Rain Water Running Down Chimny Pipe Inside House

check storm collar seal

I had a leak last year that was the result of the installer not running a bead of silicone all the way up the vertical seam on a 3' section of the stainless steel chimney. Water was running down behind the half-applied silicone and then traveling down the vertical seam into the house where it would collect inside the ceiling support box and eventually drip onto the stove top itself. Finishing the caulk all the way up the vertical seam fixed the issue.

Pagey said:

I had a leak last year that was the result of the installer not running a bead of silicone all the way up the vertical seam on a 3' section of the stainless steel chimney. Water was running down behind the half-applied silicone and then traveling down the vertical seam into the house where it would collect inside the ceiling support box and eventually drip onto the stove top itself. Finishing the caulk all the way up the vertical seam fixed the issue.

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+1

humm.....
just noticed a little bit of a water spot on the stove/pipe the other day.
Was thinking about posting this question as well
When i installed i enclosed the o/s pipe to keep it a bit warmer.............
It is enclosed all but about 8 inches below the cap.
so
You guys are suggesting using a regular silicone caulk on the seam ?
I'm thinking maybe a clear
Are you running this caulk around storm collar as well ?
rn

Check with your stove shop. I used this on my metalbestos chimney storm collar: Rutland 500 Degree RTV High Heat Silicone Sealant.

I've been having similar problems with the new chimney for the Napoleon, water dripping down the outside of the chimney into the ceiling support box during wind-driven rain. I think in my case it's coming in under the sides of the roof flashing. I can see that they didn't overlap the shingles on the sides, just at the top. I've been trying to get the guy to go back up there and fix it, to little avail.

We recently installed a storm collar on our new chimney. Here is how we did it on a day when it was not raining: Place a tube of hi-temp silicone caulk, caulk gun, tool to cut top from the tube of caulk, something to puncture the inner seal on the tube of caulk, 3 or 4 paper towels, tape measure, magic marker, 3' of string (see comments about a screw eye in para. #4 below), etc in a bucket. Take the storm collar and bucket up to the chimney. Hang the bucket from the screw eye described in para. four. Assemble the storm collar and slide it over and down the chimney to its final installed position. The outside edge of the storm collar on my new installation is 1" to 2" above the stainless steel chase top flashing.

Here is how we sealed the storm collar with Hi-Temp (600 deg.) silicone caulk: 1) Using a magic marker, place a line around the chimney at the top of the storm collar; 2) move the storm collar back up the chimney-just to get it out of the way; 3) Place a good bead of silicone around the chimney just above the magic marker line you just made; 4) slide the storm collar back down the chimney and snug it into the silicone caulk; 5) Stand back and look at the storm collar from a couple of sides to make sure it is level; 6) Place another bead of silicone caulk around the top of the storm collar. This assures the storm collar is snugged by silicone above and below its opening at the chimney. Using a wet finger (spit) gently smooth this upper bead of silicone so rain water will flow away from the chimney. By now, you have probably used all of the paper towels. Stand back and admire the great job you just did. You're finished.

In step #5 you can also measure from the top of the storm collar to the top of the chimney on four "sides" but this gets lots of silicone caulk on the end of your tape; not fun.

We also used 7 stainless screws (#10 x 2") and one screw eye 3/16" with 1/2" eye to hold the chase top flashing to the chase. The screw eye gives a mounting point for tying a bucket of tools or other materials when working on the chimney. The longer screws are because we also had to go through the decorative siding on the chase.

So far, this procedure has worked very well for us in two heavy rains with strong winds. I am certain others have used other procedures just as successfully.

Good luck at stopping very frustrating leaks.

John_M

I've had the same problem, and determined the cause. I've been having these damn crows up on my roof pecking at the stainless steel chimney and also pulling the silicone bead away from my storm collar. Frickin' crows.....

I don't know how to keep the crows away without putting some stupid looking contraption up there so I just go up and put a new bead of silicone down whenever necessary.

Tfin said:

. . .
I don't know how to keep the crows away without putting some stupid looking contraption up there so I just go up and put a new bead of silicone down whenever necessary.

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Step 1: Take out 12-gauge shotgun and load.

Step 2: Take aim at crows on roof and fire.

Step 3: Remove dead crows.

Step 4: Replace silicone that crows have pecked at . . . and the holes in the roof from the buckshot.

Tfin,
Would an owl decoy fit under the description of a "...stupid looking contraption..." ?

An Improvement? to firefighterjake's excellent recommendation: Can you shoot the crows before they get to the roof?

I had the same problem with a three toed flicker when I lived in Idaho. His territorial pecking sounded like a jack hammer in the house. Never could stop him. He was smarter than"me". Damned flicker.

Good luck.

John_M

Yeah, thanks for the ideas (I've actually thought of both!) The shotgun method would be instantly satifying, however fleeting due to the damage to the roof, chimney, satalite dish.

Might try the plastic owl.....have to thinks some more about it. Another option would be a pellet gun I suppose. On weekends when I've heard them up ther pecking away I've been going out and throwing rocks at them to scare them off.

Neigbor told us one time during the week she saw something like 15 of the things purched up on the roof. Wonder if that's a bad sign? ;-)