Need ideas... oval clay flue with double offset

[jtp10181]

Ok, this is for a customer, just looking for ideas and thoughts.

Ranch house. Two masonry fireplaces stacked. He wants a wood insert in the basement. By inspecting the flue from both ends I determined it offsets around the main floor firebox and then back to center again. The main floor one offsets as well (for no apparent reason). Why masons why... why do you do such horrible things to us. Anyway... ID of the clay tiles is 7" x 11.5". A insulation wrapped 6" liner would never get down there. The tiles luckily seem to have been installed very well. They line up nice and there is not giant mortar blobs coming out of the joints. The oval rigid pipe I am always touting is out, due to the double offset. The offsets appear to be about 30 degrees.

Here are some of my ideas.

5.5" flex with insulation, should be just under 7" with the insulation wrap. Might be a tight squeeze still. Also Quad has not tested for this size liner, so they basically have no comment on the subject.

6" flex ovalized to 5" x whatever (approx 7.8" by my calculations)(or smaller if needed?). - The offset are lengthwise, would this flex well that way? Previous expiriance tells me it would not, but thats with simpson's oval to oval duraliner. This would be either duraflex ovalized, or something special order from another vendor.

6" flex liner with poured insulation. Would need spacers to keep 1" from tiles. Would this be any better than the insulation wrap? Doesn't seem like it would.

 

[BrotherBart]

Is Duraliner Flex round too big to get down it?

 

[jtp10181]

6' flex liner plus 1/2" insulation wrap makes it close to 7" OD. The 6" flex liners are almost 6.5" OD. Its a very tight squeeze, usually wont go down even a straight flue, this one has two offsets.

 

[BrotherBart]

Raise your right hand and repeat after me:

"I am screwed."

I still think you can get the six inch Duraliner round down it. But I am not the guy having to do it.

 

[begreen]

Vaseline. j/k

 

[jtp10181]

Raise your right hand and repeat after me:

"I am screwed."

I still think you can get the six inch Duraliner round down it. But I am not the guy having to do it.

The liner yes, with insulation, no. We have tried it before. We had one with only a single clay tile at the top and the rest was open, would not even fit through that. We were afraid if we busted the top tile the whole chimney would fall apart above the roof. That was one of the first ones we did the oval rigid pipe on.

I think a 6" oval flex liner is my best option. But I would like to hear from someone who has used it how much flexsion you get lengthwise.

 

[daryl]

I have run into this a few times also,not a pretty picture.The problem is where the flue offset goes from pitched to vertical getting around that bend once is hard enough twice and everything binds up you cant twist push and pull enough to get through the last offset and oval liner is even worse at bending.I hate too say it but sometimes walking from the job is easier.On the other hand you can bust the tiles out run the liner and fill with thermix.Use springs for the spacer too get your 1" clearance.Or talk them into a pellet insert.Or put it upstairs. Good luck.