What else besides pull cone?

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R.Alfano

New Member
Dec 7, 2007
10
Northwest Ct.
My chimney is a straight shot, this is my first install, the kit did not come with cone, the name on it is Selkirk of canada, 6", What other methods are there if you do not have a pull cone?

Who out there has dropped 20ft of liner by themselves? Is it impossible?

I read in another post about insulating the top of the pipe, and that the kit came with it, Once again mine has nothing but 25ft flex pipe and cap. Is the insulation recommended?

I don't know the size of my flue, from what i've read, i am hoping it is 12 by 8, being my first time with all this, the stove guy was happy to sell me stuff without asking me anything, I will measure flue tomorrow, what is smallest size to get 6' down? Thanks All
 
The insulation pretty much never comes with the liner, nor does a cone. You have the buy insulation kits separately. If the current chimney does not meet the standards in the NFPA 211 code book then a full insulation wrap is required to make the liner system meet UL 1777. Most masonry chimneys are not built to code, so we always insulate our liners.
 
R.Alfano said:
My chimney is a straight shot, this is my first install, the kit did not come with cone, the name on it is Selkirk of canada, 6", What other methods are there if you do not have a pull cone?

You make a cone out of one end of the liner mashed in and figure out a way to securely attach a rope to it.

Who out there has dropped 20ft of liner by themselves? Is it impossible?

I have installed three of them by myself. It ain't easy. Get help.

I read in another post about insulating the top of the pipe, and that the kit came with it, Once again mine has nothing but 25ft flex pipe and cap. Is the insulation recommended?

If you have 12 X 8 insulation wrapped liner is not going to fit down the chimney. I packed the top five feet with Rockwool.


I don't know the size of my flue, from what i've read, i am hoping it is 12 by 8, being my first time with all this, the stove guy was happy to sell me stuff without asking me anything, I will measure flue tomorrow, what is smallest size to get 6' down? Thanks All

A six incher will go down a 12 X 8 (inside 11 X 7) but it is a groan to do because of flue tile mis-alignment and mortar joints being in the way. It is often easier to push it up from the bottom with somebody pulling the rope from the top.
 
Do some searching on here for "pulling cone". If you have some extra length on your liner, you can take some snips and cut slits about a foot or so up the liner, then run a rope through the inside of the liner, attatch some eyebolts/nuts/big washers where it comes out, and squeeze it all together and ducktape the crap out of it into a cone shape. That way if it gets stuck you can pull it back up and make adjustments.
 
Is rockwool the only stuff to use to insulate? i am going to call around, is that all i should ask for?

I like the idea of going from the bottom with the liner, I have a very long hallway that lines up with the fireplace, and considering i have 8" of snow on my roof and the top of chim is approx. 30 ft. high, it would be much easier to have someone on ladder pulling instead of feeding, any other folks do this? all other post i have come across talk negatively about it.

What thickness sheet metal am i looking for on the block off plate?

thanks all, will get back with flue size in a little bit.
 
The Selkirk kit you have doesn't have an insulation counterpart, as far as I know. Contact Selkirk and see what they say about insulated that liner before you go too far. You could always consider the pour in loose fill insulation as well.
 
We ended up having to push it up from the bottom, because I had a nasty angle in our corner chimney, but you still need somebody up top pulling IMO.
 
Small piece of stove pipe, say 6 inches long, same diameter as liner material. Spot weld the seam in a couple of places. Drill holes in 6 places or so, attach it to the liner with some type of good fastener. (screws, nuts, etc.) Crimp the pull end in a bit, cut 1 inch slices and crimp in. Drill a couple of bigger holes at the pull end and use some threaded rod through the pipe with a nut inside and outside of the holes for stability. Attach a heavy tension strength pull rope and go.
Or just by a pull cone.

http://www.chimneylinerinc.com/
 
You may want to just give it a shot without a cone. I installed mine with another persons help bottom-up. Just drop a rope down the existing chimney, tie it to the liner and have someone pull from the top while you help push from the bottom. I thought it was an easy job, no cone required.
 
Ok my flue is 12x8, which i measured to be 6 3/8s ID, all the joints are pretty smooth except the 1st one has a bunch of mortar hanging out on both sides, it seems to be up about 5-6 ft from damper, Is the best scenario to oval a little for that 6 foot, then try to round whatever i can reach with a rubber mallet? that is assuming i get it past that spot.

Is it taboo to try to break off that mortar?

Will any thickness work for the block plate? The thinner stuff must be the nicest to work with, am i correct in guessing all it is attempting to do is that you don't have wide open air space there?

How many put in pipe, burned for awhile, to see how it worked, then insulated the top portion with something, if you thought the performance wasn't there?
 
R.Alfano said:
Just talked to home depot on phone, they carry 26 gauge metal, will that work for block plate?
Sure will.
 
I went to look at the 26 gauge piece for the block plate and couldn't believe how flimsy it was, It seems like it will just bow and you will never get it to stay up.

Once you bend the edges, does it stiffen it that much?
 
If there is a local duct work fabrication shop in your area, you can bring them a cardboard template of what you need and they will be able to make it out of something that is bulletproof.
 
If you can reach the mortar bits that are sticking out, it is OK to try to gently break them off - just don't be so "enthusiastic" that you break the clay tile liners...

As a "fit test" I've heard a couple folks suggest using an empty 1 gallon paint can w/ a rope around the handle, it is a good approximation of the diameter of a liner.

The blockoff plate can be 26g or thicker, arguably thicker is better... It can also help to make the plate in 2-3 sections that you fasten together after you install them. The suggestion of making a template is an excellent one, and getting the local duct shop to do the cutting and bending may well be worth the expense.

If you have a clay tile lined chimney in good shape, then I'd say the insulation is optional, especially if it's an inside chimney. It will help if you can shove some rock wool (NOT fiberglass) down the part of the chimney that sticks out above the roof, or possibly filling the space with vermiculite once you have a really good fitting blockoff plate installed. You will probably not be able to get an insulation jacket down the flue.

Gooserider
 
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