Best metalbestos chimney?

[Knots]

I'm building a new house with a Jotul F55 in the center of the basement. Since there won't be any other flues in the house (1-floor ranch) I'm thinking of going with an SS chimney to save a little money and have (what I would guess) is a better roof penetration than a masonry chimney.

I have no experience or knowledge of these types of chimneys.

1. I see the term "Class A' thrown around. What does that mean?

2. Is there one brand that is better than the others? I don't want to screw around on a brand new house that I may be in a long time.

3. Are there any installation tips I should be aware of? Clean-out configurations?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[DAKSY]

(broken link removed to http://www.hartshearth.com/chimney/chimneys.htm)

Metalbestos is a Class A chimney manufacturer. There are others. Personally, I would choose ICC Excel. I've installed it in many homes, including mine. It has a lifetime replacement warranty. Your best installation is straight up, with no offsets. That should be included in your house plans. Depending on the pitch of your roof, & the location of your chimney in relation to the peak, you may be able to brush straight down from the top & into the stove. That is the least messy way to clean. Simply vacuum out the stove after the dust settles... If you burn good dry wood, your cleaning will be minimal at best. HTH

 

[Knots]

Thanks. the chimney will be straight up and through a 7/12 roof as close to peak as I can get it. I can put the stove anywhere it makes sense relative to the chimney.

Does a masonry chimney really provide a better draft once it's up to temp than an SS one?

 

[DAKSY]

Thanks. the chimney will be straight up and through a 7/12 roof as close to peak as I can get it. I can put the stove anywhere it makes sense relative to the chimney.

Does a masonry chimney really provide a better draft once it's up to temp than an SS one?

Where did you hear THAT? Most masonry chimneys are not sized to the unit being installed. A 6" Class A chimney will be EXACTLY the same size as your stove's 6" flue collar. That's the most ideal configuration. It should work the same no matter what 6" stove you plug into it, as long as the flue collars are vertical. A horizontal exit will require an elbow , which will act as a flow restrictor.

 

[Knots]

The thought is that the thermal mass of the masonry chimney keeps velocities up better than the metalbestos which cools off faster. I have no idea if this is true, I'm just fishing around for info from those that do.

Oh yeah, I was planning on a 6" masonry if I go that way.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Don't forget that the masonry chimney also takes longer to heat up which will help particulates to condense on the walls.

I've built masonry chimneys (8x8 flue), lined masonry chimneys, and built a Class A chimney and will never do anything but Class A if I can help it in the future.

Matt

 

[Knots]

Good point and thanks for your experience.

I notice the ICC has 30 minute fire rating. That's comforting too.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

The reason why I built the masonry chimney is because I figured a masonry chimney must be able to withstand a fire better. I still think that might be the case, but I've come around to thinking that it's best to try to prevent the creosote in the first place. I can tell you that if a fire were to happen and the chimney was compromised it would be much easier to replace sections of snap together and twist chimney pieces than to knock down the masonry and start again.

You mentioned clean out configurations. I'd do my best to design the chimney so I could clean from the bottom. If I'm destined to fall over, I'd rather fall over when standing on the ground than on a roof where I might then decide to roll off.

I wish I had asked the questions you are asking before I started.

Matt

 

[Knots]

The ICC that DASKY recommended is the only one I've seen that meets the Canadian 30-minute chimney fire requirement.

(broken link removed to http://www.icc-rsf.com/main.php?t=chem_lignes&i=1&l=en)

Another contender is the Olympia Ventis. With the 316 inner tube it is warrantied for coal use! I emailed them to ask if they meet the Canada fire spec.

(broken link removed)

 

[Knots]

Yes - I'm thinking that a design that allows clean-out from the bottom might be good. Especially as I get older...

 

[Dave Zitti]

My 13 year old double-insulated, stainless chimney pipe has some pin holes on the exterior stack. I have to replace it but could this be a defect covered by lifetime warranty? l heard that the insulation
had a corrosive chemical in it that causes the defect since corrected by the manufacturer.

 

[Knots]

I guess that would depend on who manufactured it. There's a lot of different brands out there.

 

[firefighterjake]

I once thought masonry chimneys were better than the Class A chimneys . . . here in Maine it seems most folks seem to call all Class A chimneys "Metalbestos" after the brand name . . . kind of like how folks buy Kleenex and Pampers even when they're the store brand or some other brand.

When I put in my chimney I went with Class A and I think the only way I would go back to a masonry chimney was if I was going for a more traditional look inside the home . . .

I went with Excel ICC . . . very happy with the chimney.

 

[begreen]

Stick with a major brand of pipe. If something gets damaged a few years down the road or the pipe needs relocating, you want to be sure you can still easily get parts. ICC Excel makes top of the line class A pipe. Duravent is another line of class A that would work.

 

[Knots]

I'm trying to choose between ICC, Duravent, and Olympia/Ventis.

Olympia/Ventis got back to me and said that they meet the Canada spec also.