Want an insert, but installers are all over the place...Help

[Mr. G Johnson]

Hello-

This is my first post. My wife and I have decided on a Jotul Rockland Clear Front 550 insert into our 1930s home. We will have the trimmable surround due to some original brick work that we want to keep. We have reviewed options of placing woodstoves fully into the fireplace, other inserts, pellet stoves, glass doors and top sealing dampers, but the insert is the choice. The issue is that I have received quotes from various places in Northeast Wisconsin and they vary in price and in how they would install the unit. I am at a loss. I can't install it myself due to my home insurance regulations and city code.

One install has a 6 inch liner (25 feet) with no insulation
Another has a 5 inch liner (25 feet) with no insulation and a 6 to 5 inch reducer
Still another has an ovalized 7 inch liner with 0.5 inch insulation wrap and round to oval transition
Finally another has 5.5 inch liner with 0.5 inch insulation wrap and 6 to 5.5 inch reducer

Two installers state that the insulation is required. Two say it doesn't matter. None of the installers are concerned about a block off plate, even though the chimney is on the outside wall of the house.

Any other Jotul Rockland 550 insert owners or installers are welcome to chime in and assist. It is a lot of money to invest in the house and I just want to make sure it is being done properly. Thanks.

 

[begreen]

Finally another has 5.5 inch liner with 0.5 inch insulation wrap and 6 to 5.5 inch reducer

Welcome. I suspect the chimney is narrow, maybe with 6x10 tiles. It needs an insulated liner. The above quote is the one that sounds the best so far. Insist on the installer providing you a quote for adding an insulated block-off plate. You will appreciate the improvement this will make.

 

[NE WOOD BURNER]

Any other Jotul Rockland 550 insert owners or installers are welcome to chime in and assist. It is a lot of money to invest in the house and I just want to make sure it is being done properly. Thanks.

I am currently installing a Jotul 450 I bought off this site.
I am using a 6" liner cutting smoke shelf and utilizing Roxul insulation I sourced of this site(freebie) also. I will build my own sheet metal block off plate with self tapping screws into concrete to hold in place. For this year I will place roxul at top of chimney and just above my DIY block off plate. I think it will be fine. I priced out chimney guys in my area and none(3) use insulation on the liners at all. I have a good clean tile 12x12 so I feel confident I will have no trouble.
The insulation wrap I feel is a good idea to install, but for me this is an occasional use stove and I think it will be fine. If my tile was in poor shape or if I had any offsets in my chimney I would insulate the liner.
I would inspect the chimney yourself and come up with your best plan. if you take lots of photos and post here you will most likely get the advice needed in print to satisfy your insurance and code requirement if the advice is superior to the advice from the installers. or at least be able to narrow down your material list to competitive shop the quotes you received.

 

[bholler]

Un less you have proper clearance form the outside of the chimney to any combustible material (1" for an external chimney and 2" for an internal one) you need to insulate the chimney to meet code. Also almost all liners require insulation to meet their ul listing standard. So yes you need to insulate it

 

[NE WOOD BURNER]

Also almost all liners require insulation to meet their ul listing standard. So yes you need to insulate it

so like I said empowered with knowledge one can actually install a liner to code rather than just local practice.
And if you read the fine print the insulation will need to be the same brand that the UL listing was obtained with. And the warranty is only valid if you have a chimney sweep inspect annually.

 

[bholler]

Many liner manufacturers are now using a more generic desription of ul listed chimney insulation but some still require their brand. And yeah allot say it needs to be checked annually but in the few warranty claims we have handled they never asked to see any records of it

 

[Mr. G Johnson]

I appreciate the comments. Is the 5.5 liner with insulation wrap sufficient even though the Jotul instructions require a 6 inch liner?

 

[begreen]

It's not uncommon to downsize slightly to accommodate the insulation if the liner is tall enough.

 

[BrotherBart]

I have two 5.5" inch liners. One has been connected to two different Jotul stoves over time and they performed extremely well.

 

[Mr. G Johnson]

I am assuming my liner will be tall enough. I know it is dangerous to assume, but I have attached a few pics to help show the height of the chimney. There are two flues, but
only one flue is currently used. The other flue used to be for a hot water heater, which is now a direct vent. The base of the fireplace is about equal with the last row of siding on the outside picture. Ash dump is in the basement.

 

[begreen]

Looks more like 20ft to me, but that's a guess.