Fireplace chimney reline for wood stove installation, best methods & mat'ls?

[Bill 700]

I would greatly appreciate advice and opinions on the best methods and materials to use for a fireplace chimney reline for installing a hearth stove. The following are the questions that I can think of.

HomeSaver Ultrapro (or similar flexible liner) or rigid ss liner like Heat-Fab relining pipe? (Obviously the rigid pipe would require a straight shot down through the flue.)

What is the best way to transition through the damper?

Is it possible to take just the damper out, and pass through the opening with a flexible oval liner?

Is it best to demo the damper frame and take out enough masonry to pass a round liner (rigid or flex) straight down through?

HomeSaver foil face flexwrap or HomeSaver insulation mix or TherMix?

What is the best way to seal the block out plate to the new flue?

Have any of your customers ever wanted to back to a fireplace after installing a hearth stove or insert?

What have I left out?

Thanks!

 

[cmonSTART]

Hi Bill,

Personally, I would use the UltraPro Flex with the insulation wrap (it works find and you'll need less of it than the thermix). As far as dampers go I prefer to keep the liner round if possible, so this may mean removing the damper assembly and knocking a couple bricks out of the back with a masonry chisel. Round dampers will have less resistance to flow. You may be able to get it through the damper opening without removing anything, but you may have to ovalize it a bit there. Do a search on hearth.com about a block off plate. These will seal the damper area.

I have never had a customer who wanted a fireplace back, but it wouldn't be hard to do. I would have to reset the bricks which were removed and reinstall a damper (lock-top damper maybe).

Hope this helps. HomeSaver UltraPro is the liner we use the most.

 

[Bill 700]

cmon,

Thanks for the feedback. It helps a lot.

Bill

 

[Bill 700]

Regarding Heat-Fab Saf-T vent vs. HomeSaver Ultrapro, if I read the Heat-Fab instructions correctly, even if insulated, the Heat-Fab rigid relining system is not approved for zero clearance, therefore one would have to confirm that the proper clearances to combustibles are met by the existing masonry chimney. And this would be just about impossible in many situations.

With the HomeSaver Ultrapro, if it is insulated, it is 0 clearance, and the clearances from the masonry chimney to combustibles is no longer an issue.

Sound right?

I wonder why Heat-Fab would not pass the same tests that HomeSaver passed?

Bill

 

[oconnor]

your assertions about tthe UltraPro sound right - read the manual to be certain - that is what defines the clearances.

Give the Best Practices link in my signature below a read. Good info there .

 

[lowroadacres]

For relining our masonry chimney, we went with a Dura-Vent product designed specifically for zero clearance applications. We did have a straight throw from the top to bottom so we were able to utilize rigid pipe all the way down/up. I do not have the product number handy today but it was rigid stainless, with a layer of insulation, then a metal wall exterior. The liner was put together with pop rivets and went in without a hitch.

We worked with an installer who allowed me to do some of my own labour.