getting an insert

[sevo75]

I will be replacing the drafty gas fireplace, brick lined chimney which looks like my father's wood fireplace( when I looked up with the flue open), with a Regency I3100 Insert. I have a very open floor plan about 3000sq with a ceiling fan in the same room as the chimney. My question is should I get the 6" SS liner insulated with the wrap around insulation? Given that a warmer liner will decrease creosote. Am I being paranoid? I imagine it is a heck of a lot easier to do this while installing the SS liner.

I am a newbie, I have been lurking here for some time, and find this forum very helpful. Thanks!

 

[daryl]

Always a good idea to insulate a liner.Keeps them flue gas's hot improves draft and less creosote.

 

[summit]

if there is an absense of a chimney liner inside the flue now, you gotta have the insulation.

 

[FISHBONZ]

If you can get your liner to fit with the insulation it's definetly not going to hurt you. Depending on how high your chimney is, wind, ambient air, etc. it is debateable on what the advantages will be. It is pretty inexpensive for the wrap. I paid $150.00 for all the materials to wrap my 6" ss flex liner that is 23' Only problem was my home is 86 years old the the ole chimney needed some tuckpointing a while back. Some fool decided to plaster mortar all over the inside. Becasue of that I lost too much width and could not get the insulated liner to fit. So I have it just plain. The other option would be a blow in insulation that is made for this application but I understand it is more expensive.

 

[jtp10181]

All SS flex liners I have seen do not meet the UL 1777 listing without the insulation wrap. So if you do a liner without insulation it is only for size reduction and does not add any safety to the chimney system. If and ONLY if you are 100% sure the existing masonry structure meets all current codes and clearances would you be SAFE installing the liner without some sort of listed insulation to make it meet UL 1777.

 

[begreen]

Insulating the liner is generally a very good idea. A bit more information would improve advice. How tall and what is the tile size in the current chimney? By gas fireplace, does this mean with gas logs?

 

[sevo75]

It is a brick lined fireplace/chimney like the one my folks burn wood in. The Installer I spoke with says that he will inspect the chimney, but more than likely all it will need is the SS liner and he will cap off the top as well as mortar seal ( he didn't say mortar but something like that, I can't remember the term). So in place of a blanket insulation, I have about 5"-6" of air between the liner and the chimney walls. The house is 21yr old, with a nice open floor plan around 3500 sq ft not including the basement, where I have another separate chimney which I might get a small free standing stove, I want to see how the insert instal goes first. I think the chimey is about 35-45' high.

 

[Wet1]

So if the house is 21 y/o, I assume the current chimney has a clay liner already installed in it (on the inside), is this correct?

 

[jtp10181]

5-6" of air... so is he going to install 1" spacers on the liner to make sure it maintains at least a 1" air gap from the clay tiles? Otherwise how do you guarantee the liner will not be resting against the side of the flue in spots? Also... 6" liner + 5" of air all around, that would make for a 16x16 clay flue at the smallest, that's pretty damned huge if you ask me. I have seen a 12x16 once, and it was for a HUGE two sided masonry fireplace. The lady said one time a duck fell down it and laded in her living room.

 

[sevo75]

When I look up the chimey asides from the darn bird nest I'm pretty sure they are robins I can't see blue sky b/c of the slight bend but I do see plenty of daylight comming down. Either way it 's a big chimney, but the installer will install the insulated liner if I want it,( he is placing a spacer at the top and seal off the chimney along with a grated top to keep the birds out.

 

[begreen]

5-6" of air... so is he going to install 1" spacers on the liner to make sure it maintains at least a 1" air gap from the clay tiles? Otherwise how do you guarantee the liner will not be resting against the side of the flue in spots? Also... 6" liner + 5" of air all around, that would make for a 16x16 clay flue at the smallest, that's pretty damned huge if you ask me. I have seen a 12x16 once, and it was for a HUGE two sided masonry fireplace. The lady said one time a duck fell down it and laded in her living room.

Did she have quackers for dinner? ;-)

 

[jtp10181]

When I look up the chimey asides from the darn bird nest I'm pretty sure they are robins I can't see blue sky b/c of the slight bend but I do see plenty of daylight comming down. Either way it 's a big chimney, but the installer will install the insulated liner if I want it,( he is placing a spacer at the top and seal off the chimney along with a grated top to keep the birds out.

I'm just telling you the facts, and the facts show that your installer is not properly educated (don't be afraid though because I would guess at least 90%, if not more, do these same things).

You can choose if you want to have it done the proper way, or the normal way.

 

[wendell]

jtp, aren't you supposed to be on vacation? :lol:

 

[jtp10181]

So you're the one who came looking for me huh? I just talked to a guy out on the sales floor today and he said someone was in requesting me who I had talked to online.

I am on vacation from work... who says you have to leave the house?

Actually we were going to go camping up at Castle Rock Lake Thurs - Sunday but everyone bailed on us and going with just the three of us here would not have been that fun. I had taken the whole week off to get ready and use up some of my well deserved paid time off. When it fell through I figured I might as well just enjoy a week off at home.

 

[wendell]

That was me. Staying home is just fine. I figured even if you were away, the hearth.com addiction was strong enough that you'd find an internet cafe. :lol:

 

[sevo75]

THanks for the input, I told the installer my concern about not having the liner insulated. He hemmed and hawed for a bit but I told him
I want it insulated. He called me back and said he checked his stock and he had an insulation kit and would install it sans charge, yeah right.
Anyway I am looking forward to stop throwing money out the chimney this winter. I just gotta get the wood ordered/ stacked.

 

[Wet1]

I just gotta get the wood ordered/ stacked.

Like a few months ago if burning this year!

 

[theheatelement]

If the clay flue tiles are fine and the chimney is in spec then their is no need for insulation... Also, you do not need spacers inside of the chimney, the goal is 1" from combustibles... that means things that will ignite, not clay flue tiles but wood... or anything else that will burn.

best regards,

When I look up the chimey asides from the darn bird nest I'm pretty sure they are robins I can't see blue sky b/c of the slight bend but I do see plenty of daylight comming down. Either way it 's a big chimney, but the installer will install the insulated liner if I want it,( he is placing a spacer at the top and seal off the chimney along with a grated top to keep the birds out.

I'm just telling you the facts, and the facts show that your installer is not properly educated (don't be afraid though because I would guess at least 90%, if not more, do these same things).

You can choose if you want to have it done the proper way, or the normal way.

 

[jtp10181]

If you read the simpson duraflex install manual, you must use 1" spacers if you do not insulate. The liner is only approved for 1" clearance to the MASONRY without insulation, so to keep the 1" you need spacers. Not sure how other liner products work but I doubt that any are technically 0" clearance to masonry without the insulation.