Selkirk chimney leaks snow and rain

[K-du]

I had a Selkirk metal chimney installed in a camp I am building. When there is a windy storm, rain drips onto the wood stove. If it's snowing, there will be about 2 inches of snow on the floor and stove over the course of a day. It snows in the building while we are working... (We haven't installed the ceiling plate yet due to the leaking). We have uninstalled and reinstalled the chimney. All joints have been checked and double checked. The problem persists. My best guess at this point is that the rain and snow are being blown up and under the storm skirt. The leaks only happen when there is wind, however, the wind blows across the lake almost daily at this location.

Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions?

Thanks much

 

[begreen]

We had Selkirk for our old chimney. The only way I could get it to stop dripping in a heavy rain was to silicone the full length of the seam of the bottom pipe that goes through the storm collar.

 

[Dieselhead]

I have Selkirk for 6 years without a drip. You guys are doing something wrong! Can you snap a pic of the storm collar?

 

[begreen]

We've had other reports on this same problem. Sealing the seam works. This might be an issue with just their older pipe. Mine was installed in 1984 and used it up until 2006.

 

[webby3650]

Selkirk has acknowledged this issue. On the higher end pipe (TLC from hart&cooley) they have started laser welding the seams.
If you used a Selkirk flashing then it's ventilated, correct? In this situation you should replace the flashing with a solid flashing, no ventilation. It's not necessary anyway. You could put metal tape over the ventilation holes.

If that's not the case, silicone between the flashing boot and the pipe, then put the storm collar on and silicone it to the pipe as well.

 

[begreen]

FWIW ours leaked with a solid storm collar and flashing. I tried resealing everything else first. Sealing up the seam was the only thing that finally stopped the drips.

 

[K-du]

Selkirk has acknowledged this issue. On the higher end pipe (TLC from hart&cooley) they have started laser welding the seams.
If you used a Selkirk flashing then it's ventilated, correct? In this situation you should replace the flashing with a solid flashing, no ventilation. It's not necessary anyway. You could put metal tape over the ventilation holes.

If that's not the case, silicone between the flashing boot and the pipe, then put the storm collar on and silicone it to the pipe as well.

Thanks for replying. Yes Selkirk has acknowledge this problem. Here is their reply (from Ian Myers' blog): "Hello, Thank you for contacting Selkirk. Yes there are circumstances when rain water will find it's way under the storm collar and into the flashing. Nothing can be done regarding these situations. The vents must be kept clear to let air circulate around the chimney. Thank you"

That makes me hesitant to cover the ventilation holes. I assume their lawyer wrote their reply.

I'm considering riveting a "storm skirt" to the side of the storm collar, essentially extending it down to the roof to block the snow and rain from being blown in. Optionally, I could cover the holes in the flashing only on the side where the wind blows in.

Regarding comments about sealing the seams. There is no way that snow could get through the seams.

 

[begreen]

Yes, we never had snow entering and the rain would drip even on low wind days.

 

[webby3650]

I don't believe for a second that any specific flashing is necessary. Tell me how it's ok to use a rubber boot on a metal roof? That has no ventilation allowed.
If you want to fix your problem you will need to modify that flashing. The seam is an issue, but not your issue. Snow sure as heck ain't driving through the seam!

 

[fox9988]

I've owned/installed 2 Selkirk systems. Never a drip in either.

 

[webby3650]

I've owned/installed 2 Selkirk systems. Never a drip in either.

I've installed dozens and dozens of them. On occasion one will have a mystery leak and it's often the seam. It needs sealed.
Others are wind driven through the flashing, often lake front property and the like. That flashing is problematic.

 

[jeff_t]

My observations of Selkirk flashing and storm collars, at least regarding 8" pipe.

The MetalBestos or UltraTemp or whatever they call it these days has a taller flashing with a sharper angle to it than the box store SuperVent. The respective storm collars have a matching profile.

I bought my MetalBest system from an online retailer, and the storm collar didn't get shipped. I didn't realize this until I had the flashing and pipe thru the roof. I needed a storm collar that day, and went to Menard's and picked one up. It sufficed for a few days until I got the correct one, but there is no way it would have kept any wind driven moisture out of the vents in the flashing. Looking at the flashing on the store shelf, the difference was obvious.

A couple of years later, we got a SuperVent system for my sister's stove at Menard's. Threw a flashing and storm collar on the cart without paying much attention, and when getting ready to install, found the the flashing was a MetalBest piece. At least I picked up on this before I made the trip 40' in the air. My guess is that Selkirk unknowingly shipped the wrong stuff, or that's what they had available so it went on the truck.

