Aluminum Chimney, wood insert

[Ko3n3k3]

Alright, I know the off the cuff answer is pull the aluminum pipe and drop in stainless pipe through the chimney.

However, this aluminum liner is 6" and is sections of pipe not like that snake like stuff I keep seeing in all these videos. Will this make a difference? I know it needs to be cleaned and that is on my agenda. But does it need to be replaced if i'm trying to run a new wood insert or can i get this thing to draft effectively? The fireplace is on an external wall.

I am also replacing the stove underneath. I keep going back to the Osburn 2400 insert. I have seen lots of good reviews on this unit but I am not sure if I am overlooking something. Also considering a Lopi Freedom. Looked at Jotul, Burn King, Avalon, PE, Vermont Castings, Hearthstone, and Quadrafire. But i still like the Osburn.

I'm trying to heat about 2000 sq. ft. the fireplace is on the east end of the 2- story house on the main floor tucked back in a little nook, have floor to celing grates to heat upstairs, masonry fireplace (about 16ft.) w/ this aluminum liner, house is open concept except to the kitchen on the far west end, my dimensions on the fire place are about 23.5" tall (on edges) 32" deep (to back of fireplace) and 34.5" wide. I don't think i'm going to put a surround (as I understand this is purely asthetic).


Any help is appreciated. I've looked around on here quite a bit and have learned alot. Just wondering if I can get you guys to help me with these last couple decisions.

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[begreen]

Alum. is not rated for 2100 deg. service. What is the alum. liner inside of, clay tile or masonry chimney?

 

[Ko3n3k3]

well ... theres some fire brick lookin things in the actual fire place but it looks like the whole shebang is rocks like in the pic lol.

This house is turning 100 this year. original hardwoods... and chimney lol

 

[BrotherBart]

Since aluminum melts at 1,220 degrees and can ignite at 1,400 I wouldn't be using it for a wood stove that can easily exceed 1,000 degrees internal flue temp. The liner burning would be the ultimate chimney fire.

Or having it melt down into your stove while it is burning...

 

[Ko3n3k3]

gotcha. I saw the grind test to tell if it is stainless or aluminum.. but just looking at it... that thing is aluminum right? ...

thanks for the help. I didn't know what kind of exhaust gas temps we were dealing with. I'll replace it with stainless for the new one going in.

can anyone confirm that the surround on the insert is purely aesthetic?

Thoughts on the Osburn? Heard some negative reviews on the Lopi Freedom and I think the Osburn is a lil bigger so that is why I'm steering towards it.

 

[begreen]

It would have been foolish to put in an aluminum pipe for anything but gas. Did you test it with a magnet to see if it sticks or not. That isn't the definitive test because some stainless is non-magnetic. But if it is magnetic you know for sure it's not aluminum.

 

[Ko3n3k3]

Will do and i'll report back.. Previous renters (and I for 1 year) ran a wood burner for years but it was an inefficient non sealed POS stove. couldn't even get my homemade eco-fan to turn lol.

 

[Sprinter]

I'm betting not aluminum.

 

[Ko3n3k3]

Tis Magnetic... yippie ... that steel looks pretty stained though lol.

Please let me know if my thought process is sound:
Due to the arc of my fireplace the height of the opening is my limiting factor. So I am thinking an insert with no surround is my best option.

Due to the 2100 sq. ft. I am trying to heat and my preference for the largest viewing window possible, I landed on Osburn 2400 or Lopi Freedom. The lopi was axed due to a couple poor reviews and the smaller fire box.

My floor plan is in the picture below (I tried to draw a ceiling fan in the living room lol). Does this sound like a decent choice? Is there anything I might be overlooking?

Dimensions of the fireplace are also in the picture if anyone has other wood burners to recommend

Edit: trying to heat upstairs too which accounts for the other 500 sq ft. There are floor to ceiling vents.

 

[Wildo]

Can somebody rotate those chimney pictures, my neck hurts.

