Roxul

[mattjm1017]

Im sure its been beat to death here but time for one more beating. Im planning to get some roxul in the coming weeks to make a block off plate Im under the impression that I need to stuff the roxul up the chimney and then put in a sheet metal plate. Can i just stuff the roxul up there and not worry with the sheet metal plate until later say like after this burning season? Also is this the right stuff?

http://www.lowes.com/pd_305816-1278-RXSS31525_?PL=1&productId=3394032

 

[BrotherBart]

I say no having used Roxul for my chimney. It is short fiber insulation and you don't want that stuff drifting around in your house and sucking it into your lungs. In fact you need to wear a mask when you install it.

Yep. That is the stuff. I wish they had been selling it in 2006. I had to find it at a bankruptcy auction by accident.

 

[Mr A]

I say no having used Roxul for my chimney. It is short fiber insulation and you don't want that stuff drifting around in your house and sucking it into your lungs. In fact you need to wear a mask when you install it.

Yep. That is the stuff. I wish they had been selling it in 2006. I had to find it at a bankruptcy auction by accident.

What is short fiber insulation? If not Roxul, than what? I used those same insulation bats. Has the original post been edited? not making sense of the response. The Roxul from lowes will need to be ordered, they don't stock it. I have 10 bats for sale, $10 each, plus shipping

 

[jharkin]

I think BB just means that the stone fibers are very short vs longer fibers in other materials and it gets airborne easily. . Its still a good option for the chimney as its completely fireproof and unlike pink fiberglass has no chemical treatments to offgas at high temp.

So use it, but wear a mask during install and do cover it with a metal blockoff plate to keep it encapsulated.

Lowes' stock varies by region. Here in New England roxul is a regularly stocked item in store.

 

[bag of hammers]

At first read, it almost seemed (to me) like BB was saying "no" to using Roxul - but I assume that was not the intent - thanks Jeremy for the sanity check. Roxul is great stuff. If using a shop vac to clean up, you may want to use a hepa bag / filter + make sure it exhausts away from the area. Don't want to be blowing that dust all around.

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah sorry for the confusion. I was addressing the question of using it without a block off plate.

Yes use it.

No don't use it without a block off plate.

 

[mattjm1017]

Got it thanks guys. I thought I had read somewhere that it could be used without an actual block off plate. Either way after reading Brother Barts reply I beleive I will wait until I have a block off plate made up before I do anything. Maybe Ill get it done this season but I doubt it. Thanks for the advice

 

[danham]

Got it thanks guys. I thought I had read somewhere that it could be used without an actual block off plate. Either way after reading Brother Barts reply I beleive I will wait until I have a block off plate made up before I do anything. Maybe Ill get it done this season but I doubt it. Thanks for the advice

I'm no expert, but my insert has been doing fine for three seasons with Roxul stuffed up around the liner and on the smoke shelf, with no block-off plate. I also have a few batts of it behind the insert because it is in an exterior chimney and this has made a noticeable difference.

-dan

 

[mattjm1017]

I'm no expert, but my insert has been doing fine for three seasons with Roxul stuffed up around the liner and on the smoke shelf, with no block-off plate. I also have a few batts of it behind the insert because it is in an exterior chimney and this has made a noticeable difference.

-dan

I think maybe it wont be so good for me because I have a freestanding stove there will be nothing to actually keep the stuff in place whereas you have an insert to keep it all stuffed up there and nothing is exposed. Thats just my guess on it.

 

[Woody Stover]

I have a trapezoidal area at the top of the fireplace between the lintel and the smoke shelf. I cut a corresponding shape with a hole in the center for the liner, and it fits pretty tightly. I haven't put a block-off plate under it yet....maybe this thread will get me off my butt to get it done. Crap, I just put the stove in place. Shoulda gone ahead and done the plate. Not too big a deal to pull it out, though....
I want to pull the Buck 91 out at my MIL's and put in a plate and insulation, even though it's an internal chimney, just to minimize air movement up the chimney. She is sensitive to airborne particulates so it sounds like I need the plate over there, for sure.

 

[mellow]

If using a surround on your insert that will keep the roxul fibers inside the fireplace, I have not seen a need to do a block off plate with inserts.