Can I paint?

[Kroman532]

My Direct vent Gas prefab fireplace back wall above flame has worn or burnt off. Can I safely paint? What would be best brand paint to use?

 

[Lennox65]

Yes, you can paint it. Use any high temp stove paint.

 

[Kroman532]

A follow up is could this paint burning off be the cause of a strong chemical smell? DV fireplace is 8 years old but we have only lived here for 2 and rarely used due to smell until now. Now wife won’t let me use and dogs hate it! Smell seems to come out with the heat from top louvers. Could it be the burnt off paint?

 

[RockyMtnGriz]

If the paint is 8 years old, it's probably not the paint. Are you familiar with the smell of burning dust? Any heater I haven't used in a couple of months is going to smell pretty badly the first couple of times I use it. The longer it has sat unused, the worse it is. Gives me a headache, so I try to do a "dust burn" at the beginning of the season on a warmish breezy day with the windows open.

 

[bigealta]

If the paint is 8 years old, it's probably not the paint. Are you familiar with the smell of burning dust? Any heater I haven't used in a couple of months is going to smell pretty badly the first couple of times I use it. The longer it has sat unused, the worse it is. Gives me a headache, so I try to do a "dust burn" at the beginning of the season on a warmish breezy day with the windows open.

Me too. I vacuum the exterior of the stove, if it's unused for more than a month. Still get some burnt smells but much less with a good vac job.

 

[DAKSY]

You don’t indicate what the manufacturer & model of your unit is, but many have a removable top louvre. If yours does, pull it & clean the top of the firebox. Dust, pet hair & dander can settle there & will be burned off during the first few fires. You say you have dogs, so you may have to clean that area a couple of times a year. If you have a blower in the unit, you should also vacuum that out. It might also be filled with pet hair & the other things I mentioned.

 

[Kroman532]

Ok so I got one of those little inspection camera and tried to go through one of those little holes in bottom of fireplace. It was hard to control but here are some pics of chase. Should there be all that insulation around bottom? Also look like side panels look funny. Could the insulation be giving off fumes?

 

[Lennox65]

I can't make any sense of those pictures but I can tell you this, insulation in any form should never be in contact with the factory built fireplace. The fireplace can sit on a combustible surface(the absolute only case in which the term "Zero Clearance" applies), but the sides, back, and top all have stated clearances (respective to the specific unit but generally at least 1/2").

 

[Kroman532]

Yep hard to make out pictures. It was hard to move camera through little holes! So whoever built that chase 8 years ago messed up! Can’t believe it passed inspection. Have no idea where that blown in insulation is coming from or falling from. Well do I have any options outside of a complete tear out? Will not be using anymore looks very unsafe!!

 

[Lennox65]

If you can cut access, either through an interior or an exterior wall, you can remove the loose insulation and verify that the proper clearances are being met.

 

[Kroman532]

Ok before I try cutting through back of house which may be out of my skill set I tried getting a few more pictures. I also pretty sure I was able to vacuum up all the insulation which was very painful. It was just on floor from what I could tell and didn’t cover entire floor. Looks like case is fully cover in shiny silver pleated material. My concern at this point is it might be close to exhaust. Had to tell from pictures? Pictures would be from bottom looking up at exhaust.

 

[Kroman532]

Better picture

 

[DAKSY]

The correct installation would have a fire stop (or the innermost section of the cap assembly) to maintain the required 1” gap around the vent pipe. Any remaining gap at the vent/fire stop interface can be sealed with graphite impregnated tape gasket.

 

[Kroman532]

Ok I guess the big question is it safe to use? It’s been that way for 8 years. Is this what is causing chemical smell? What is that silvery pleated stuff called lining the chase? Would it cause a smell. Thanks for all your help I wonder if whoever put up that silver stuff bunched it around the fire stop? Kind of looks like that stuff is bunched up some

 

[49er]

Ok so I got one of those little inspection camera and tried to go through one of those little holes in bottom of fireplace. It was hard to control but here are some pics of chase. Should there be all that insulation around bottom? Also look like side panels look funny. Could the insulation be giving off fumes?

View attachment 324438 View attachment 324439 View attachment 324440

I wonder if it's possible that you had a rat or mouse building a nest in there? That looks exactly like what I find under the hood of our car from time to time when the rats tear up a fender liner to build a nest.

 

[Kroman532]

No rat or mice it was insulation I got it all sucked out.

 

[Lennox65]

Ok I guess the big question is it safe to use? It’s been that way for 8 years. Is this what is causing chemical smell? What is that silvery pleated stuff called lining the chase? Would it cause a smell. Thanks for all your help I wonder if whoever put up that silver stuff bunched it around the fire stop? Kind of looks like that stuff is bunched up some

The blown in insulation may have come from above, or below. If it came from above, there is probably more insulation sitting on top of the fireplace.
The "silvery stuff" is either foil faced insulation, or foil faced paper covering regular insulation. It should not be bunched up around the vent pipe. As Daksy mentioned, there should be a metal firestop at the exterior wall where the vent pipe penetrates.
The vent pipe needs 1" clearance on the sides and bottom and 3" clearance on the top when it is running horizontally.

I have attached some pictures of what a correct install looks like.

 

[Kroman532]

Ok I guess the only answer is cut hole in house and Take a look! Your pictures really show quality workmanship! I suppose probably should do total tear out and redo. My wife loves her mantel and could care less about fireplace but that’s another story! I don’t know why mantel would have to come off anyway though. I guess if you want something done right do it yourself. Your pictures show what it should look like mine looks like the builders just cheaply and incorrectly put it in. Either way thank everyone for commenting! I will need your advice when I decide what to do!