jrosenboom said:
We live in an old 2 story farm house and have a woodstove that is attached to an unlined chimney in the center of the house. I know this is not safe and would like to sleep at night! I am not sure what I need to do. I have researched the topic and it some say to throw in a insert, some say it's not safe to put an insert in a unlined chimney.
Any suggestions? Can I install a SS liner from the roof down and call it good or will I still be worried about chimney fires?
THANKS! I have lurked here for a year now and have gained much needed knowledge!
Well, it depends on your particular stove's requirements, and your chimney...
If your Chimney is all masonry, and simply isn't clay lined, that's not a real issue... Many modern stoves use a 6" flue. Check with the stove manufacturer, and then do as follows:
1. Measure the opening of your chimney at the top, and shine a flashlight down it to make sure that there are no major obstructions, and that you have a relatively straight run.
2. have someone stand at your open thimble and from the roof, lower a measuring tape (skinny end)
down to the center of the thimble, so you know how long of a kit you need.
3. Get your liner kit, I personally prefer the flexible SS units, as they're easier to work with. Install the liner kit per the instructions. Believe me, these look scarier than they are. If you can stand on your roof, you can install one of these kits.
4. ESPECIALLY with an unlined chimney, I'd use Thermix insulation after you run the pipe down the chimney, and before installing the top plate and cap. Most stove shops will have everything you need, and will be more than glad to walk you through the process...
5. The kit is going to tell you to remove the nose of the tee before installing the liner, but it won't tell you to put the nose part into the thimble before pushing the rest down. The setup is usually one of those screw down SS pipe clamp style strap clamps, but if you don't do this part, it'll be a pain to attach the nose back to the rest of the tee... Tie a string to the last little hole in the strap end so that you can pull it back into the nose once you get the rest of the tee with the liner attached to it past that point and line up the holes... Sounds confusing now I know, but once you see it, you'll see what I'm talking about...
6. Once your liner and thermix is in, and your cap is on, attach your stove to the nose of the kit per instructions on your stove. Make sure all your local codes for clearances and pipe types are met, and you're ready to burn...
