Liner Dent Dilema . . . Please Help ASAP!

[Brick (ware)House]

My 25 foot section of Forever Flex was dented in transit and I didn't notice until I was attempting to straighten it. My help is going to be here today to bore through the brick wall and install the liner. I really need to get this done so we can finish the hearth in time for the PH arrival next week. As background, my chimney is a straight run down existing brick and accessed by the flat roof. This was supposed to be easy!

Questions:

1. Should I abandon today's install immediately and wait until Monday to call Olympia/Woodstock to see what they will do?
2. Should I cut the dent out and splice the pipe before installing it? I think I have enough reach on the pipe that I could handle a 12" reduction. What to use for the splice?
3. There are no ruptures in the pipe as of now. I don't think it will rupture unless I mess around trying to bend the dent out. Should I just leave it alone and go ahead with the install? Assuming I would want the dent end furthest from the stove, correct? I should have plenty of draft from the chimney I just don't want any safety issues (build-up, difficulty cleaning, ????)
4. Any ideas about pushing the dent out from the inside? It is too far down to reach by hand. All I can think of is to drop a metal coffee can on a string down to the dent and push against that.

BTW the Forever Flex seems like a very mediocre product considering the price. Anyone have comments about its performance in the field?

Does the entire pipe and T assembly really just hang off the top cap plate secured by ONE hose clamp?!?! Should I put a couple small pieces of angle inside my chimney for the T to rest on?

Thanks in advance for the great advice!

 

[BrotherBart]

Myself, I would wait and get Olympia on the phone. They can get a new liner there pretty fast. Everybody's first impression of single wall liner is that it is flimsy. It isn't. Forever Flex single wall liners have been in use for twenty years now with few problems.

It can be spliced, not something I am a fan of, but a replacement liner would get there just as fast as the coupler/splice would. But for sure I wouldn't install it like that or try to push the dent out of it.

 

[vwmike]

I wouldn't use it, that's a pretty good size dent! That's gotta reduce it down to 5.5" effective area or less, plus I'd be worried about the chimney brush being a basted to get through that spot. Probably not what u want to hear Saturday morning trying to get it done.....

 

[BrotherBart]

Olympia says they are open until two pm today.

(800) 569-1425

 

[Brick (ware)House]

Thanks guys. Mike is correct, not what I wanted to hear.

 

[Brick (ware)House]

Olympia says they are open until two pm today.

(800) 569-1425

BB - Thanks. Without this prompt I would have assumed that Olympia was closed today. Was able to reach them and Woodstock and will have a replacement liner on Wednesday. Will proceed with the work on the hearth today and maybe split some fresh elm (if it cooperates).

 

[begreen]

Elm never cooperates!

 

[stoveguy13]

That Liner you got from Olympia has about the best warranty you can find in the industry and uses 316 vs 304 for it components that come in contact with the flue gases ,it is also a 316TI liner so when you go around comparing prices on the internet make sure you are comparing apples to apples. You got a really good liner.

 

[bag of hammers]

BB - Thanks. Without this prompt I would have assumed that Olympia was closed today. Was able to reach them and Woodstock and will have a replacement liner on Wednesday. Will proceed with the work on the hearth today and maybe split some fresh elm (if it cooperates).

Issue posted and resolved in @ 90 minutes. Once again, this site delivers great customer service.

 

[Brick (ware)House]

Elm never cooperates!

Went and bought a Fiskars with the idea that I might be able to hand split the "easy" ones. No such luck. Good thing my neighbor who is a master welder is looking for a project and wants to build me a hydro splitter. I think we will design it to attach to a three point hitch and run off the PTO on my brother's JD 332.

 

[Brick (ware)House]

That Liner you got from Olympia has about the best warranty you can find in the industry and uses 316 vs 304 for it components that come in contact with the flue gases ,it is also a 316TI liner so when you go around comparing prices on the internet make sure you are comparing apples to apples. You got a really good liner.

Nice to hear that the Olympia liner is good equipment. I want to do this right the first time and not have issues as long as things are maintained properly. I read the fine print on the Forever Warranty and there is some marketing spin attached. The 100% full warranty is only good for the 1st 15 years. After that I believe it is reduced to 50%. Also, an annual inspection and cleaning by a licensed sweep is required to be paid for and documented to keep the warranty in effect. Since I have a flat roof and easy access to an arrow straight run I will probably just clean it myself meaning the warranty will void anyway.

 

[Brick (ware)House]

Issue posted and resolved in @ 90 minutes. Once again, this site delivers great customer service.

Yes it does! A sincere thanks to all who have taken the time to respond to my questions. Between the combined knowledge here and the input from the folks at Woodstock, I will have saved both time and money (not to mention much frustration) on my install.

 

[Brick (ware)House]

So the hole in the brick wall is cut and I have verified the dimensions of the masonry chimney from both top and bottom. Should have plenty of room to easily drop the insulated liner and make the T to snout connection.

One last group of questions: I will have a little left over insulation after wrapping the liner. Should I use that to try to wrap the T and snout as well? If I insulate the snout should I wrap it out past the pass through in the wall? I have one course of brick at the pass through so I was thinking of insulating around the snout in the hole going flush with the inside of the wall and then sealing airtight with some type of caulk. The liner install manual indicates to use High Temp RTV silicone to seal under the top cap. Could I use that to seal around the snout at the pass through as well? I am top venting a Progress Hybrid with about 5' of inside single wall stove pipe and an adjustable 90 to connect to the snout. Not sure how hot the snout will be but want to make sure we are as safe as possible and would like to maintain the integrity of the brick by reducing the hot/cold cycles. Thanks.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Went and bought a Fiskars with the idea that I might be able to hand split the "easy" ones. No such luck. Good thing my neighbor who is a master welder is looking for a project and wants to build me a hydro splitter. I think we will design it to attach to a three point hitch and run off the PTO on my brother's JD 332.

You might be disappointed. I've not seen one yet that works well. Better to get a pump and a small engine to run it right on the machine. Shoot, our little MTD is run by a 5 hp Briggs & Stratton. Those engines can be bought rather cheaply.