Why Chimney Sweeps are not Masons or Pellet Stove Technicians

[smwilliamson]

Folks get my number through the Aubuchon Hardware Store in Orange, MA. Eric, the manager of the store loves to refer me out. Great guy. His store is one of the few stores that actually stocks ALL of the parts for the pellet stoves they sell. Good job. So Eric send me out to a fella who thinks that he needs a new control board, as the stove will not stay lit, or will not start.

The stove is a Pel Pro Bay View Insert. I get there and pull the stove out and notice immediately that the liner connects directly to the take off on the stove. BAD. All liners should have a cleanout T. There's my problem right? All kinds of ash is obstructing the air flow and the vacuum switch cannot close, right? Well, kind of. Then I notice something. Everything is wet. I can see water dripping out of the exhaust motor housing. Uh oh! I remove the liner and about 3 gallon of sludge comes pouring out all over the hearth. YIKES!

I get my ladder on the house, and looky what I find....

They had a chimney sweep repoint the field stone chimney, pull out the termination plate in the flue and install a new liner. Well, the managed to install the top plate upside down and then cemented over the cap. While waiting for the new fancy copper cap they had some rain.

Dumb ass.

 

[jtakeman]

That's not the vent! Its a roof drain.

 

[SKIN052]

I am scratching my head over this? How can people be so stupid? This is your home and your life you are dealing with!

 

[defield]

Scott,

Love your photos and comments various topics relating to pellet stoves.

Also, cannot wait to see how "Pook" will defend the "Carl" of pellet stove chimney repairs.

Keep them coming.

regards,

Ranger

 

[smwilliamson]

I am scratching my head over this? How can people be so stupid? This is your home and your life you are dealing with!

No, this is typical third party contracting. The, while you're up there do ya think you could...syndrome.

If you do not know what you are doing...each action has a reaction. We're just looking for a positive result.

 

[firewarrior820]

I'm waiting to hear from someone on this site how it seems screwed up,,but its really quite practical.

anyone?

 

[jtakeman]

I'm waiting to hear from someone on this site how it seems screwed up,,but its really quite practical.

anyone?

Looking at the pic you should not see the V of the roof flashing facing down. It needs to face up and repeal the water away from the pipe. With the V facing down you let water collect near the pipe. Once the cold sets in the water would freeze and break any sealer there. See attachment.

 

[Shortstuff]

That's beyond ridiculous. If you happen to know the name of the chimney sweep company that did this would you please post their name here for others to be aware.

Here's another story. A few years ago my brother-in-law hired a company PATRIOT HOME IMPROVEMENTS to put new vinyl siding, all new windows and re-roof their house. I just happened to (intentionally) go visit him while they were mid-construction to check out the quality of work. After having just vinyl sided my own house I knew exactly how it was suppose to be done and immediately found that all the trim pieces were nailed tightly (deforming the vinyl) to the house and most of their overlaps for runoff were wrong. I asked the two kids working why they did it that way and they asked me if I was a contractor and I told them no. They asked what I did for a living and I told them I was a retired Marine and was only an expert in how to kill people but I did know that they didn't know what they were doing. They walked away pretty upset.

Here's the best part. About 2 weeks earlier, my father-in-law who lives with them just happened to buy a single carbon monoxide detector to hang high on a wall inside but didn't get around to it - but he did unpackage it and put batteries in it and left it on a dresser. Anyway, a few days later on a Friday they were mid-roofing and it was going to rain that night so they quit early to cover the entire roof with these large blue tarps with the intention of finishing the roof on Monday. It was late fall and the weather was chilly. Well, just after midnight that Friday night early Saturday morning my father-in-law was awakened by a beeping sound - it was the carbon monoxide detector going off. He jumped out of bed and realized that the house was starting to fill with smoke so he ran upstairs and woke everyone up, called the fire department and got out of the house. The FD came and found no flames but lots of smoke throughout the house and began ventilating with big fans. Later they found the source to be the furnace.

Well as it turns out, when I said earlier that the roofers had covered the whole roof with blue tarps - that also included the chimneys!

If it were not for the fact that my father-in-law just happened to buy a CO detector and immediately put batteries in it just for the heck of it, there was a very good probability that there may have been 4 adults killed in their sleep that night.

I do not trust any contractors. When I put an addition on my house about 10 years ago I had to hire a licensed plumber. In MA you are not even suppose to change a faucet without a permit, a licensed plumber and an inspection when the work is done. Of course I got ***** on the price, but after they left I ended up finding 5 water leaks that I had to fix. No, I am not a contractor, but I am not stupid either.

 

[vvvv]

neghbor has a smoke dragon , burns greenish wood, & had chimnitop rebuilt years ago.lacking 1 liner tile, the tile ends be4 the top so that it collects rain more into the chimni. never cleans his chimni but does inspect it from cellar with a mirror. last year i cleaned the chimni & found no creosote on upper part where it typically collects! cleaning had little creo other than what had been washed down the chimni by the summer's rain. whudda thunk it.

