pipe. We had left off the front panels so that we could keep an eye on the pipe and joins and watch for leaks.
We wanted to see it because the only problem we had putting in the unit was fitting the chimney pipe into the step-down adapter - it was a very tight fit and there is very little room to work in the fireplace. I suspect there is a gap between the pipe and the coupler/adapter allowing the sparks to escape - would that also be the reason that smoke would be coming out from the front? Or would that mean we have a separate problem there?
We had not sealed the pipe and coupler because the stove guy who advised us about doing our own install had said we didn't need to, that the pipe would seat firmly and not require sealing. Also we are moving in the spring and taking the stove (and liner kit) with us, so we wanted to make this installation as easily reversible as possible. We did use the red silicone sealant where the adapter joins the stove itself.
What can I use to seal the connection between the adapter and the flex pipe to create a secure seal? Is there some kind of high-temp putty? I just don't see how i could get a tube of silicone caulk back there to do the job - when the stove is pulled as far out as is possible to access the pipe join, I can barely get my arms back there.
THanks! Sorry so long!
We fired it up last night for the first burn and things went well *except* there was some smoke coming out of the front of the unit from the heat exchanger tubes. And occasionally we'd see a spark (fly ash?) from the back of the unit heading up the chimney. We did not see smoke in the chimney, however -- that all appeared to be going up the flex pipe. We had left off the front panels so that we could keep an eye on the pipe and joins and watch for leaks.
We wanted to see it because the only problem we had putting in the unit was fitting the chimney pipe into the step-down adapter - it was a very tight fit and there is very little room to work in the fireplace. I suspect there is a gap between the pipe and the coupler/adapter allowing the sparks to escape - would that also be the reason that smoke would be coming out from the front? Or would that mean we have a separate problem there?
We had not sealed the pipe and coupler because the stove guy who advised us about doing our own install had said we didn't need to, that the pipe would seat firmly and not require sealing. Also we are moving in the spring and taking the stove (and liner kit) with us, so we wanted to make this installation as easily reversible as possible. We did use the red silicone sealant where the adapter joins the stove itself.
What can I use to seal the connection between the adapter and the flex pipe to create a secure seal? Is there some kind of high-temp putty? I just don't see how i could get a tube of silicone caulk back there to do the job - when the stove is pulled as far out as is possible to access the pipe join, I can barely get my arms back there.
THanks! Sorry so long!
