DIY wood insert install. Advice on damper removal.

[Demetrios Valeras]

Hello! Recently purchased a Hampton HI300 wood insert and plan on doing the install myself. Doing as much research as possible prior to starting the project. I was hoping some of the veterans here could offer some advice on removal of my damper (pics included.) Plan on using a 6" liner. Damper opening with the door removed is exactly 6 inches. Could i get by with just removing the door? If so, what would be the best approach based on this particular type. I'm completely new to this so any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Nick Mystic]

If your damper opening really is a full six inches once the door is removed you might have a relatively easy job of things. When I did my install last February my damper opening was only about four inches, so after removing my door I had to use a sawzall to cut a couple half moons in the damper itself to create a big enough opening for my SS liner. In your case, first off I'd recommend that you get an exact measurement of the outside diameter of your liner to make sure it really is just six inches. Then I'd work on removing the damper door. I think different fireplaces have doors that are a bit different from one another, so you'll have to inspect yours to determine how it comes out. From your photo it looks like there is a pin of some sort fastening the arm to the door. Once you remove that connection you can see if the door will lift free. If so, then that would make things easy.

In my case, I removed my door and took it to my shop where I measured off a six and a half inch circle in the middle of the door and with the sawzall cut the center section out leaving the two end pieces separated. I then placed those two pieces back in the fireplace door opening leaving just the six and a half inch hole for the liner in the center. Actually, once I saw those pieces would fit back in nicely I removed them again until my liner was in place. Then I placed some insulation in the opening on either side of my new liner before I slid those end pieces of the door back in place to hold the insulation in place. Of course, I finished the installation with a block off plate that I fabricated ahead of time with some sheet metal.

If it turns out that your damper opening is not quite large enough for your liner to fit through I'd recommend trying to enlarge the hole as much as needed for the liner to fit through giving yourself a little wiggle room. Making the hole bigger is better than trying to force the liner through the opening by way of "ovalizing" it to fit through since that can damage the integrity of the liner. I wouldn't want to do anything to that section of liner since it takes the highest flue temperatures coming right out of the stove.

Something else to consider is that the damper opening might not be perfectly horizontal (parallel to the floor), which means if the opening is six inches, a six inch flue liner will not fit through it unless the pipe passes through at a 90 degree angle, or perpendicular to the plane of the opening. The flex liners can bend a little, but not enough to make a sharp bend between the flue opening and the top of your insert if its fairly close tolerances.

 

[Demetrios Valeras]

Thanks for the advice. Took a second look at the damper door and you were right. Pulled the pin and the door came off quite easily. Re-measured and the damper opening is a true 6 inches at around a 45 degree angle to the floor. Once the liner kit arrives I'll check the true diameter and see if it can make it around the 45 degree bend.
The whole process is going to be a learning experience so I'm sure I'll chime back in with more questions as time goes on. Thanks again.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

My ss liner, 6", just barey fit in, we had to bang it in but it got there....

 

[bentrice]

If you need a custom chimney part made, I've had good luck with Rockford Chimney supply. They'll make you just about anything. Might be easier to run a rectangular flue through your damper.

 

[Nick Mystic]

If you try to force the liner through too tight an opening down at your fireplace be sure that you haven't yet cut the liner to size and it would be a good idea to have a foot or two extra in length in case you mess up the bottom of the liner.