Install / chimney question

[tommybro]

Hi, I bet you guys are sick of install questions but I have to ask, I did not see this on here

I had a Vermont Castings Winterwarm hooked professionally as my previous stove and I do not think it was done properly because something just does not seem right and I am not sure how I am going to hook up the summit I am going to buy. Here is my story and question I hope it's not too long :

I had the VC installed into my existing fireplace by the installers that the place I got it from. They just cut the damper flapper out and screwed some screws into the masonry on the top of the damper and all was fine until I was starting my pellet stove in the basement ( insert is on first level ) and was getting smoke in the house. It turned out some years before I had a chimmney fire and one of the tiles in the chimney was broken. The sweep that did the work broke out the tiles and installed a ventrolux ( sp ) liner and I thought he adapted a fittting to the oval VC flange. Well today I took the old VC out and discovered that the liner he put in stops about 4 feet from the old damper hole and the oval pipe was just shoved up there to meet t:
the 8 inch round liner.

Now my question:
The summit I think can do 6 or 8 inch pipe. The opening at the old damper ony measures 6 inches so I assume I am stuck there.
I thought I read somewhere that it is OK to go from bigger to smaller pipe the only problem you may have is creating a good draft. I do not think it is safe to go from a smaller to bigger pipe because that will add to build up.

So to recap:
Was the old one installed correctly
Can I go from a 6 to 8 inch pipe safely


I hope this makes sense, I tried to get some pictures of my setup but all the pics come out too dark

 

[begreen]

I don't think going from 6 to 8" is an issue, but if there wasn't a stainless transition piece joining the two sizes, that would be a serious problem that would badly affect performance. The liner should be a continuous, leak free pipe. Every joint should be screwed by 3 equally spaced screws.

Is the liner insulated? It should be.

 

[tommybro]

The liner is packed in the existing chimney with insulation. I did check the ventrolux web site at the time and that was the correct way to install that liner.

The oval liner was just butted up against what was there. I did go to the top of the chimney after my first post and the liner is 11 inches not 8. Would it still be OK to go from 6 to 11?

Question how would you put screws in 4 feet up the chimney?

I am just trying to

 

[Todd]

Sounds like a mess. I'd take out the whole thing and redo with an insulated 6" liner for best performance.

 

[cmonSTART]

Well, it's hard to envision your setup from my end of the computer. Are you saying you have two separate stainless liners? One six and one eight inches?

 

[btuser]

6" to 11" is a bit much. The larger 11" probably has 3 to 4 times the volume of the 11" flue. Sounds like you could run a new continuous 6" liner down through your old liner, and because the old one is insulated you'd be all set. It's really about draft, so if your chimney drafts well enough you may get away with it, but the transition may be hard and without a solid transition you would get major draft loss

 

[tommybro]

ok, don't laugh at my crude caveman like drawings, it's the only way I can think of to show you what