Perlite

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Fake coal burner

Feeling the Heat
Nov 11, 2008
271
Salt Lake City Utah
:bug: What kid of Perlite do you use for insulation? I ask for it at Home Depot they send me a bag of potting soil mix.
 
Not that this will not work but just in case you didn't know, most liner companies say not to use loose fill insulation around their liners.

I don't see the perlite (or vermiculite) doing a darn bit of damage to a liner, but the problem is most (maybe all) of the companies never tried testing their liners under UL conditions w/ loose perlite or vermiculite.

pen
 
A good masonry supply store should have it cheap.
 
branchburner said:
A good masonry supply store should have it cheap.
That's what I thought too but after several calls found out that there apparently isn't that much demand for it in that industry any longer. Not a single place I called had it.
 
DAKSY said:
Fake coal burner said:
:bug: What kid of Perlite do you use for insulation? I ask for it at Home Depot they send me a bag of potting soil mix.

Never used Perlite. TherMix is what we've used:
http://www.elitedeals.com/cpf-18100.html

DAKSY, how loose or soupy is that stuff when mixed? If a liner is a tight install, does it flow down into the chimney well.

pen
 
pen said:
DAKSY said:
Fake coal burner said:
:bug: What kid of Perlite do you use for insulation? I ask for it at Home Depot they send me a bag of potting soil mix.

Never used Perlite. TherMix is what we've used:
http://www.elitedeals.com/cpf-18100.html

DAKSY, how loose or soupy is that stuff when mixed? If a liner is a tight install, does it flow down into the chimney well.

pen

It's similar to Vermiculite, but I believe it has some Portland cement mixed in.
It can be poured dry into the chimney flu, around the liner, then the liner can
be agitated to get the TherMix to settle & pack down. It can also be pre-mixed
with water & then dumped down the flu, but unless you've got a long hose &
some scaffolding to stand on, it's kinda difficult to do. Another way is to dump
it down, agitate the liner & then pour the water in. Stuff hardens like concrete &
works REALLY well in those instances where the flu tiles are in bad shape...
 
mellow said:
Sucks to be the guy that has to replace that liner.

That's exactly why I opted not to use it. Liner SHOULD last a lifetime, but........

pen
 
My only thought on perlite is it has fine particles in which can irritate you badly if breathed in whilst installing it.

I used vermiculite..... ;-)
 
I installed a liner after removing the clay tile. I used the wrap insulation but decided to use the vermiculite too. I found it locally for $13.20 for 4 cubic feet bags. Seemed really cheap to me. I mixed two bags 6/1 vermiculite to portland cement. This went in first. I then dumped three bags in dry no portland. I have more to go but had to buy another 5 bags. I talked to the vermiculite manufacturer and they suggested I should only use it with the portland. I like the idea of being able to remove the liner in the future but I figure the small amount of portland couldn't set up too hard.
 
WoodpileOCD said:
My book that came with the liner just says to use a blanket, thermix or everguard but doesn't address loose fill at all.

By not addressing it, that may imply it is not approved. So using perlite would likely void any warranty on the liner and make the installation technically out of code by not complying with the manufacturer's approved installation instructions.

That said, the only reason it is not approved is because it is an application that hasn't been tested. That doesn't mean it is unsafe. Using the perlite could very well make the installation MORE safe.

Myself, I used perlite, but that was before I knew it might not be an approved insulation method for my liner. In hindsight, I would have searched for a liner brand in which it IS approved. But who knows if such a brand even exists?

EDIT: You could call the maker and ask them, too. But the CYA answer will be no, I bet.
 
One thing to keep in mind is that vermiculite contains asbestos because asbestos and vermiculate co-occur in the natural world. So when vermiculite is mined, it contains asbestos. Any product that contains vermiculite, such as TherMax, could possibly contain asbestos also. I would opt to find another way.

Anyone out there have more info about this?
 
That's not true about vermiculite. The vermiculite that contained it came from a mine in Libby Montana. The vermiculite sold today does not contain it. It is important to wear a mask or respirator when dealing with it, just like any other dust.
 
Large quanities of Perlite can usually be found in greenhouse supply stores or places that sell hydroponic supplies. It often can be found in a couple of particle sizes.
 
I got four 4-cubic ft. bags of perlite at a local masonry supply for $8.75 per bag. They were happy to get rid of it.. The small bits of it leak through the miniscule gaps. The flue emptied itself in a season so now we're filled with thermix. Pouring the first bucket down mixed with something to solidify it is a great idea.
 
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