Smooth wall flex

[Ashful]

So, I've been negotiating with a chimney smith to have two liners installed, and we had started out discussing only rigid liners. When he expressed some concern installing rigid in this flue, and knowing I wanted the smooth wall of a rigid, he suggested smooth wall flex. So, we went with that, and he quoted the job with both flex and smooth wall flex options.

Trouble is, he ordered the material before receiving my deposit and signed quote, and he ordered regular flex, not the smooth wall flex we had been discussing. How big a deal is this? My options are tell him to postpone (and possibly eat the material cost), or just install the flex.

My wood supply is still less than stellar (only one year in), and last year we generated a heck of a lot of creosote burning wet wood. This year will be better, but still not where we should be. This increases my concern with installing flex liner on a 29 foot chimney.

 

[iceman]

stack wood in 2 8foot rows with a box fan in between (rows just wide enough for fan to fit
) let fan run on what ever and wood will dry very quick.

 

[fire_man]

I'm personally the anal type and insisted on Rigid pipe because it's A) Thicker and therefore stronger (mine allows a steel brush no problem per the manufacturer) B) Smoother and therefore flows better C) Smoother and therefore tends to build up less creosote. Oh yea - and C) because I'm anal.

You started out wanting rigid, he talked you into smooth flex, and now you are considering settling on regular flex due to HIS mistake?? I would not be happy.

I do understand his reservations installing rigid in a 29 foot chimney, but I don't see why you can't feed it down in sections while using the top clamp to hold it,rivet the next section, slide down, clamp, repeat. The tricky part is getting it insulated.

 

[Woody Stover]

I do understand his reservations installing rigid in a 29 foot chimney, but I don't see why you can't feed it down in sections while using the top clamp to hold it,rivet the next section, slide down, clamp, repeat. The tricky part is getting it insulated.

I would want rigid if at all possible. Did he say why he didn't want to do the rigid? Is the chimney a straight shot to the bottom of the clay liner? We did my BIL's with 4' sections of rigid Selkirk 304 Saf-T-liner. We also applied 4' crimp-on insulated metal sleeves. We dropped a rope tied to a piece of 2x4 through the first section and lowered it as we riveted on more sections and insulated. His chimney is 22'. I had to add two 30* elbows and a short section of liner to kick it out from the clay liner down to the stove. When I swept it a couple of weeks ago, there was only a handful of powder (only started burning it in December, and not 24/7 on that stove.) I got a few cups out of my insulated 17' flex liner (Homesaver HD RoundFlex) but my wood is drier this year. The flex will collect a little more creosote but I don't think it's anything to worry about. What brand/model flex did he show up with? If flex is the only way to go, and it is a quality liner, I don't see a problem. Unprofessional not to get your OK on the non-smooth though...