raising the stovepipe hole in a masonry chimney

[RustyShackleford]

A friend is getting a Blaze King. They currently have a simple masonry chimney (no liner), but the hole is way too low - so the stovepipe can't get a 2ft straight vertical shot as it comes out the top of the stove, not even close to that. Has anyone had experience dealing with such a situation ? Seems like it just needs to have a new hole punched in the side of the chimney, and the lower hole sealed up. The brick is exposed in the living room too, so it needs to look half-decent. Any clue how easy this is, what it might cost ?

 

[bholler]

A friend is getting a Blaze King. They currently have a simple masonry chimney (no liner), but the hole is way too low - so the stovepipe can't get a 2ft straight vertical shot as it comes out the top of the stove, not even close to that. Has anyone had experience dealing with such a situation ? Seems like it just needs to have a new hole punched in the side of the chimney, and the lower hole sealed up. The brick is exposed in the living room too, so it needs to look half-decent. Any clue how easy this is, what it might cost ?

Really not a big deal I would probably use the lower hole as a cleanout. Would probably add 30 to 45 mins to.the job

 

[RustyShackleford]

Really not a big deal I would probably use the lower hole as a cleanout.

Right, put a removeable metal cover on it. But could you really clean from it ? Need to come in, and then do a 90-degree to get up into the main part of the chimney; how would that work ?

 

[bholler]

Right, put a removeable metal cover on it. But could you really clean from it ? Need to come in, and then do a 90-degree to get up into the main part of the chimney; how would that work ?

A rotary cleaner i do it every day.

 

[RustyShackleford]

A rotary cleaner i do it every day.

Cool. Does the debris just fall down below the cleanout hole and you vacuum it out if it ever fills up that high ? Or just stick a vacuum hose down in there and get it immediately afterwards ?

 

[Whitenuckler]

Cool. Does the debris just fall down below the cleanout hole and you vacuum it out if it ever fills up that high ? Or just stick a vacuum hose down in there and get it immediately afterwards ?

You shouldn't get much falling down there in normal running as with the proper draft it should all go up. When you clean is when it will start to fill up and then the crud will be bagged and the clean out cleaned. They could try to clean from there or start up on the roof. Some people do it all from the roof as they like to clean the rain cover and do an inspection looking down.
Edit - I was thinking - I guess if a liner is being installed, then the liner would extend down to the clean out, and a tee installed at the stove pipe entry level. If you just had a 90 at the stove pipe level, then nothing would go down there.

 

[bholler]

Cool. Does the debris just fall down below the cleanout hole and you vacuum it out if it ever fills up that high ? Or just stick a vacuum hose down in there and get it immediately afterwards ?

Vacuum it out right away

 

[RustyShackleford]

I guess if a liner is being installed ...

They had it inspected when they bought the house a few years ago, and evidently the inspector didn't think it needed to have a liner installed.

 

[RustyShackleford]

They might be better off installing a new metal chimney. Looks like maybe $2K in parts; something we could DIY, except maybe for the roof penetration part. I just wonder if this masonry chimney will draft right. They claim to have read it's the overall height that matters, but I've read it's pretty critical to have a straight shot of at least 2ft coming out of the stove before any bends.

 

[EbS-P]

A new BK but they don’t want a liner?? For our shoulder season that thing will run on low for 1/2 the season. Encourage a liner. If not I bet it gets quite a bit of build up.

 

[begreen]

They might be better off installing a new metal chimney. Looks like maybe $2K in parts; something we could DIY, except maybe for the roof penetration part. I just wonder if this masonry chimney will draft right. They claim to have read it's the overall height that matters, but I've read it's pretty critical to have a straight shot of at least 2ft coming out of the stove before any bends.

What is the ID of the clay liner? If it's 7" x 11" and this is an exterior chimney, it's likely to get gunky.

 

[RustyShackleford]

What is the ID of the clay liner? If it's 7" x 11" and this is an exterior chimney, it's likely to get gunky.

Not sure. I'll tell 'em they either need to have a liner installed (in which case making the opening higher is probably not much more work), or a new all-metal chimney. I wonder if the latter would be that much more than a liner; looks like parts would be about $2500.