 

[Wachusett]

I do not trust any contractors. When I put an addition on my house about 10 years ago I had to hire a licensed plumber. In MA you are not even suppose to change a faucet without a permit, a licensed plumber and an inspection when the work is done. Of course I got ***** on the price, but after they left I ended up finding 5 water leaks that I had to fix. No, I am not a contractor, but I am not stupid either.

Shortstuff, I couldn't agree more. I encounter licensed professionals, Engineers & Contractors daily at work who have earned a "title" but I wouldn't trust to change a light bulb. Like we say at the office show me your work not your credentials.

 

[Shortstuff]

I do not trust any contractors. When I put an addition on my house about 10 years ago I had to hire a licensed plumber. In MA you are not even suppose to change a faucet without a permit, a licensed plumber and an inspection when the work is done. Of course I got ***** on the price, but after they left I ended up finding 5 water leaks that I had to fix. No, I am not a contractor, but I am not stupid either.

Shortstuff, I couldn't agree more. I encounter licensed professionals, Engineers & Contractors daily at work who have earned a "title" but I wouldn't trust to change a light bulb. Like we say at the office show me your work not your credentials.

"Show me your work not your credentials" - Very well said!

About 15 years ago I stood and watched an extremely qualified (doctorate) engineer struggle to drill one hole in 16 guage steel with an electric drill. After a good 3 minutes of watching I gave in. I reached over and switched the drill to "forward" (he was drilling in reverse). Book smart is one thing, but common sense is another. I'm pretty good with "another".

 

[mike56]

Common sense? that is something that is lacking today with these people, Contractors like these should have there license pulled.

 

[defield]

"Also, cannot wait to see how “Pook” will defend the “Carl” of pellet stove chimney repairs."

"I’m waiting to hear from someone on this site how it seems screwed up,,but its really quite practical.

anyone?"

"neghbor has a smoke dragon , burns greenish wood, & had chimnitop rebuilt years ago.lacking 1 liner tile, the tile ends be4 the top so that it collects rain more into the chimni. never cleans his chimni but does inspect it from cellar with a mirror. last year i cleaned the chimni & found no creosote on upper part where it typically collects! cleaning had little creo other than what had been washed down the chimni by the summer’s rain. whudda thunk it. "

Well Firewarrior, We didn't have to wait long . . . .

I have a Tarm wood boiler, with liner to the top of the chimney, no cap, and the seasonal rains do tend to help clean the chimney, but that is NOTHING I WOULD WISH TO HAPPEN with the pellet stove flue and nothing i would wish to encourage by creating a drainage well slanted toward the flue.

Ranger

 

[LIpelletpig]

Scott,

Given the design of a Harman Accentra Insert. How do you install a clean out T since you suggest every liner should have one installed? I've pondered this idea, I just haven't figured out the best way. Thanks

 

[Snowy Rivers]

Somehow this does not supprise me.

The word common sense has long been relegated to the politically incorrect bin.

To give you an example of what I see.

I own a small gun shop and do some smithing (try not to butttttt)

A fellow comes in with a lovely pistol all in pieces in a zip lock baggy.

He says he took it apart to clean it.

OOOOOOOOK, "Give me an hour or so and it will be ready for you to pick up"

He comes back, pays my bill and leaves.

Two months later, he is back with the same gun all in pieces in a zip lock baggy.

This time though the thing looks like it has been worked over with a pipe wrench.

Scratched all up and other various bruises and dents.

I did not reassemble it.

People who do this stuff dont need those sort of things to mess with.

Same thing with the fool who tries to take the wheels off his car and turned the lug nuts the wrong way and breaks them ALL off.


I can't fathom anyone installing a chimney cap upside down.

This is just a case of someones head is off in the OZONES.

Does make a great roof drain though.

That 8 inch pipe will handle a metric Buttload of water. hh:

The same sort of mentality was at work in this next little ditty.

Saw a young fellow once skin the wrapper back on a twinky, stick a straw into the twinky. suck the filling out, then toss the twinky.

No real connection here, but this set the stage for what followed and it was a real mind blower, best left where it lies.


Snowy

 

[Scotte]

he forgot to install the toilet seat?

 

[smwilliamson]

Scott,

Given the design of a Harman Accentra Insert. How do you install a clean out T since you suggest every liner should have one installed? I've pondered this idea, I just haven't figured out the best way. Thanks

Both the Harman Accentra and the Quad CB 1200 have terrific designs for trapping ash prior to reaching the exhaust takeoff so ash in the liner is minimal...but hauling the Accentra out to even work on it disconnects the liner gasket...so having a T would be mute. Though I agree with your questioning.

 

[tinkabranc]

I do not trust any contractors. When I put an addition on my house about 10 years ago I had to hire a licensed plumber. In MA you are not even suppose to change a faucet without a permit, a licensed plumber and an inspection when the work is done. Of course I got ***** on the price, but after they left I ended up finding 5 water leaks that I had to fix. No, I am not a contractor, but I am not stupid either.

Shortstuff, I couldn't agree more. I encounter licensed professionals, Engineers & Contractors daily at work who have earned a "title" but I wouldn't trust to change a light bulb. Like we say at the office show me your work not your credentials.

Ain't this the truth.
If I hire someone to do a job, I expect it to be done right - no short cuts and no excuses.