Liner and cap problem

[Bobdoug]

I have a Vermont Castings Montpelier insert. I'm trying to get the cap off the liner to clean the liner. Cap seems to be attached to the liner. In the video you can see the liner snap back when cap is lifted. I don't want to lose the liner in the chimney. Any solutions?

 

[double-d]

I'm not sure what liker you have, as far as the MFG, but most caps are held in place with a band clamp to the Top Plate or on some directly to the liner. Loosing either one should not have any effect to the movement of the liner. Any chance could you take a picture, or find out which liner you have. Others here may have experienced this before.

 

[Bobdoug]

I'm not sure what liker you have, as far as the MFG, but most caps are held in place with a band clamp to the Top Plate or on some directly to the liner. Loosing either one should not have any effect to the movement of the liner. Any chance could you take a picture, or find out which liner you have. Others here may have experienced this before.

 

[bholler]

Well for starters that is the wrong top setup for that liner that setup is for either rhino rigid armor flex or hybrid liner and yours is lightwall. Then there was not enough liner extended above the storm collar to properly attach the cap there should be enough sticking up that you can slide the cap in and then screw through the liner into the cap securing it. To get it off you will need to pull the screw you see going through the support clamp into the liner and cap. there is probably one on the other side to. Hopefully that is enough but your cap may be pinched in the liner by that clamp to in that case you will have to loosten the clamp to get the cap off and when you do that the liner could fall down. Can you just clean from the bottom?

 

[Bobdoug]

Well for starters that is the wrong top setup for that liner that setup is for either rhino rigid armor flex or hybrid liner and yours is lightwall. Then there was not enough liner extended above the storm collar to properly attach the cap there should be enough sticking up that you can slide the cap in and then screw through the liner into the cap securing it. To get it off you will need to pull the screw you see going through the support clamp into the liner and cap. there is probably one on the other side to. Hopefully that is enough but your cap may be pinched in the liner by that clamp to in that case you will have to loosten the clamp to get the cap off and when you do that the liner could fall down. Can you just clean from the bottom?

First of all, thanks for the info. It's apparent the installer cut the liner too short, right? I have a Vermont Castings Montpelier insert. It looks like a bear to maneuver it to clean from the bottom.

 

[bholler]

First of all, thanks for the info. It's apparent the installer cut the liner too short, right? I have a Vermont Castings Montpelier insert. It looks like a bear to maneuver it to clean from the bottom.

Yes they did and they used the wrong components as well. I think you can clean through that stove but I could be wrong.

 

[VirginiaIron]

Is that as far she can pull that liner up? Maybe there's more in there.

 

[Bobdoug]

Good question. I haven't really used a lot of muscle on it. I'll give it a whirl.

 

[Hogwildz]

Try to pull up on the cap and retainer and see if you can raise the liner up enough to wrap some rope or wire around the liner itself. Tie the rope or wire off to something or around the masonry, and that should hold the liner in place while you take the cap off. Might want to look into an adapter for flex to rigid, and add a pc of rigid onto the flex to extend up a little. Then you can put the proper components on and just remove the cap as needed in the future. If you decide to make it right, make sure you get a storm collar on there also.

 

[bholler]

Might want to look into an adapter for flex to rigid, and add a pc of rigid onto the flex to extend up a little. Then you can put the proper components on and just remove the cap as needed in the future. If you decide to make it right, make sure you get a storm collar on there also.

The proper top setup for forever flex would be fine with the liner at that height. I am assuming the light wall liner used was forever flex because the top plate clamp and cap are all Olympia but maybe not. But anyway the forever flex top setup has a top plate with a collar attached that collar has a clamp to hold the liner then the cap clamps to that collar.

 

[Bobdoug]

Try to pull up on the cap and retainer and see if you can raise the liner up enough to wrap some rope or wire around the liner itself. Tie the rope or wire off to something or around the masonry, and that should hold the liner in place while you take the cap off. Might want to look into an adapter for flex to rigid, and add a pc of rigid onto the flex to extend up a little. Then you can put the proper components on and just remove the cap as needed in the future. If you decide to make it right, make sure you get a storm collar on there also.

Thanks!

 

[Hogwildz]

I didn't watch the vid, but just did, I see the storm collar now. What keep the weather & insects etc out where the liner passes through the top plate?
Also seems in the vid that he has some area for movement with the liner, can maybe gain a couple inches upward?

 

[VirginiaIron]

I didn't watch the vid, but just did, I see the storm collar now. What keep the weather & insects etc out where the liner passes through the top plate?
Also seems in the vid that he has some area for movement with the liner, can maybe gain a couple inches upward?

The flashing above it prevents water infiltration. This design is supposed to permit the liner to expand and I addressed this with Olympia. The installation instructions require proper cleaning and placement of the insulation, but what about insects. Home construction requires it to be insect proof and the chimney area, for warranty is to be clean. If one has warm winters with no burns flying insects could make a hive or nests in that space. Single story dwellings could experience rodent activity through that space (Rats 1/2", mice 1/4"). An Olympia tech told me over the phone to caulk it with high temp caulking.

 

[bholler]

Single story dwellings could experience rodent activity through that space (Rats 1/2", mice 1/4").

I am sorry but mice are not fitting through that crack it is maybe 1/8" No bigger than than the gap that many other liner systems have between the liner and the collar. But yes you should caulk it.

 

[canboy]

I have a Vermont Castings Montpelier insert. I'm trying to get the cap off the liner to clean the liner. Cap seems to be attached to the liner. In the video you can see the liner snap back when cap is lifted. I don't want to lose the liner in the chimney. Any solutions?

Cleaning the Montpelier from the bottom is not difficult at all. I always do it that way. Pull the cotter pins on the front two Secondary Air tubes, and remove. Then slide out the baffle. Then you have access to the liner for cleaning. The only catch is that there is likely a "drawdown bar" splitting the chimney in half that may make it difficult to get a brush through. I use a Gardus Sooteater Rotary Chimney cleaning system - it fits into the chimney opening, very easily. Just google it, they are available on Amazon, Home Depot (about $50)...etc. I drape a towel over the opening of the stove, so that as soot/ash falls down the chimney into the stove, it doesn't fly into the room. At most, after a season of burning, I get about 3 cups of ash. I've been doing that for the past 8 years, with no issue.

 

[Bobdoug]

Cleaning the Montpelier from the bottom is not difficult at all. I always do it that way. Pull the cotter pins on the front two Secondary Air tubes, and remove. Then slide out the baffle. Then you have access to the liner for cleaning. The only catch is that there is likely a "drawdown bar" splitting the chimney in half that may make it difficult to get a brush through. I use a Gardus Sooteater Rotary Chimney cleaning system - it fits into the chimney opening, very easily. Just google it, they are available on Amazon, Home Depot (about $50)...etc. I drape a towel over the opening of the stove, so that as soot/ash falls down the chimney into the stove, it doesn't fly into the room. At most, after a season of burning, I get about 3 cups of ash. I've been doing that for the past 8 years, with no issue.

Thanks so much! Great forum.

 

[Bobdoug]

Thanks so much!

 

[Squisher]

If you clean bottom up. Always verify visually(go outside and look) that your brush/whip has gone through to the top and that the cap has been cleaned effectively. If access is difficult, at the least use some binoculars and check things out the best you can.

 

[Bobdoug]

Great!