Chimney help

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.

vasten

Member
Hearth Supporter
Nov 11, 2007
205
Upstate NY
I have a 6" insulated chimney kit that I purchased from Lowes maybe 8-10 yrs ago. The problem I am having with it is. The stove pipe connector is a stainless steel piece that has a U-channel on the top of it that sets into a lip on the chimney. There used to be a decorative trim ring that went around the top of it that hid this connection that literally fell off one year. And it is a good thing that it did, because when it did I noticed that this connector piece had shifted and dropped loose about 1/4". Now maybe once or twice a season I have to reconnect it to the U-channel. It is a real PITA to click back on, and once its on it is fine, there is no way to put a screw in it due to how far up under the trim it is located and the lip that connects to the U channel is only about 1/4". I do have every piece of the stove pipe screwed together and seated as deep and snug as I can get them. But some how this piece will find a way to shift just enough to break the connection up there.

I have tried to remove the stainless steel connector and go to a twist lock one, as there are indents in the starter collar for a twist lock. However when I went back to lowes to get the piece it is literally about 2 thousands too thick. Just enough that it will almost fit but wont, I even tried a rubber mallet to persuade it in.
I even bought a few different ones from lowes hoping that it was a machining issue but they are all just slightly too thick.

I tried at true value and theirs is almost 1/2 thinner than the lowes one and doesn't even come close to catching on the twist lock indents.

I thought it was a simpson duravent brand, and it may be, I am not sure if Lowes changed brands after this many years and that it why it is slightly off, or if they are selling the same brand and this was changed by the manufacturer after this many years.

There are no manufacturer markings on the larger decorative trim ring to confirm what brand it is. If anyone has any ideas on how I can convert this to a twist lock and eliminate this piece I would greatly appreciate it.


20170106_075537.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator: