Making your own roof bracing?

[heppm01]

I think I "need" a roof brace for my chimney.

This is for an OWB installed in a shed with an existing 8" HT103 14' chimney, running up the exterior of the shed wall and well above the roofline. There is currently no bracing or support for the chimney - it rests on (and is screwed to) the stovepipe tee coming out of the rear of the OWB. In heavy gusts I can see the top of the chimney waving ever so slightly, and I would sleep better at night with some additional support in place.

Pricing a Selkirk brace kit, I am seeing prices between $70-$80, which is obscene. I'm sure I can make something equivalent for $8-$10 in parts, but I'm not sure if I should. Is there something super-secret magical about a prefabricated roof brace kit that I am unaware of? I figure a couple pieces of conduit, a couple angle brackets, some strapping and miscellaneous fasteners and I'm in business. Any hints or tips the collective intelligence would care to share?

Thanks,

Matt

 

[tiber]

You need bracing every 8ft. If you don't have 8ft of unsupported chimney (bolted to the wall, trees, a T, whatever) then you don't need a brace.

There's no "standard" of brace except it must be nonflammable. So long as you're not drilling into the chimney or building a brace out of wood, you'll be fine.

 

[DAKSY]

You need bracing every 8ft.

Some brands require bracing every 5 feet...Excel is one of em..

 

[daryl]

All manufactures of chimneys that I know of require the use of their parts for their system. They don't want a claim that their chimney blew over with your home made roof brace kit.
With that said.
I use two 1/2",two 3/4 " metal conduit.Flattin out one end on each pc. drill holes in each end that is flattened. Slide the 1/2" and 3/4" conduits together. these are the two legs.
Next make a band too fit around the pipe drill two holes in the band to accept the bolts for the legs. Fasten band too the chimney, attach legs too band (bolt and nut).
Slide legs back to the roof bend the flats to the roof pitch.Fasten to the roof Tar up your lags or screws.
Put a self tapping screw in each joint of the conduit . Works every time and almost all hardware stores carry what is needed. Can save the day not having to make a return trip to a job 40-50 miles away.

 

[MurphyMacmanus]

I just put the Selkirk roof brace (roof guy) on this past weekend. There is no way that was worth the 80 bucks I paid for it. Their band didn't even fit snug to my chimney without being modified. As said above some metal conduit should do the job.

 

[JustWood]

My dad has the same OWB set up.
He got an old basketball hoop out of the " Hillbilly do all " scrap pile out back , slid it over the top of the stack and lagged it to the facia. Used some heavy wire to secure it to the hoop. FREE