# Can't decide, Best quality Selkirk or Duravent Chimney



## JPapiPE (Jul 21, 2008)

I remember when I was just a wee lad in my early twenties some 35 years ago and Selkirk metalbesto's was the only chimney pipe one could buy. Now Simpson has entered the picture with chimney pipe. Before that Simpson's claim to fame was metal joist, roof, rafter and post hangers(can't sag line) and their Truss type floor joist called T.J.I.'s.
I never had a problem with the Selkirk Metalbesto's and that was in the day when combustibles could be put against the pipe although fire experts always advised a 1" space between pipe and combustibiles. Also it was advised that insulation be placed up tight to the metalbesto's pipe. I never had a house burn down yet, althought I've only done 5 or 6 easy installs with shingle roofs, close to the ridge or with a masonry thimbal already there.. I was only a journeyman carpenter then and some customers were so enamored with our crew, that they wanted us to do all the work.  So we did it.

I was particularly drawn to the explanation of the duravent chimney insulation construction and how it responds and keeps it's shape during a chimney fire. Perhaps Selkirks does the same thing, but they just don't spell it out. After all they have had some 40 years to perfect their pipe. I think the Selkirk is cheaper and sold a Lowes while the Simpson Duravent is somewhat more expensive and sold at Home Depot.

Any comments? I want to buy my pipe from a dealer with the fullest line in stock and of coarse it must be safe in a chimney fire. Selkirk or Simpson?
Thanks Joe


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## WOODBUTCHER (Jul 21, 2008)

Slekirk has been around for 75 years and makes one hell of a product.
It is stated in the manuel that nothing is to be touching the pipe including any type of high temp insulation (ceramic/wool type)


WoodButcher


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## begreen (Jul 21, 2008)

Both good products. My last stack was Metalbestos. It was still in good shape after 20+ years. Now I have a Simpson installation and it is very nice too.  Pick the one that has all the parts you need to proceed with a first-class installation.


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## Hanko (Jul 21, 2008)

selkirk (metal bestos), much higher quality, although the good simpson stuff aint bad either.


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## SamC (Jul 21, 2008)

I bought mine at Lowes.  It is their Supervent line they sell there.  I gave the old Vigilant a new chimey this year.  Nice product Very easy to install, the hardest part was dealing with Lowes.  The 8"  Class A chimney I bought there was 105$ for each 3 foot section.  I believe the 6" was in the mid 70$  range per 3 feet.  They stock 6" that is why there is a price difference.  But if you do have to order anything it takes forever.  Mine took over a month to arrive.  They also have the through the roof kit, I believe that is another 150$ or around there.  Happy burning


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## Noah (Jul 21, 2008)

The local stove shop here swears by the ICC Excel chimney which is probably what I will end up with since I can't get the Dura vent dealer to return my call with a quote.


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## blel (Jul 21, 2008)

I have also been wondering about the Selkirk- Duravent choice. The Selkirk line I have been looking at is the "Metalbestos" line. This includes Ultra Temp, Sure Temp, and Galv Temp. The line that Lowes sells is Super Vent. Sure Temp is what a lot of on- line places sell. They tend to have a lot of the parts available, although not everybody has everything. I've found the Sure Temp to be considerably cheaper than the Dura Tech product. As mentioned, Dura Tech claims that their "blanket insul" is better, does this really make a difference? I talked to customer service at Selkirk and they were extremely helpful and pleasant. One thing they told me was that If you use the Super Vent (Lowes), you cannot have an exterior offset. Sure Temp does allow an ext offset. I just wonder if the extra $ for the Dura Tech is worth it.

If anyone wants, I will tell you where I found the best prices for the Sure Temp. Also the Cust. Service ext  that I talked to at Selkirk. Don't want to clutter up the forum with prices as per Moderator.


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## Valkyrie Rider (Jul 21, 2008)

I bought the Simpson Dura-Vent since I got an AWESOME deal through the plumbing/heating supply house we use at work. It looks like TOP NOTCH product. I have yet to use it as this will be my first use of it in my new wood stove.


