Does anyone have experience with a Vacu-Stack Wind Resistant Chimney Cap? I had some downdrafts during that noreaster we had in December. Caused a lot of smoke in the house.
Vacu-Stack Cap, chimney extention and SS liner?
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learnin to burn
Feeling the Heat
Rich L has the Vacu-stack You can shoot him a pm.
Everything I have read about them seems to indicate it will help your situation.
Everything I have read about them seems to indicate it will help your situation.
VCBurner:
See attached photo of my Vac-U-Stack cap. We have substantial wind-break trees 360 degrees around our house and I was not sure how the trees would negatively affect the draw of our new Clydesdale woodstove insert. So when I purchased the pipe and insulation, I also purchased the Vac-U-Stack. We live in a high wind area in SE Idaho and the tall trees are excellent in lifting the prevailing winds well over our house. A bad joke around here is that any trash left on the ground will wind up in Wyoming.
My limited experience concerning smoke draw so far has been excellent. We went from a hard-starting, smokey, no heat producing fireplace to an easy starting, no smoke at all, warm, even heating wood stove. I should have installed this insert years ago.
That being said, I changed many variables which improves the draw of the fireplace, and reduces back-draft. I increased the height of the stack by adding another round of terracotta flue tile. I reduced the cross sectional area of the flue from a 14 inch rectangle to a 6 inch diameter SS Flex pipe. And I also insulated the pipe. All these things help improve draft, which makes for easier starting, and better fireplace performance.
How much of the improved performance can be attributed to the Vac-U-Stack? Without controlled engineering tests it's difficult to say. I do know that the entire vent system is working beyond my expectation. I should add that I did see a demo of a model Vac-U-Stack that convinced me that I wanted one.
See attached photo of my Vac-U-Stack cap. We have substantial wind-break trees 360 degrees around our house and I was not sure how the trees would negatively affect the draw of our new Clydesdale woodstove insert. So when I purchased the pipe and insulation, I also purchased the Vac-U-Stack. We live in a high wind area in SE Idaho and the tall trees are excellent in lifting the prevailing winds well over our house. A bad joke around here is that any trash left on the ground will wind up in Wyoming.
My limited experience concerning smoke draw so far has been excellent. We went from a hard-starting, smokey, no heat producing fireplace to an easy starting, no smoke at all, warm, even heating wood stove. I should have installed this insert years ago.
That being said, I changed many variables which improves the draw of the fireplace, and reduces back-draft. I increased the height of the stack by adding another round of terracotta flue tile. I reduced the cross sectional area of the flue from a 14 inch rectangle to a 6 inch diameter SS Flex pipe. And I also insulated the pipe. All these things help improve draft, which makes for easier starting, and better fireplace performance.
How much of the improved performance can be attributed to the Vac-U-Stack? Without controlled engineering tests it's difficult to say. I do know that the entire vent system is working beyond my expectation. I should add that I did see a demo of a model Vac-U-Stack that convinced me that I wanted one.
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Thanks for the picture and reply, volemister! Very usefull information. I have come to the conclusion I have three major problems to fix. I need a liner, a vacu-stack and an extention. I'm afraid of trying to go without any one of these components and short-changing the performance of my stove.
My install:
Stove rear vented into a 90 into a block off plate. Tyle lined chimney ends 13' above the stove flue collar. Giant pines surround the side of the house with this chimney.
The stove manual calls for a minimum of 16' of chimney above the collar. It states that I need a special positive connection kit that goes from the stove, through a block off plate and fireplace flue plate, then terminates into the tyle lined part of the masonry chimney.
I think the cheapest way for me to have a proper set up would be a 316 SS liner, a 3' piece of class A flue pipe and a vacu-stack on top. What does the board think?
My install:
Stove rear vented into a 90 into a block off plate. Tyle lined chimney ends 13' above the stove flue collar. Giant pines surround the side of the house with this chimney.
The stove manual calls for a minimum of 16' of chimney above the collar. It states that I need a special positive connection kit that goes from the stove, through a block off plate and fireplace flue plate, then terminates into the tyle lined part of the masonry chimney.
I think the cheapest way for me to have a proper set up would be a 316 SS liner, a 3' piece of class A flue pipe and a vacu-stack on top. What does the board think?
Clarks ACE Hardware
Member
VCBurner said:
Many of our customers have had great success with Vacu-stack caps. As for your chimney extension, I would recommend the following Duratec setup:
9406CF 6"x36" Duratec Chimney Pipe
9440B 17"x17" Transition Anchor Plate (may very depending on your crown dimensions)
4671 Slip Connector and Hanger
Obviously there are hundreds of liner options out there. I'd recommend Homesaver Ultra-pro (lifetime warranty) which will work with these other components just fine.
cmonSTART
Minister of Fire
Vac-u-stacks can help relieve some wind related problems. They're not a solution to the problem, but they can help with the symptoms.
Clarks, love the avatar pic!
Clarks, love the avatar pic!
Funny, back when I had my Duchwest Xtra large cat, I bought the vacu stack to help combat cronic back-puffing.......didn't work. Now, I just dampered the same stack in an effort to combat what seems to be an overly strong draft. 12 seasons with the DW and I thought I was battling lack of draft, 3 seasons with an Equinox and I'm fighting too much draft. Go figure.
I too was sold by the store demo of how the vacu stack worked, cool science but expensive for some bent ss sheet metal.
I too was sold by the store demo of how the vacu stack worked, cool science but expensive for some bent ss sheet metal.
Thanks for the reply FireWalker, always nice to hear from you. I can't speak for your set up. But I'm sure the Equinox could out-do my $500 used Dutchwest... do you want to trade?
I had no chronic backpuffing last year when it was connected to a taller chimney in my house, nor do I have it now. It was backpuffing during a Nor'easter with wind gusts over 40 mph. This stack is also 3' short of the stove's recommended height, unlined and surrounded by pines that are almost 90' tall. I would hate to blame the stove for my lack of $ to give it a proper setting. I also had a problem with the last stove that was installed in this fireplace (all due to windy conditions!)The vacustack would be a part of a three part solution. Height extention, liner and cap. +1 on the JC's Avatar! I love those classic Morsos. That huge heat exchanger must put off some unbelievable heat, not to mention beauty!
Thanks again Jay for the helpful post. I'll look up the Duratec system and liner you mentioned. Too bad you're not a little closer or I'd come by your store!
Clarks ACE Hardware
Member
Thanks again Jay for the helpful post. I'll look up the Duratec system and liner you mentioned. Too bad you're not a little closer or I'd come by your store![/quote]
My pleasure. Feel free to give me a call if you have any questions or need help with part numbers.
If you're ever in the Baltimore area swing on in!
Not to get too far off topic, but here is a close up of the Morso Classic 2B we have on our floor:
Thanks for the reply FireWalker, always nice to hear from you. I can't speak for your set up. But I'm sure the Equinox could out-do my $500 used Dutchwest... do you want to trade?
Sounds good FW, take some pics if you put it outside and post them on the thread. Always cool to see adapted and customized stoves that are serving a different purpose! Imagine if you could somehow take the top off and get a custom fit grill for it?!! Good luck with the pines, I can't wait to get rid of mine...someday.
Take care,
Chris
Thanks Jay, will do!
Nice picture of that showpiece! Funny, how such an old design can still compete in this computer/high tech age. I guess some things never lose their charm and function.
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