Napoleon 1402 Wood Insert dilema

[crawfish]

While I'm still waiting for my unit to come, thought of a few more questions before my install. As I've stated before this will be my first EPA stove and so I don't know much about operating them. Is it possible to sweep the liner from inside the stove ? And if so what do I need to do this? I'm not crazy about the thought of using a ladder to get at my 25' flue (probably could but would take some getting used to!). I do have another option as my flue is taller than it needs to be and since a mason will be helping me put the liner in he said it could be torn down some as long as it is at least 10' from my roof at the top (this i correct, right?). Doing so would reduce my liner from about 21' to a more comfortable height for me to clean. Naploeon says flue should be a minimum of 15'. I will be wrapping my ss liner with insulation and my flue is 9"x16". Do you you feel this would negatively affect my draft enough to warrant not doing so? Thanks in advance for any advice. Oh yea, almost forgot to mention this is an exterior flue.

 

[ControlFreak]

With the 1402, to gain access to the flue exit you'll need to lift out the top refractory panels, then unbolt and remove the secondary air manifold that runs along the top in the center. The most difficult part would be snaking the brush pole up the flue, making a right angle turn. It would be easier to get up on the roof and go from the top. The best thing would be to burn hot and clean with dry wood so you don't gunk up your chimney.

 

[crawfish]

Thanks for the advice Control Freak, I figured that it would be kind of difficult to sweep it from the inside, but being new and all I didn't know if there was an easier way I just didn't know about. Still haven't had any responses about my chimney height. I'm guessing that if Napoleon says chimney should be 15' and I use ss liner with 1/2" insulation wrap I should be ok. Just didn't know good a draft the 1402 creates. I am also planning of using a block-off plate.

 

[begreen]

I'm a bit concerned about lopping of some of chimney. The rule is that "chimneys shall extend at least three feet above the highest point where it passes through the roof of a building, and at least two feet higher than any portion of a building within ten feet.” At this point I don't understand why they built the chimney with an extra 4-5 ft. if it wasn't required. If there are multiple roofs, perhaps they made it taller to avoid downdraft? Can you post a shot of the current chimney or describe it's installation in more detail?

As for the insulation, yes, by all means insulate the liner. And get your wood now. It should be split, stacked and drying so that you have well seasoned wood for next winter.

 

[crawfish]

Here's a pic of my chimney

 

[begreen]

Wow, you don't see that too often around here in earthquake territory. I'm surprised it isn't braced. As long as you follow the rule, it does look like the height could be reduced a bit.

 

[Pagey]

There is no way you'd get me up there. No sir.

 

[ControlFreak]

Wow, that is quite a chimney!

You'd need a helicopter or a crane to do a chimney sweeping on that one. Maybe you could go on Google earth in a few years and get a look down it to see how much creosote is there!! LOL.

I wouldn't even want to lean a ladder on that for fear that it's just a stack of loose bricks.

 

[crawfish]

See what I mean about not wanting to clean this myself? If you think this one's something, you should have seen my other one I just had tore down over the weekend! Just as tall and was missing LOTS of mortar, really don't know how it was still standing. Believe it or not the guy that swept the one in the pic said their was hardly any creosote in it at all. At least this one only has a handful of joints that need some mortar so I think I'm going to downsize it as much as possible using the 10-3-2 rule.