Relining Chimney for Mt Vernon AE Insert

[victor]

I'm about ready to install a Mt Vernon AE insert and I'm curious what the best material is to use for relining the chimney. I've seen two basic ways for lining the chimney. First is using a double wall rigid pipe from the top of the chimney to the area near where the damper was and then using flex pipe for the last few feet to connect to the stove. Second is using a flexible pipe the whole way from the appliance to the top of the chimney.

Are there advantages to either method? The flexible seems easier but would the double wall pipe retain more heat in the pipe and help draft? My chimney is a single flue about 20 feet tall and on an outside wall.

The AE insert has a 3" connector for the exhaust and I plan on using a flexible piece of 3" pipe about 5' long from this to get past the narrow damper area then connect to a 4" pipe in the chimney.

 

[jtp10181]

for 20' tall you only need 3" pipe unless you are really high above sea level. Check out the vent size chart in the install manual. A vertical foot only counts as .5 ft in the equivalent feet table.

I would just get a stainless steel 3" 25ft flex liner kit. We have done many pellet inserts this way with no problem. You do not really have to worry about draft since there is a combustion blower the runs the exhaust system under posi-pressure (forced out).

 

[jackovalltrades]

I used a flex pipe from the stove, through the damper and up the chimney for about 3 feet. The chimney is on an outside wall. I didn't install any additional piping in the chimney. Is this wrong?

 

[stoveguy13]

I used a flex pipe from the stove, through the damper and up the chimney for about 3 feet. The chimney is on an outside wall. I didn't install any additional piping in the chimney. Is this wrong?

Not wrong but not the best way to do things it will be a pain to clean you will tend to get ash build up on the block off plate and it makes a real a real pain to clean

 

[Xena]

In addition to what Stoveguy13 said, you will not only
have to brush out the pipe, but you'll have to sweep
the remaining chimney above the flex and good luck
trying to do that with the flex in the way. Just an
all around pita imo.

Eric from kinsmanstoves put it bluntly when he said
doing it that way is "half assed".

 

[jackovalltrades]

I've burned over 7 tons of pellets with it like that. I pulled the insert out this summer. I took off, cleaned and put back the flex pipe. I received some quotes for putting in a pipe all the way up the chimney and around here they wanted over $1k. The other thing is that I wanted to, if necessary be able to pull out the insert and just burn firewood with ease. I'm just wondering how often I need to call a chimney company to come out and have it professionally cleaned.