Hello all, after a lot of deliberation we finally purchased an Avalon Pendleton, couldn't put it off much longer to claim the tax credit 
, and we are really looking forward installing this as soon as we can get the permit lined up. I intend to do a self install, I'm a pretty mechanically capable guy and with some good common sense. I'm getting hung up on a couple things and would really appreciate some guidance. My chimney has an 8"x12" tile flue, but it's not really lined up all that well, the interior width of the tiles in the short dimension is ~6.5". The dealer at the place we bought the stove sold us a 6" Saf-T-Liner stainless steel rigid liner and a heavy duty flex section. Obviously this liner is barely, maybe, going to make it down the clay tile liner, and would have extensive contact. The stickers on the liner pipe and the manual included with liner pieces say that 1" of clearance to the chimney material is required. The manual also talks about an insulation wrap product to be placed over the liner (but then later warns not to use any loose fill, cementious or blanket insulation, claiming it could damage the masonry chimney and liner system?). The dealer dismisses the issue of clearance between the ss liner and the clay masonry liner, and claims that, if installed, the liner will comply with the fire code. Upon my mention of the oval Simpson Dura Vent as being a possible solution for clearance, and that is already insulated, he said "we sell that stuff all day long, but you can't install it inside a chimney, an insulated liner with a rigid exterior like that would be a fire hazard" Now, this flies in the face of EVERYTHING I have read, as the Dura Vent catalog explicitly references it being installed in chimney (with 0 inches clearance chimney-to-combustibles, and 0" clearance liner-to-masonry), and as I understand, insulating your stainless steel liner can improve your draft and reduce creosote buildup. Is this guy just trying to keep me from returning the unusable liner or is some or all of what he said true? My last question is what, if any, sealant to use at the joint between the stove collar and the elbow that the flex pipe attaches to and also is any sealant necessary at the joints in the liner sections? This is a great website, I'm glad to have found it, looking forward to getting educated on proper burning technique and maintenance.
, and we are really looking forward installing this as soon as we can get the permit lined up. I intend to do a self install, I'm a pretty mechanically capable guy and with some good common sense. I'm getting hung up on a couple things and would really appreciate some guidance. My chimney has an 8"x12" tile flue, but it's not really lined up all that well, the interior width of the tiles in the short dimension is ~6.5". The dealer at the place we bought the stove sold us a 6" Saf-T-Liner stainless steel rigid liner and a heavy duty flex section. Obviously this liner is barely, maybe, going to make it down the clay tile liner, and would have extensive contact. The stickers on the liner pipe and the manual included with liner pieces say that 1" of clearance to the chimney material is required. The manual also talks about an insulation wrap product to be placed over the liner (but then later warns not to use any loose fill, cementious or blanket insulation, claiming it could damage the masonry chimney and liner system?). The dealer dismisses the issue of clearance between the ss liner and the clay masonry liner, and claims that, if installed, the liner will comply with the fire code. Upon my mention of the oval Simpson Dura Vent as being a possible solution for clearance, and that is already insulated, he said "we sell that stuff all day long, but you can't install it inside a chimney, an insulated liner with a rigid exterior like that would be a fire hazard" Now, this flies in the face of EVERYTHING I have read, as the Dura Vent catalog explicitly references it being installed in chimney (with 0 inches clearance chimney-to-combustibles, and 0" clearance liner-to-masonry), and as I understand, insulating your stainless steel liner can improve your draft and reduce creosote buildup. Is this guy just trying to keep me from returning the unusable liner or is some or all of what he said true? My last question is what, if any, sealant to use at the joint between the stove collar and the elbow that the flex pipe attaches to and also is any sealant necessary at the joints in the liner sections? This is a great website, I'm glad to have found it, looking forward to getting educated on proper burning technique and maintenance.
