Vigilant 8Inch to 6in clay chimney

[Dbredell]

I had the chimney cleaner out and he noticed a lot of soot in the chimney. The chimney is clay and he recommended a steel liner going inside of it. Only a 6 or maybe a 7 inch would fit into the chimney. Our vigilant is an 8 inch exhaust. They said I can buy a whole new fireplace which I don’t want to because a big reason we bought this house was for the stove. Or I can keep the stove and have to rebuild the chimney for like 5k.
Obviously the cheapest route would be to just adapt the 8Inch to the 6inch.

Any thoughts or recommendations ?

 

[begreen]

What are the current inside dimensions of the flue? Is it clay lined?

How tall is the chimney? You may be able to connect the stove to a 6" liner if tall enough, using a reducer. Doing so may mean it can't be used as a fireplace with the doors open. Or the clay liner may need to be busted out to increase room for an 8" liner. If the current chimney is rectangular, an oval liner may be the solution.

 

[Dbredell]

How tall is the chimney? You may be able to connect the stove to a 6" liner if tall enough, using a reducer. Doing so may mean it can't be used as a fireplace with the doors open.

I would say a 15 foot chimney

 

[Dbredell]

I would say a 15 foot chimney

Also, if you do use it with the doors open what would happen? Smoke?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Was soot the only thing he found? Soot itself isn’t dangerous. Did he leave you anything written?

With an older stove like that, I’d want to look it over carefully and make sure that it’s not only in good cosmetic shape, but materially too. If you put thousands of dollars into the chimney so that stove would work, then shortly after found out it was failing, I’d be heartbroken.

 

[Dbredell]

Was soot the only thing he found? Soot itself isn’t dangerous. Did he leave you anything written?

With an older stove like that, I’d want to look it over carefully and make sure that it’s not only in good cosmetic shape, but materially too. If you put thousands of dollars into the chimney so that stove would work, then shortly after found out it was failing, I’d be heartbroken.

He said there was a little crack in the chimney which being clogged with soot.

Was soot the only thing he found? Soot itself isn’t dangerous. Did he leave you anything written?

With an older stove like that, I’d want to look it over carefully and make sure that it’s not only in good cosmetic shape, but materially too. If you put thousands of dollars into the chimney so that stove would work, then shortly after found out it was failing, I’d be heartbroken.

He looked over the stove and found no flaws

 

[begreen]

Also, if you do use it with the doors open what would happen? Smoke?

Yes, smoke spillage would be an issue. The chimney is not very tall so see my revised comments above.

 

[Dbredell]

What are the current inside dimensions of the flue? Is it clay lined?

How tall is the chimney? You may be able to connect the stove to a 6" liner if tall enough, using a reducer. Doing so may mean it can't be used as a fireplace with the doors open. Or the clay liner may need to be busted out to increase room for an 8" liner. If the current chimney is rectangular, an oval liner may be the solution.

The chimney is about 15 foot high. It’s 7.5 inches on the inside currently but it’s clay. He told me a 6 inch would fit in it but you can’t go from a 8Inch to 6inch. The exhaust is oval

 

[EatenByLimestone]

The clay can be broken out for more room.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Is the chimney interior or exterior? Is the clay liner square or rectangular?

 

[bholler]

Yeah the clay can definitely be removed allowing for 7" but probably not 8"

 

[begreen]

Yeah the clay can definitely be removed allowing for 7" but probably not 8"

I'm wondering if this has a rectangular chimney liner like 7x11 ID. If so, an 8" equiv. oval liner may fit.

 

[bholler]

I'm wondering if this has a rectangular chimney liner like 7x11 ID. If so, an 8" equiv. oval liner may fit.

Yes that would work if it's a rectangle

 

[Dbredell]

Is the chimney interior or exterior? Is the clay liner square or rectangular?

Exterior, I’m asking about the shape. I know the chimney is a retangular shape. Not sure about the liner yet

 

[Dbredell]

Is the chimney interior or exterior? Is the clay liner square or rectangular?

Exterior, I’m asking about the shape. I know the chimney is a retangular shape

 

[Dbredell]

Is the chimney interior or exterior? Is the clay liner square or rectangular?

The top cap looks square so I’m assuming square.

 

[Dbredell]

I'm wondering if this has a rectangular chimney liner like 7x11 ID. If so, an 8" equiv. oval liner may fit.

He said it was round.

 

[Dbredell]

Is the chimney interior or exterior? Is the clay liner square or rectangular?

The guy said round

 

[Dbredell]

The clay can be broken out for more room.

 

[Dbredell]

I'm wondering if this has a rectangular chimney liner like 7x11 ID. If so, an 8" equiv. oval liner may fit.

 

[Dbredell]

Yeah the clay can definitely be removed allowing for 7" but probably not 8"

 

[bholler]

View attachment 322870

That's not round at the top

 

[Dbredell]

That's not round at the top

Yeah I’m starting to second guess this guy

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Time for a second opinion!

 

[Dbredell]

Time for a second opinion!

But what should I do? He said he could fit a 6 inch maybe 7 inch down there. That doesn’t help me going from 8Inch to 7/6. Can it be done is the question?