Rain Water Running Down Chimny Pipe Inside House

[beansuncle]

We installed our Quadrafire 7100 late in the fall of 2008. We installed the ST375 Square Termination cap that was supplied with the fireplace. The SL300 chimney pipe runs up through a chase above the fireplace. The chase is capped with a custom fabricated stainless steel chase cover which I am 99.9% sure is not leaking. The chase cover has studs welded to the top side which are used to attach the cap, so there are no holes in the cover.

Whenever we have a rainstorm with wind driven rain, there is usually some water leading down the sides of the chimney pipe. I am wondering if this is normal. I don't thinks any water should be coming inside.

My thought is that some of the wind driven rain is being blow into the cap and is falling down between the two walls of the pipe. As the water runs down the inside of the outer pipe it leaks out of the overlapping joints, and then runs down the outside of the pipe.

Does anyone have this problem? Should I consider replacing the ST375 cap with a different type?

I can see the water running down the pipe because the fireplace surround is not completed. There is a cutout in the wall about 8 feet above the fireplace where a slight recess with a shelf will be installed when the surround is finished. The chimney can be seen through this opening. I'll try to post some pics soon.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

check storm collar seal

 

[Pagey]

I had a leak last year that was the result of the installer not running a bead of silicone all the way up the vertical seam on a 3' section of the stainless steel chimney. Water was running down behind the half-applied silicone and then traveling down the vertical seam into the house where it would collect inside the ceiling support box and eventually drip onto the stove top itself. Finishing the caulk all the way up the vertical seam fixed the issue.

 

[04074]

I had a leak last year that was the result of the installer not running a bead of silicone all the way up the vertical seam on a 3' section of the stainless steel chimney. Water was running down behind the half-applied silicone and then traveling down the vertical seam into the house where it would collect inside the ceiling support box and eventually drip onto the stove top itself. Finishing the caulk all the way up the vertical seam fixed the issue.

+1

 

[rustynut]

humm.....
just noticed a little bit of a water spot on the stove/pipe the other day.
Was thinking about posting this question as well
When i installed i enclosed the o/s pipe to keep it a bit warmer.............
It is enclosed all but about 8 inches below the cap.
so
You guys are suggesting using a regular silicone caulk on the seam ?
I'm thinking maybe a clear
Are you running this caulk around storm collar as well ?
rn

 

[04074]

Check with your stove shop. I used this on my metalbestos chimney storm collar: Rutland 500 Degree RTV High Heat Silicone Sealant.

 

[DiscoInferno]

I've been having similar problems with the new chimney for the Napoleon, water dripping down the outside of the chimney into the ceiling support box during wind-driven rain. I think in my case it's coming in under the sides of the roof flashing. I can see that they didn't overlap the shingles on the sides, just at the top. I've been trying to get the guy to go back up there and fix it, to little avail.

 

[John_M]

We recently installed a storm collar on our new chimney. Here is how we did it on a day when it was not raining: Place a tube of hi-temp silicone caulk, caulk gun, tool to cut top from the tube of caulk, something to puncture the inner seal on the tube of caulk, 3 or 4 paper towels, tape measure, magic marker, 3' of string (see comments about a screw eye in para. #4 below), etc in a bucket. Take the storm collar and bucket up to the chimney. Hang the bucket from the screw eye described in para. four. Assemble the storm collar and slide it over and down the chimney to its final installed position. The outside edge of the storm collar on my new installation is 1" to 2" above the stainless steel chase top flashing.

Here is how we sealed the storm collar with Hi-Temp (600 deg.) silicone caulk: 1) Using a magic marker, place a line around the chimney at the top of the storm collar; 2) move the storm collar back up the chimney-just to get it out of the way; 3) Place a good bead of silicone around the chimney just above the magic marker line you just made; 4) slide the storm collar back down the chimney and snug it into the silicone caulk; 5) Stand back and look at the storm collar from a couple of sides to make sure it is level; 6) Place another bead of silicone caulk around the top of the storm collar. This assures the storm collar is snugged by silicone above and below its opening at the chimney. Using a wet finger (spit) gently smooth this upper bead of silicone so rain water will flow away from the chimney. By now, you have probably used all of the paper towels. Stand back and admire the great job you just did. You're finished.

In step #5 you can also measure from the top of the storm collar to the top of the chimney on four "sides" but this gets lots of silicone caulk on the end of your tape; not fun.

We also used 7 stainless screws (#10 x 2") and one screw eye 3/16" with 1/2" eye to hold the chase top flashing to the chase. The screw eye gives a mounting point for tying a bucket of tools or other materials when working on the chimney. The longer screws are because we also had to go through the decorative siding on the chase.

So far, this procedure has worked very well for us in two heavy rains with strong winds. I am certain others have used other procedures just as successfully.

Good luck at stopping very frustrating leaks.

John_M

 

[Tfin]

I've had the same problem, and determined the cause. I've been having these damn crows up on my roof pecking at the stainless steel chimney and also pulling the silicone bead away from my storm collar. Frickin' crows.....

I don't know how to keep the crows away without putting some stupid looking contraption up there so I just go up and put a new bead of silicone down whenever necessary.

 

[firefighterjake]

. . .
I don't know how to keep the crows away without putting some stupid looking contraption up there so I just go up and put a new bead of silicone down whenever necessary.

Step 1: Take out 12-gauge shotgun and load.

Step 2: Take aim at crows on roof and fire.

Step 3: Remove dead crows.

Step 4: Replace silicone that crows have pecked at . . . and the holes in the roof from the buckshot.

 

[John_M]

Tfin,
Would an owl decoy fit under the description of a "...stupid looking contraption..." ?

An Improvement? to firefighterjake's excellent recommendation: Can you shoot the crows before they get to the roof?

I had the same problem with a three toed flicker when I lived in Idaho. His territorial pecking sounded like a jack hammer in the house. Never could stop him. He was smarter than"me". Damned flicker.

Good luck.

John_M

 

[Tfin]

Yeah, thanks for the ideas (I've actually thought of both!) The shotgun method would be instantly satifying, however fleeting due to the damage to the roof, chimney, satalite dish.

Might try the plastic owl.....have to thinks some more about it. Another option would be a pellet gun I suppose. On weekends when I've heard them up ther pecking away I've been going out and throwing rocks at them to scare them off.

Neigbor told us one time during the week she saw something like 15 of the things purched up on the roof. Wonder if that's a bad sign? ;-)