Rain Collar Sealing Problem

[HighHeat22]

I and a friend installed my own wood stove chimney in my house last fall and burned last winter with no problems. Now I have a small leak coming in from the side of the pipe on roof its running down the pipe and coming inside. the wood around the pipe is dry in the attic area. My guess is the rain collar. I have a very high 2 story home with a 8/12 pitch. I can not go on it I am afraid of heights and my friend is not available for a couple of weeks. We used high temp silicone on the seam at the rain collar. A friend said he used a tar in a chaulk tube on his rain collar with no problems. He said the silicone is not good it will crack with the temp changes. Does any one know anything about what is best for sealing the rain collar.

 

[begreen]

Most good quality silicone is fine. I have used GE Silicone II with no issues.

Sometimes a leak like this can travel down the pipe seam. I'm not sure if this will help, but on our previous installation we had Selkirk pipe. Occasionally it would get a little drip no matter what I tried. Finally I ran a bead along the seam of the pipe for a couple feet, down to the storm collar. That fixed it and the leak never reappeared.

 

[HighHeat22]

Yes, I have selkirk pipe and used GE silicone II on my install also. Good suggestion. Thank You.

 

[dwillistein]

Interesting about the seam on the pipe. I had this exact thing happen and re-siliconed the storm collar last night while cleaning the chimney.

 

[Hogwildz]

Silicone only sticks as well as it is applied. If one just pumps a bead on there and leaves it as is, it might not adhere real well. The trick with silicone, is work it in with your finger smearing it on in one direction, then running your finger back in the other direction. Silicone does not crack. If properly applied it will be a biach to get off.

As far as the blackjack or tar in a caulk tub your friend used, it WILL crack and eventually fall off in hard pieces. Your friend will be resealing it in several years.

 

[Smokey Bear]

Like Hogwildz said the silicone must stick, sometimes a little oil or dust on a pipe can keep it from sticking, a wipe with paint thinner sometimes helps.
Is the storm collar is right down to the flashing?

 

[HighHeat22]

Thanks for advice. I will check if rain collar is low enough and I think silicone was just applied as a bead and left. Its hard to tell for me since I can't go up and see. I have went up on 1 story houses to check the roof before but my house now is a tall 2 story with a steep 8/12 pitch and I have seen regular roofers go on it and move very slow and careful. Thank You for all the advice this forum is great and I am a lifer on burning wood what a great warmth to the body on a cold winter day.

 

[maple1]

I had water running down one of my SS chimneys since the house was built 15 years ago. It would only happen when the rain was wind driven from a certain direction, and it wasn't much - just a few drips. I caulked the bejeebers out of the collar & flashing, even stuffed under the collar with plastic. Still odd drips. So we had the roof re-roofed this summer with steel, new tight looking collars & flashing - installed by contractor, I wasn't even up there. And I still have a damned drip. Think the next time I'm up there with the bruish I will dragging the caulking gun too & will try the seam. Aggravating.