Do we need an additional top plate and rain cap for our chimney liner?

[SarahK]

Hi all,

Fireplace insert inheritor/newbies here with a question we hope you can answer...

We recently purchased a house SE Michigan (1963 vintage) with a wood burning fireplace insert and blower in the fireplace (Lopi Freedom Bay Fireplace Insert, installed in 2007) which we are excited about. The house inspector could not inspect it properly with the insert, so suggested having a chimney sweep do an inspection after sale.

We purchased the house and recently had the chimney sweep inspection. They were very impressed with the masonry of the chimney, but said that we needed to have a 'top plate' and 'stainless steel rain cap for a 6 inch liner' installed on the chimney liner (for a total of $675, which felt pretty steep).

Turns out the chimney was repaired in 2021 when a new roof was put on, by someone who everyone was impressed with (old owner, roofer, etc) so I wondered why he hadn't put a cap on it if it was necessary.

I called him and he said it doesn't need it/they are just trying to upsell me because the existing ss square/screen cap that he put on should be enough. However, I think he was also confused/possibly not very familiar with the chimney liner for the wood burning insert, because he was convinced the pipe was a liner to avoid acid from the venting of a furnace/water heater, not for the wood burning stove insert.

So now I am a bit confused and wanted to check with experts here: does a wood stove insert liner need its own 6 inch rain cap and top plate in addition to an existing screen/square top chimney cap already in place? Or would the existing cap be enough (in the picture I am attaching the chimney sweep had removed the ss square cap and screen to show the liner pipe that he says needs an additional cap and rain guard, but there is usually one on it just like the second chimney in the back.)

At any rate, long story, but wondering if anyone here has thoughts/experience with the need for an additional cap in our situation?

 

[bholler]

Hi all,

Fireplace insert inheritor/newbies here with a question we hope you can answer...

We recently purchased a house SE Michigan (1963 vintage) with a wood burning fireplace insert and blower in the fireplace (Lopi Freedom Bay Fireplace Insert, installed in 2007) which we are excited about. The house inspector could not inspect it properly with the insert, so suggested having a chimney sweep do an inspection after sale.

We purchased the house and recently had the chimney sweep inspection. They were very impressed with the masonry of the chimney, but said that we needed to have a 'top plate' and 'stainless steel rain cap for a 6 inch liner' installed on the chimney liner (for a total of $675, which felt pretty steep).

Turns out the chimney was repaired in 2021 when a new roof was put on, by someone who everyone was impressed with (old owner, roofer, etc) so I wondered why he hadn't put a cap on it if it was necessary.

I called him and he said it doesn't need it/they are just trying to upsell me because the existing ss square/screen cap that he put on should be enough. However, I think he was also confused/possibly not very familiar with the chimney liner for the wood burning insert, because he was convinced the pipe was a liner to avoid acid from the venting of a furnace/water heater, not for the wood burning stove insert.

So now I am a bit confused and wanted to check with experts here: does a wood stove insert liner need its own 6 inch rain cap and top plate in addition to an existing screen/square top chimney cap already in place? Or would the existing cap be enough (in the picture I am attaching the chimney sweep had removed the ss square cap and screen to show the liner pipe that he says needs an additional cap and rain guard, but there is usually one on it just like the second chimney in the back.)

At any rate, long story, but wondering if anyone here has thoughts/experience with the need for an additional cap in our situation?

View attachment 329528

Yes you need a top plate and cap. Probably insulation on the liner as well

 

[stoveliker]

OP the plate is to keep the liner from sagging. (The rain cap is obvious, and one like in the other flue would be fine if you burn clean enough so that the screen doesn't clog up.)

Insulation is likely needed because there is no 1" space between the outer brick and combustibles (roof and wall).

 

[SarahK]

Great, sounds like it's good to get them! Thanks to you both!