Chimney sweeps came today. All looked great except the connection between the flue pipe and the chimney. There was some glazed creosote at the top of the joint. Before they came i had to take a before pic. Before sweeping, inside up.
![[Hearth.com] Nutty solution?](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/99/99173-f49586189a4fc3a753a15e56d55dd247.jpg?hash=ZeI7EWzouE "[Hearth.com] Nutty solution?")
The stove was a little unlevel when I installed it. It seemed like it got more unlevel but I thought it was me. After I took the flue pipe off to get a look before the sweeps came I put a level on the stove and sure enough it did sink more. I lifted the low corner enough to kick the crow bar under. Then just for kicks I had just found a nut in the parking lot today. Pryed up and used a screwdriver to slide the nut under. Put the level on and to my surprise it was the perfect size.
![[Hearth.com] Nutty solution?](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/99/99174-72cb6de5799c6ee1efed235fc874d996.jpg?hash=GltebfzOCG "[Hearth.com] Nutty solution?")
With the stove now up a 1/2 inch I looked closer and realized the front lip is lower then the sides of the pedestal. The front lip was right on the grout.
![[Hearth.com] Nutty solution?](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/99/99175-749229eb24bd90c248495dc66a599692.jpg?hash=IcF-q01NEz "[Hearth.com] Nutty solution?")
My conclusion was that all that weight on the grout is what was sinking. The sinking therefore was pulling the joint from the flue into the chimney out since it is the only joint without screws, hence the air leak / creosote at that joint.
With a free nut under one side and a washer under the other side to level it out and put the weight on the tile instead of the joint hopefully that won't happen again.
The stove was a little unlevel when I installed it. It seemed like it got more unlevel but I thought it was me. After I took the flue pipe off to get a look before the sweeps came I put a level on the stove and sure enough it did sink more. I lifted the low corner enough to kick the crow bar under. Then just for kicks I had just found a nut in the parking lot today. Pryed up and used a screwdriver to slide the nut under. Put the level on and to my surprise it was the perfect size.
With the stove now up a 1/2 inch I looked closer and realized the front lip is lower then the sides of the pedestal. The front lip was right on the grout.
My conclusion was that all that weight on the grout is what was sinking. The sinking therefore was pulling the joint from the flue into the chimney out since it is the only joint without screws, hence the air leak / creosote at that joint.
With a free nut under one side and a washer under the other side to level it out and put the weight on the tile instead of the joint hopefully that won't happen again.
