SS chimney leak?

[got wood?]

I've got a stainless steel class A chimney that goes through the center of my house. The stove is on the first floor; there is an interior double wall flue that feeds into the class A SS chimney just below the ceiling on the first floor. This goes through a closet on the 2nd floor and through the middle of a finished attic on the 3rd floor. My son mentioned to me that the 3rd floor smelled a bit like smoke a little while back so I jumped up and ran upstairs to check things out. It did smell a bit like smoke, nothing visible (there is a detector up there, never went off).

So I checked the chimney and saw what looked like some soot just above one of the seams between the 2 foot SS chimney segments (see closeup photo). I looked at the ceiling where the chimney penetrates and saw a little bit of soot as well (recently painted the room so I know it's new).

After performing more tests I determined that it happened when I start fires in a cold stove, though I have yet to see smoke, there is a faint smell. It seems that when there is no draft (cold stove), some smoke may have wandered out this seam, but once a draft is pulling, it probably is not puffing out the seam, but just the opposite. Just a theory.

So I decided to take the band/clasp off the seam between the two two 2-foot SS Chimney segments and discovered that the chimney is a bit crooked; the top section tilts causing almost a 1/4th inch gap between SS chimney segments one one side and a proper mating on the other side. The chimney doesn't wiggle so I couldn't force it straight for a proper mating all the way around. I then put the band back on and tightened it quite a bit.

No smell since, though I'm still a bit concerned as the gap is still there.

Question: How do these chimney segments interlock? Does a 1/4th inch matter? What other tests can I perform to ensure this is working properly? Any recommendations?

About the attached picture; on the closeup you can see a bit of the soot to the top/left of the seam/band. The rest of the mess is paint and dirt that has always been there. Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[savageactor7]

Oh my that sounds like something that has to be locked down by a pro in my unprofessional opinion. I wouldn't burn with it until then...that's all we do here is play with fire so you can't be to careful when it comes to something like that.

 

[cannonballcobb]

What is your ceiling made of?

 

[WNY PAT]

I found that, when new, the interlocking SS sections really snap together tightly. However, once you take them apart and put them back together, not nearly as well. Exactly what you describe is common, the sections do not seat flush against one another at the lip. I'm sure you could get some furnace cement if you wanted to try to fix it on the cheap but if it were in my house with my kids... I'd be calling a professional to come in and get it working right before winter and check my clearances on that chimney. If smoke if being forced back, so is CO and other bad gasses you don't want in any concentrations in living quarters. If you're gonna burn it, I'd have the smoke and CO detectors in top working order and all over the place.

JMHO, I'm sure someone who know a lot more than me is gonna chime in here with better advice.

 

[got wood?]

Thanks guys, I've already got a call into a local stove store to get that looked at. The ceiling is plaster on blueboard I believe. The house came this way. The floor penetration is properly shrouded and I've always wondered about the ceiling penetration and its clearance to this (potentially) combustible material.

 

[got wood?]

penetration through floor

 

[Hogwildz]

That needs a 2" clearance to combustibles which does not appear to be. And the second story calls for a chase to be built around it.

 

[got wood?]

Howdy Hogwildz...the clearance of 2" is something I'm going to take care of when curing this leak issue with a chimney sweep/specialist guy who will be coming by on the 11th. The picture where you see the metal collar around the SS chimney is between the 2nd and 3rd floor...between the 1st and 2nd there is a hole with metal shroud or chase. I assume that's appropriate.

 

[oconnor]

I believe what Hogwildz is refering to is that it must be enclosed within the living space - so someone/something combustible doesn't breach the 2" clearance - looks like it needs to be encased. That said, if it had been encased, you wouldn't have noticed the leak. Is it possible that the leak occured as a result of the flue getting bumped and jarring the joint as well?

 

[got wood?]

I believe what Hogwildz is refering to is that it must be enclosed within the living space - so someone/something combustible doesn't breach the 2" clearance - looks like it needs to be encased. That said, if it had been encased, you wouldn't have noticed the leak. Is it possible that the leak occured as a result of the flue getting bumped and jarring the joint as well?

Ahhh...I was not aware that had to be enclosed (the house came this way). That's a good point about it being jarred, I will speak with my kids about it. The entire internal chimney needs to be boxed in? Time to do some research. Thanks...

 

[Rockey]

I believe what Hogwildz is refering to is that it must be enclosed within the living space - so someone/something combustible doesn't breach the 2" clearance - looks like it needs to be encased. That said, if it had been encased, you wouldn't have noticed the leak. Is it possible that the leak occured as a result of the flue getting bumped and jarring the joint as well?

Ahhh...I was not aware that had to be enclosed (the house came this way). That's a good point about it being jarred, I will speak with my kids about it. The entire internal chimney needs to be boxed in? Time to do some research. Thanks...

The house was like this when you bought it? Was a full house inspection done at that point?

 

[Hogwildz]

From stove to first ceiling it is left in the open, then the second to third floor needs to be encased in a chase with proper clearances.
Here is Duravent's "interactive installation guide" it gives info on standard installation with photos.
Mouse over the red dots for specifics of the pieces.

http://www.duravent.com/?page=1a1.php

 

[oconnor]

How much chimney is there above the roof, and how is it secured? - looking at the location of the leak, it's also likey that the exposed part above the roofline moved.

 

[got wood?]

Hogwildz, thanks for that site and explanation. I did have the house inspected when I purchased it (2004) but that was not brought up as a concern (let alone code violation). Both chimney runs through the second floor and the third floor (pictured) and both are open and exposed. The 2" clearance you mention, is that with respect to regular wood or construction material?

O'Connor, the chimney is roughly 12' tall above the roof it penetrates and I am not sure how it is secured. From what I can tell, it is only supported where it passes through the roof. I cannot see supports through the other two floors. There are stabilizing supports (two) to keep it straight. I think something larger may be at play here as the chimney out of the roof looks like it is a bit crooked. Also if you look at the first picture on the post it looks like the chimney has dropped a few inches. I noticed that the paint that was wiped on the chimney from when the room was first painted is a good 2+ inches lower than the ceiling, suggesting that it has dropped over time.

I have a chimney sweep coming by on the 11th to inspect and help correct this situation. In the meantime, no fires in this stove...

 

[Hogwildz]

Hogwildz, thanks for that site and explanation. I did have the house inspected when I purchased it (2004) but that was not brought up as a concern (let alone code violation). Both chimney runs through the second floor and the third floor (pictured) and both are open and exposed. The 2" clearance you mention, is that with respect to regular wood or construction material?
2" is clearance required for any combustible material. that includes the all ceilings and into the attic & through the roof decking. All need 2" clearance.

O'Connor, the chimney is roughly 12' tall above the roof it penetrates and I am not sure how it is secured. From what I can tell, it is only supported where it passes through the roof. I cannot see supports through the other two floors. There are stabilizing supports (two) to keep it straight. I think something larger may be at play here as the chimney out of the roof looks like it is a bit crooked. Also if you look at the first picture on the post it looks like the chimney has dropped a few inches. I noticed that the paint that was wiped on the chimney from when the room was first painted is a good 2+ inches lower than the ceiling, suggesting that it has dropped over time.
The piping outside the roof needs to be braced anything over 5'. So you would need 2 braces set.

I have a chimney sweep coming by on the 11th to inspect and help correct this situation. In the meantime, no fires in this stove...