When it's all wrong

[Mike240]

So my wife and I bought and moved into this house the first week of June. Basement home. On the main floor there is a BK wood stove and it was obvious the installation was not done right. Concrete board leaning against the wall behind the stove. Single wall flue pipe with obvious signs of a chimney fire. Stove has no side shields for close clearances, too close to the wall behind. Single wall flue 15" to wall, heat shields on floor not installed.

Top of chimney chase class A against plywood top. Banding near top holding chimney centered is that plastic/vynil type. Plywood top charred in 1 spot from burning dripping creosote. First joint down from top, the inner pipe buckled in. (Icing?) Also you can see where creosote was boiling out the outside of that same joint. At the bottom of the chase it was black. Smoke and creosote covered. Backing paper of drywall around support had been burning as well. Smoke/creosote seeped between insulation and vapor barrier up to 2' away as well as between drywall and vapor barrier.

So I tore everything out. Threw the chimney off the roof as well as the chimney chase and associated framing. Removed insulation and drywall as well. I did have to spray a sealant over a couple minor spots where smoke/creosote seeped onto the trusses. Fortunately the chase mostly contained the mess. A new chimney is now correctly installed. Sorry for the length but just wanted to share so people can see the results of improper installation, improper maintenance, and burning wet wood.

 

[Woody Stover]

Holy mother of cheese! Glad you got that fixed before disaster struck..

 

[Mike240]

Holy mother of cheese! Glad you got that fixed before disaster struck..

No kidding. Just makes me wonder how many people move into a new house and think "hey the ashes are cleaned up it's ready to go".

 

[Woody Stover]

makes me wonder how many people move into a new house and think "hey the ashes are cleaned up it's ready to go".

About 99.9%, like Ivory soap.

 

[begreen]

You did the right thing with the tear-out. That setup was just a step away from a house fire. The charred wood will be more vulnerable to pyrolysis. Some extra shielding wouldn't hurt.

 

[Mike240]

You did the right thing with the tear-out. That setup was just a step away from a house fire. The charred wood will be more vulnerable to pyrolysis. Some extra shielding wouldn't hurt.

All that wood is now gone along with all contaminated insulation, vapor barrier, and drywall. Complete new install with radiation shield.

 

[begreen]

Well done. You started off with a real nightmare. Thanks for sharing. Did you take any after pictures to show how it's done right?

 

[myth83]

What a mess, it was a house fire waiting to happen. Good that you have found it.

Why is the chimney chase is made out of combustible materials?

 

[begreen]

Why is the chimney chase is made out of combustible materials?

They almost always are, except for the top. As long as clearances are honored and the top is properly sealed this is not a safety issue.

 

[Mike240]

Well done. You started off with a real nightmare. Thanks for sharing. Did you take any after pictures to show how it's done right?

I didn't take progress pics. I did not rebuild the chase. Just a typical install now. Framed in for the support and being on an outside wall most of the support/radiation shield stuck up above the roof ply. Cut the shield down, cut the ply back to 2 1/4+" clearance all around, flashed and roof patched.

 

[Mike240]

They almost always are, except for the top. As long as clearances are honored and the top is properly sealed this is not a safety issue.

Just to add: this is a pic of the top. The steel on top is a patch job. Under that is a typical fabricated top with a collar. I've been told this isn't quite right. What they do is remove the cone from the flashing of the chimney manufacturers unit and mount that to the new top flashing as in keeping with the "chimney system"

 

[Mike240]

Every length you can see charred insulation.

 

[CaptSpiff]

Every length you can see charred insulation.

Would that be a testament to the durability of a "class A" exposed to a (possibly multiple) chimney fires?

 

[Mike240]

Would that be a testament to the durability of a "class A" exposed to a (possibly multiple) chimney fires?

That's Selkirk/Sentinel chimney as well.

 

[Ludlow]

Not sure if that is charred or simply creosote infiltration in the class A. What looks like char in the plywood could be creo contamination and dry rot from leaks in the flashing. If that plastic banding was intact I doubt it was overfired/chimney fired. That would be melted before anything else happened.

 

[Ludlow]

P.S: Ive repaired roof leaks without a chimney on the house and had wood that looked exactly like that. You swear it was charred!
Not saying it isnt a POS because it is. Needed replaced regardless.