Long story short, make sure you have the correct pieces.

I siliconed the seams on all the Selkirk pipe I have installed, based on what I read here. Never had any drips.

 

[webby3650]

Can you post a picture of the set-up on the roof?

 

[fox9988]

That flashing is problematic.

I am not using the flashing on my current install. I need to get a pic. It exits the metal roof centered in the ridge cap. The hole in the ridge cap is cut tight on the pipe and siliconed. I then put a bead of silicone around the pipe, slid the storm collar down over it and almost down to the ridge cap, put another bead on the top of the collar. 3 years, no drips.
The other install was typical on shingles. No doubt some could/do occasionally have a drip.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Ivegot a metal best in the cabin. I have a leak, but never can find it. Pouring rain, light rain... Never see a drip, but every once in a while a new bit of rust forms on the top of the stove. Water must have found a way in. The storm collar and vents have been sealed with Al tape. The leak must be on the pipe seam, or on the flashing when the wind blows just right.

 

[webby3650]

Ivegot a metal best in the cabin. I have a leak, but never can find it. Pouring rain, light rain... Never see a drip, but every once in a while a new bit of rust forms on the top of the stove. Water must have found a way in. The storm collar and vents have been sealed with Al tape. The leak must be on the pipe seam, or on the flashing when the wind blows just right.

Tape on the storm collar? I'd start by replacing the tape with good quality silicone and caulk the seams while your up there.

 

[notshubby]

I don't know about Selkirk but due to the arrangement of my chimney setup which is supervent. I purchased the through the ceiling kit and didn't need the attic insulation shield. I used the support box in the first floor then roof flashing on the roof. since pipe runs in chase to second story cathedral celing. (the one the kit came with was the wrong pitch so I had to buy one for the steeper roof.) anyway long story short after installing the storm collar and looking at it I thought it looked insufficient as well as since the flashings usually cover a range of roof pitches so the storm collar sits on top of flashing at an angle. so I took the wider attic insulation collar and installed that right above my storm collar. just a thought if your having problems with water coming in under the storm collar you might want to get a collar for the attic insulation shield and install that. if you look at the pic you can see the original narrower storm collar up under the insulation shield collar

and yes I know I need new shingles lol

 

[notshubby]

Selkirk has acknowledged this issue. On the higher end pipe (TLC from hart&cooley) they have started laser welding the seams.
If you used a Selkirk flashing then it's ventilated, correct? In this situation you should replace the flashing with a solid flashing, no ventilation. It's not necessary anyway. You could put metal tape over the ventilation holes.

If that's not the case, silicone between the flashing boot and the pipe, then put the storm collar on and silicone it to the pipe as well.

is the Selkirk different than the supervent in the respect it does not have a starter section in the ceiling support box which allows air to enter between the 2nd and 3rd walls to keep the airspace portion of the pipe ventilated? I know in my installation going through a second floor inside a chase if I installed a solid flashing there would be no air entering to get sucked down and into the bottom of the pipe, to escape at chimney cap due to convection rise.

 

[Oldman47]

A Selkirk chimney is not a triple wall, it has a solid insulation layer between the inner and outer metal pipes. There is no need for, nor any desire for, air to flow along it.

 

[notshubby]

yep my bad now im just wondering if the ventilated collar is there for another reason then such as keeping chases cool or keeping moisture from condensing.

 

[webby3650]

yep my bad now im just wondering if the ventilated collar is there for another reason then such as keeping chases cool or keeping moisture from condensing.

No other brand we install requires a ventilated flashing.

 

[SteveKG]

I have been chasing a leak in my Selkirk pipe for probably ten years. At least. I have sealed, re-sealed, re-sealed, changed the storm collar, and etc. and etc. I have changed out everything but the pipe, actually. And, yes, I've sealed the seam in the lower three sections of pipe. I still have the leak and we keep a bucket on top of the stove when not in use and catch the drips. It is insanity.

 

[webby3650]

I have been chasing a leak in my Selkirk pipe for probably ten years. At least. I have sealed, re-sealed, re-sealed, changed the storm collar, and etc. and etc. I have changed out everything but the pipe, actually. And, yes, I've sealed the seam in the lower three sections of pipe. I still have the leak and we keep a bucket on top of the stove when not in use and catch the drips. It is insanity.

Do you have a cathedral ceiling, or otherwise unusual construction? I have ran into a few issues with condensation forming in the box on occasion. Hart&Cooley (same company) offers an insulation wrap for the use inside the ceiling box in colder climates for this reason.