I have an enerzone 2.3I wood stove insert and am thinking of using some 3/16" aluminum I have for the block off plate. Is there any reason I shouldn't use aluminum?
Aluminum block-off plate
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Being new i'm thinking your being sarcastic? Or there really is no problem. I thought the metling point of aluminum was 1220.666 FDune said:
- Nov 18, 2005
- 701
The maximum temperature manufacturer's are allowed at the combustible surface is 175ºF above ambient (~250ºF) when running the 2100ºF burn test and the pipe itself will never get to 1100ºF at the site of the blockoff plate(the 2100º is the input temp, not the pipe temp. and it is only applied for 10 minutes), so aluminum will be fine. If you block off plate melts, you have bigger problems, much bigger problems.
3/16" plate aluminum ain't gonna catch fire or melt as a block off plate any time lately. In fact it is way overkill for a block off plate. The seal around the gap between my block off plate and liner is a aluminum pie plate.
I did mine out of steel, think tractor supply co nailed me 40 bucks or so. Too much I know but hey, if you go the extra mile do it in style. I can tell you that with my masonary chimney I added insulation and a steel block off plate and it made a world of difference...of course I did both at one time so I do not know independent what it did... Good luck...
Burntime did you put plate/insulation/plate, or just insulation with block off plate. I saw the pics of your install on another thread and I think I may copy- provided theres no patent/infringement rights. I have access to a roll of Fiberfrax ~2300melt pnt. figured I'd line and cover with sheet metal. I have 1/8" steel plate for blockoff.
Used Kaowool on top to insulate it. Then I used high temp silicone ot seal around the outside. I think fiberfrax is the same as kaowool if not mistaken...double check. Sounds like it will work well. I can say the before and after was a drastic difference. I used to get all the snow melting on my chimney and my attic was actually getting warm. Now nice and cool. The real reason I did it was because the roof was actually melting and creating ice damning... The added performance was a bonus 
I would not use aluminum, as some grades will corriode after time. I'll have to assume that this is a plate material and not sheet metal. Typical aluminum sheet metai is a 5052-T6 Grade. While plate material is typically 6061-t6 or 7075-t6 grade. If its a plate materila, you better make sure to use 6061-t6 aluminum as it will not corrode where as 7075 which has zinc will corrode. All so you have to take galvanic corrosion into consideration with the type of fasteners you want to use.
I would recommend using 300 series stainless steel, Don't bother witjh 400 series because it contains ferrite and will corrode over time.
I would recommend using 300 series stainless steel, Don't bother witjh 400 series because it contains ferrite and will corrode over time.
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