Is there a large difference in quality between the expensive and inexpensive Class A chimney?

[ericj]

I've found Selkirk's Supervent at Lowes where a 6" by 36" piece of stainless steel chimney sells for $67. The Metalbestos or the Duravent cost aprox $150 for the same piece. Is the more expensive chimney 2x better to warrant the 2x greater cost? Why would someone buy the more expensive chimney, i.e., do some installations require a better quality chimney?

Has anyone used Supervent and been pleased with its quality 5, 10, 15 years down the road? Thank you.

 

[BrotherBart]

I don't use it, but can imagine if you can buy train car loads as opposed to the quantities that a stove shop buys you just might get a better price. And when Duravent had the Lowe's contract it was selling there for about the same price.

Seriously, if the stuff is UL tested to the same specs, it is UL tested to the same specs.

 

[precaud]

I think the Supervent that Lowe's sells is stainless inside but galvanized steel outside. That's how they get the price down.

 

[ericj]

I think the Supervent that Lowe's sells is stainless inside but galvanized steel outside. That's how they get the price down.

Do you think the galvanized will have problems with rusting 10 years down the road? I know that it shouldn't because it's galvanized, but...

Surely there is an important difference between galvanized and stainless steel on the outside of the chimney, otherwise everyone would save their money and buy the glavanized, right?

 

[jeff_t]

It's all stainless. At least mine that I bought at Menard's is, and it was a couple dollars less. Menard's also carried the whole line, whereas Lowes only had thru the ceiling kits and 36" sections. At least that's all that Lowes around stocks.

 

[precaud]

It's all stainless.

Not at that price, it's not. The stainless-outside version is $125 for a 36" x 6":

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay...gId=10051&cmRelshp=sim&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

 

[ericj]

It's all stainless.

Not at that price, it's not. The stainless-outside version is $125 for a 36" x 6":

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay...gId=10051&cmRelshp=sim&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

Actually, the link above takes you to the 8" version, I'm looking at the 6" http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay...gId=10051&cmRelshp=sim&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

It seems to say that the construction is completely stainless.

 

[jeff_t]

It's pretty shiny on the outside. I paid $60.something on sale. It was like $4 off, and $7 less than Lowes. It was only two years ago, but maybe the price went up.

 

[precaud]

You're right, my link was to the 8" version, sorry. The Selkirk data sheet says it's a stainless outer casing.

Well that represents quite a drop in Class A chimney pricing in recent years. One wonders how they are pulling that off. Thinner walls, perhaps? Their spec is 0.016" inner. A lower grade of stainless, maybe? They only say "Upgraded". It would be interesting to compare to another brand.

 

[BrotherBart]

Here is the data sheet for that series of pipe.

http://www.selkirkcorp.com/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=1636

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I think the Supervent that Lowe's sells is stainless inside but galvanized steel outside. That's how they get the price down.

Do you think the galvanized will have problems with rusting 10 years down the road? I know that it shouldn't because it's galvanized, but...

Surely there is an important difference between galvanized and stainless steel on the outside of the chimney, otherwise everyone would save their money and buy the glavanized, right?

It may rust but I doubt you'd notice anything in 10 years. I just got some old galvanized roofing and part of it was rusted. However, the building was put up back in the 1800's.

 

[precaud]

It used to be that the prefab chimney manufacturers would specify what stainless alloy they were using, so that you knew exactly what you were buying. But it appears they have gone away from doing that, and are now using marketing and not metallurgical terminology to describe it. The Selkirk Supervent is retailing for about half of what other companies similar products are selling for. On the surface, that's quite a bargain. It would be nice to know what differences there are, if any.

I do think that 10 years is WAY too short of a time criteria to use. I have plain steel stove pipe in one of my systems that is more than twice that age, with no signs of corrosion or rust. I'd be disappointed to get less than 30 years out of my 304-grade stainless liners.