Sealing Stove Pipe

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wkpoor

Minister of Fire
Oct 30, 2008
1,854
Amanda, OH
For the last 10yrs all my Stove Pipe installs where a run of 3, 2' straight sections and an adjustable at the top and ,depending on the stove, a 90 degree at the bottom or another adjustable. That made for a total of 5 joints ( 4 now with the Elm since it has a 360 degree adjustable outlet). Never really bothered me or gave it any thought that those should be sealed. Got to thinking about how many times a season I sweep even though I burn , for the most part, pretty dry wood. Well each of those straight sections has a vertical seem and where the pipes connect to each other leaves a huge air gap. Got to thinking about the cumlative area and just how much cool air must be augmenting up the chimney. Now I tap my pipe everyday, and usually the sound changes from day one after a cleaning. When it reaches a low thud I know its time to clean. Its never anything but real dry powder or real large dry flakes but nevertheless its a build up I don't want there.
So I bring home some 500 degree cargo bay tape and tape the straight joints only. Can't tape the top and bottom since I need to remove the pipe to clean. Thats where the biggest or 99% or the leaks were anyhow. Well here I'm only in the first week but the pipe rings just as good as day one. I'm thinking I might have solved an issue I've been fighting for yrs.
So far the tape has passed the test and I did have the pipe to 500 degrees today. It has turned darker (only on bottom section nearer to the heat) then the original white but seems to be holding up just fine.
I'm wondering how many other people have unsealed stove pipes and might be having a problem and may not know it.
 
That is why we always advise furnace cement inside each pipe joint. I used to not do it and it was the difference between daylight and dark as far as buildup in the connector pipe after I sealed those joints.
 
I never knew the reason to seal connector joints.
-I thought the parasitic draft would rob power from the stove;
-I thought it might be safer if there was a chimney fire.
But I didn't really know for sure.

Now I can add chimney fouling to the list. The build up occurs because the leaks lower flue temperatures?
 
I agree with BB. I've always used furnace cement. One certainly can't be concerned with the cost as it is a very low cost item. It is also very easy to apply and clean up.
 
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