Buying Hampton HI300 Insert soon - need advice

[cpop]

Hi Guys,

First of all thank you for all the great information in this forum. There is a wealth of knowledge here. I am very interested in purchasing a Hampton Hi300 wood insert. I have visited a few dealers and am trying to decide between two of them.

1st Dealer: Has best prices, but is high volume dealer and have heard of some after sales complaints on BBB. Said flexible liners are crap and I should use a ridig liner instead. His price for flex liner installed w/ stove is 3777 and 4095 w/ rigid liner.

2nd Dealer: Says flexible liners are just fine and says insulating them is unnecessary. Advised 99.5% of his customers do not insulate their liners. His price is 3950. Get a better impression of after sales, but can't be sure. No BBB info, so I guess that is a good sign.

BTW - the prices include an oversized surround since my fireplace is 45" wide.

So, is it worth the price difference to go with the rigid liner? Should I just go with flex and do I really need to insulate? Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[elkimmeg]

Common sense here: Which liner has more resistance to draft flow a smooth liner or a corrugated liner?

says insulating them is unnecessary. Advised 99.5% of his customers do not insulate their liners.

Not the brightest statement Insulation promotes draft by holding heat in the liner and adds a margin of safety.

that statement would be true if all customers had NFPA 211 compliant chimneys. I also suggest you read the manufactures specs and recommendations
I believe tHampton requires insulated liners in all exterior exposed chimneys. Check it out and decide who is giving you the biggest line of BS

 

[Gooserider]

Nothing "wrong" with flex liners, lots of people use them with generally good results. However IFF you can use rigid, it's somewhat better - you get a smoother interior which is easier to clean and gives better smoke flow, and many come with insulation built in. However to use rigid, you have to have a big enough flue, and one that's a "straight shot" down. (Some folks do a combo with 4-5' of flex at the bottom of a rigid flue in order to get around the smoke shelf and damper, with rigid in the chimney itself - this is an excellent approach.)

However it is required by code to have insulation if your current chimney is not NFPA -211 compliant, and even if it is, adding the insulation will increase your safety and improve your performance.

Gooserider

 

[hilly]

I've got the equivalent stove and I use a 5.5" flex liner up an interior chimney (25 ft). As both posters have said a rigid, insulated chimney is better, especially if the chimney is on an exterior wall and if you live in a cold climate.

From the quotes you mention there isn't much difference between the two styles of chimney (a small % of the purchase price) except the high volume dealer has some after sales complaints (and I guess the other might, but you have no info). As Elk says, the number of issues one has with a product goes up with the number sold.

For me, after purchase service has not been an issue since I haven't needed any. I burn dry wood and I get my chimney cleaned once a year. (although I did just buy the blower for my unit and it has made a huge difference.) Others in the industry may correct me, but I would guess that one of the biggest issues with wood stoves is that people don't burn dry wood and often misdiagnose the problem as a stove problem, not a fuel problem.

 

[elkimmeg]

Installation must include a full height listed
chimney liner type HT requirements (2100
degree F.) per UL 1777 (U.S.) or ULC
S635 (Canada). The liner must be securely
attached to the insert flue collar and the
chimney top.

Page 6 of you installation manual

BTW this is a real good quality stove

 

[burntime]

I have the stove in an interior chimney with flex liner. I have started a fire in it with no smoking in 45 degrees to try it out. The colder the better the draft. It will take a month to learn it but once you do you should really enjoy it.

 

[NFreiermuth]

I own a Hampton HI300 in Brown and can't say enough about it.

If indeed you need and insert, like I did, there really aren't too many choices if you like the looks also.

There is a posting still active that talks about liners and insulation. I also replied in this post. Adding insulation gives you so many extra benefits AND safety ;-P

All pipes have very little flow nearest the walls. The volumes of air going through a modern EPA compliant woodstove are well under the limits for turbulent flow. This means that there is laminar flow in the pipe and this means the air flow nearest the wall is the slowest if not stopped. This is also why creosote forms on the cool walls of the pipe. It merely condenses on the cold metal because it isn't moving fast enough to carry out. This said, an insulated flex or rigid liner is going to suit your needs.

If you need to worry about the few extra bucks, go with the insulated flex liner. You can't go wrong.
Some guys like the rigid liners. It is easier to finish the top og them to be eye pleasing. The liner termiates rather ugly, but Mr. Issod can fix that for you, as he did me.

I have had my Hampton for 4 years now, every fall I take a hand brush to the roof to clean up the final few inches of the liner and the spark arrestor screen. That's it, and what you get with a proper chimney "System".