Improper Support Box Install?

[murray004]

Hi all,

I just had an old 70's Preway taken out and replaced with a new small Country stove... The old stove was here when we bought the house. Once the old stove and piping were taken out, and the new one installed, we saw that the support box appears to be installed in the attic, with just a small lip coming through the ceiling where the stove pipe attaches. We didn't think anything of it, but since doing our first couple of fires, the ring in the ceiling is getting quite hot (around 150 degrees F). That got us looking around for info and that's when we realized that the support box is in the attic- and most of the info we have found so far shows the support box installed on the ceiling, not in the attic. Our biggest concern is that the drywall ceiling is only about 2 inches away from the ring that the stove pipe is attached to- and if it's getting to 150 degrees, it seems a bit unsafe. I've attached pics... any thoughts on this setup and whether it looks acceptable or whether we should have it evaluated by a professional would be appreciated. (BTW, we had the store where we bought the new stove do the install, the guy and his wife who installed didn't say anything, so maybe we are just worrying for nothing...). Thanks!!

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

Welcome aboard, Murray!

You may wanna move this post over to the Hearth. I think that's where the stove types hang out. Myself, I know nothing about stoves.

BTW . . . if yer Bill Murray, any chance ya got Andie's number??

 

[RobC]

The trim ring in the black stove pipe picture that's brownish / rusty looks suspect. There is a factory trim ring that is only a couple of $ to cover that area. Those " factory rings " give you a nice finish look and a good clearance but hides the gap between the ceiling and the floor above.
The way that is left would be a possible of a cause for concern.
The through floor area is critical. Besides being closed off from the bottom it should be closed off from the top as well. Between those top and bottom finish pieces, in the floor area, there should be a box to keep any foreign material from touching the pipe. Depending on the type of pipe there will be specifications on distance to combustibles which should be followed.
The need for that area to be closed off and fire resistant is so mice, dust, insulation or whatever can NEVER get into that area, get up against the pipe, and start a fire.
If you go online to Selkirk or your pipe manufacturer's site you should be able to get a good idea on how to build that area and you can get a better idea if there are any problems.
I'm not saying what they did is wrong but it's good that you noticed and I would investigate more.
Here is a general idea of the proper parts.
http://www.hartshearth.com/chimney/chimney_images.htm

 

[murray004]

Thanks for the reply- the trim ring that you're referring to is actually the underside of the chimney support box that's installed in the attic (that you can see because they cut the hole in the ceiling a couple inches larger than the stove pipe- sorry for the poor picture quality)- I think it looks rusty from getting charred (!?!)... there is a black square tin piece that is screwed onto the ceiling, but it's just a flat piece of tin that is to cover that hole that's cut in the ceiling... so essentially there is a single wall adapter going THROUGH the ceiling into the attic and then connecting into the chimney support. (this is where the temp was 150-160 degrees last night, only 2" from the drywall ceiling!) Definitely don't think this is very safe, so we wont be using the stove until we get this looked at- (frustrating because this is the whole reason we paid professionals to install- so we wouldn't have to worry! LOL).

Thanks again! :-D

 

[RobC]

Many of us have found this site out of frustration with "Professional Installers". Hang in there.