 

[Ko3n3k3]

I CAN ... lol sorry... computers are haaarrd

 

[Wildo]

I CAN ... lol sorry... computers are haaarrd

Thanks

 

[Hogwildz]

Aluminum doesn't rust, so its not Alum.
It also looks to me in the last photo, that there is an outer shell (just below the caulk)and the rusted one is an inner shell.
The outer looks like galvanized from what I can see.
It maybe all be the same pipe just rusted above the caulk line?
I highly doubt they had aluminum, galvanized or s.s. piping for this purpose back when then house was built.
Hopefully it is only encased in stone top and maybe bottom, and you can get some new liner in there.
Most liners are a lil more than 6" outer diameter though I believe.

 

[Ko3n3k3]

If its magnetic and rusty, thus not aluminium, do I still need to be concerned about what it is?

Or since it is sealed in their (assuming that means insulated) I am good to go on tossing a new stove in under the pipe?

 

[stoveguy13]

I would consider re-lining that chimney still and with a insulated liner as well it would make me fell better in an old chimney like that for safety standpoint. from the insert stand point the 2400 has a 32hx44w surround panel and i would use it also make sure you put a block off plate in either way but for sure if you dont use the surround.

 

[Ko3n3k3]

Alright, looking up from the bottom it appears that this liner is not insulated. i guess the top concrete is just poured as a cap. Thoughts on whether to replace the whole liner or just insulate the thing? I would lean towards just insulating it and not fixin what aint broke.

 

[woodgeek]

drop a 5.5" SS liner in there and call it done? Did you say how tall the stack was?

 

[Ko3n3k3]

Its about 15-16 feet. Are you just saying run a 5.5 inside of the existing pipe? And would this be enough to insulate or will i still need to wrap the existing 6" pipe with insulation?

 

[webby3650]

Have you measured that existing liner? It looks like 8" or more in the picture. If so, just drop an insulated liner right through it. There's no reason to remove it.

 

[mellow]

And I would install a rear vent free standing stove in front if you are looking to heat that kind of sq footage.

 

[begreen]

Lots of questions, but there are some good answers coming out. If you want to install the Osburn without the surround that would be ok. The main issue will be heat distribution. To help improve circulation put a table or box fan on the kitchen floor, pointing toward the woodstove. Run it on low speed. It will blow the cooler air down low, toward the woodstove. The denser cool air will be replaced with lighter warm air from the stove room. Running this way you should notice at least a 5F increase in the kitchen temp after about 30 minutes running. This will also help keep the stove room's temps more moderate.

 

[woodgeek]

obviously insulation would be great....but you need to know the ID on that pipe.

 

[Ko3n3k3]

its a 6" pipe. i did circumference near the bottom and it was 19.75

2 π r = 19.75
π r = 9.875
r = 3.14

3.14 * 2 = 6.3 outer diameter right?

I'm thinking I can pull the existing stove. wrap the bottom of the pipe in insulation (pipe has smooth outside) and slide the insulation up for the next piece to wrap on the bottom. rinse repeat til its wrapped up. does this sound like its possible or am I crazy?

Also in my floor plan diagram i tried to show that the stove is gonna be back in a nook but i don't think that i communicated it well enough. is there anything i need to be concerned with those benches or just that its back in a ≈ 7' deep x 12' wide nook.

 

[begreen]

Also in my floor plan diagram i tried to show that the stove is gonna be back in a nook but i don't think that i communicated it well enough. is there anything i need to be concerned with those benches or just that its back in a ≈ 7' deep x 12' wide nook.

It's an odd arrangement but it should be ok if installed correctly and the installation honors the insert's side and mantel clearance requirements. The Osburn 2400i needs 14" to the side and 25.5" from the stove top to the mantel.

 

[woodgeek]

I dunno. An uninsulated 5.5" liner in an exterior 15' tall stack (3 strikes) could have some problems drafting an EPA stove. I don't think you can get an insulation wrap between a 5.5 SS liner and a rusty 6' galvy pipe.

Is the existing pipe mortared in along its length....if it can be removed, an insulated 6" SS liner would be great.