 

[RustyShackleford]

They're getting some IMHO ludicrously-high quotes around here: like$10K for the stove and installation, including fixing the chimney cap on the masonry chimney. A metal chimney seems DIY-able to me.

 

[EbS-P]

A liner has to be cheaper than double wall and class A.

 

[bholler]

A liner has to be cheaper than double wall and class A.

It is far cheaper unless the masonry chimney needs allot of work

 

[EbS-P]

They're getting some IMHO ludicrously-high quotes around here: like$10K for the stove and installation, including fixing the chimney cap on the masonry chimney. A metal chimney seems DIY-able to me.

If you’re in vacation land I expect a new BK install to be north of 8k. What’s the MSRP of the stove?

 

[RustyShackleford]

If you’re in vacation land I expect a new BK install to be north of 8k. What’s the MSRP of the stove?

Vacation land ? I think high $3000s is what they're seeing (dunno about MSRP); probably a Princess free-standing.

 

[Whitenuckler]

Vacation land ? I think high $3000s is what they're seeing (dunno about MSRP); probably a Princess free-standing.

Here is some pricing I got last year, but went with a pellet stove CAN $$ Nov 28 2024
OPTION #2 BLAZE KING SIROCCO 20.2- STOVE ON LEGS BLACK- DOOR WITH GLASS BLACK- HEARTH PAD1 $3,791.00 $3,791.006" EXCEL STAINLESSSTEEL CHIMNEYSYSTEMFOR BLAZE KING STOVE 1 $4,950.00 $4,950.00LABOR(FOR EITHER OFTHE ABOVE UNITS)- INSTALL STOVE AND CHIMNEY/VENTSYSTEM1 $1,100.00 $1,100.00

 

[EbS-P]

Vacation land ?

Where 30% or more of the homes are short term rented for at 30% of the year. I made up the numbers. But you get my point. We were in Highlands in June talking to a local who said the other locals only have two auto shops they can afford and can’t afford any of the 12 golf courses.

 

[RustyShackleford]

No, not vacation land

Turns out the liner is rectangular cross-section metal. Would make raising the stovepipe hole more complex, I imagine.

If they get the "classic" option, the stove is low enough that the existing hole will work - but with hardly any vertical rise before the elbow. Some spastic little AI chatbot told 'em it's the overall height of the chimney that matters, so they think it's ok (not to have any vertical rise before the elbow), and apparently that's more reliable that what the stove manufacturer (@BKVP) says.

So I think they'll just try that, and maybe it will work. Otherwise they haven't lost anything, except they'd rather have the "ultra" pedestal because of the modern look (I agree) and how convenient it is for ashes; I imagine the stove can be converted to that for a modest cost, if they end up doing something else with the chimney (higher hole or all-metal).

 

[BKVP]

So when the smoke comes into the living space, will the AI Chatbot help them?

BKVP

 

[begreen]

What is the ID of the chimney and how tall is it?

 

[BKVP]

Quick story. Guy in lower NY has another brand of 2 year old wood stove. Catalytic and manual says it will work with 15" of rise. Dumps into 25' exterior wall chimney. Chimney to small to hold liner. Pours smoke into house every time door is opened.

Tells dealer I want refund or Princess. Dealer doesn't carry BK line. I advise dealer.."don't put our stove in that install even if you can get one." Dealer does it anyway.

Customer says stove works brilliantly.

What do I know?

BKVP

 

[RustyShackleford]

What is the ID of the chimney and how tall is it?

Not sure, would have to get up on top of house to measure. Attached is the inspection the chimney company did (cover page removed for friends' privacy). They don't give dimensions, except lining height =35, whatever that means. The main thing they want to do is to improve the chimney cap (which they believably say can let water in) for $1500+.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Quick story. Guy in lower NY has another brand of 2 year old wood stove. Catalytic and manual says it will work with 15" of rise. Dumps into 25' exterior wall chimney. Chimney to small to hold liner. Pours smoke into house every time door is opened.

Tells dealer I want refund or Princess. Dealer doesn't carry BK line. I advise dealer.."don't put our stove in that install even if you can get one." Dealer does it anyway.

Customer says stove works brilliantly.

That's funny, Chris. Friends won't even have 15" of rise, but hey, maybe it will work. Anyhow, hard to justify the cost of doing any modifications to chimney, if there's any possiblity it will work.