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## stoveguy2esw (Jul 21, 2008)

both are high quality lines. i have used almost exclusively simpson , though i know several folks who use and fully trust the selkirk line as well. both carry ul103HT certification. i cant see you going wrong with either brand


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## blel (Jul 22, 2008)

I guess my question is, if both meet all the standards and I really don't hear anything really bad about either one, why spend the extra money for the Dura Tech? Does their "insulation blanket" really make a difference?
By the way, thanks for all the helpful info on this site. I bought a Englander 13 but haven"t received it yet. Soon come.


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## webbie (Jul 22, 2008)

I think there is something to that - if they both meet the standards, which are MUCH more than you will probably do to it in the real world, then a more expensive product may have no benefit.

Dura, BTW, has been around since I started and before...at least the early 1970's. 

Our shop sold Metalbestos HT (wood) ......but Dura pellet and gas vent.


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## Ken45 (Jul 22, 2008)

Okay, I'm getting confused.  Too many variables?   I've had an estimate for installing Metalbestos.   Are there different grades?  He said it only had a ten year warranty whereas I know Duravent is much longer (25 yr/lifetime)

I had been leaning toward prefering the DuraVent but this guy's supplier doesn't carry it.  Should we go with the Metalbestos?   

I did notice DuraVent today at TSC.   I'm surprised (dismayed?)

Thanks,

Ken
new PE Summit and 5 cords waiting for a chimney and winter


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## Valkyrie Rider (Jul 22, 2008)

Ken45 said:
			
		

> Okay, I'm getting confused.  Too many variables?   I've had an estimate for installing Metalbestos.   Are there different grades?  He said it only had a ten year warranty whereas I know Duravent is much longer (25 yr/lifetime)
> 
> I had been leaning toward prefering the DuraVent but this guy's supplier doesn't carry it.  Should we go with the Metalbestos?
> 
> ...



My local Home Depot also stocks Dura-Vent.


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## johnvuk (Jul 23, 2008)

Hey everyone - John V. (VP Marketing/Selkirk)..... to try to get the best info out there:
- Selkirk uses Solid Pack insulation
- SDV uses Blanket insulation in Dura-Tech (at Wholesalers), Triple Wall in Dura-Plus (at Home Depot)
We feel (and tests prove) that Solid Pack does a better job at insulating - keeping the flue gases hotter for a better draft & keeping the outer skin temps lower for safety. No "hot spots" as the insulation heats/cools during repeated use.
I could go on (and on) but that is basically the info (as we see it) re: quality.


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## begreen (Jul 23, 2008)

Welcome John. I've read some concerns about the settling over time of the mineral slag insulation used for solid pack insulation. How would you address this concern? Do you have documented comparison testing of solid pack outer wall temps and flue gas temps vs blanket insulation that corroborates these claims? If so, can you provide a link to the results?


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## johnvuk (Jul 23, 2008)

The issue of "settling" is mainly attributed to silica-sand "loose fill" designs - mid 1990's or older. I believe there is some older SDV DuraPlus literature floating around that attributes this to Solid Pack - but that is not our experience.
We have some independent lab results on skin temps done a few years back, but the info is not posted online.


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## JPapiPE (Jul 23, 2008)

Almost sounds like the Selkirk rep is skirting the issue of solid pack insulation settling vs Blanket type insulation in the Simpson line.  That issue would be a major break through for Selkirk, and i would think their AD men would jump on that piece of positive news and squeeze it for all it is worth. I also think it would draw many more solid fuel burners to the Selkirk line. So why wouldn't Selkirk publish and embellish those results? They are a multi million $ corp or maybe even a billion $ corp. So keeping their tests out of the public eye makes one think that that Selkirk is being not completely forthright. I do think I still might go with the double wall Simpson Duravent lin sold Home Depot. Only because it is sold at more places and merchandise is easy to return there.  
I have used Selkirk in many of my stove installtions, but none has had a chimney fire, as I try to burn wood  intelligently and keep the chimney clean. I have never had a problem with Metalbestos products. So In all fairness to John V.P. at Selkirk we should hear what he has to say.


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## johnvuk (Jul 23, 2008)

No, that is not true at all. The Solid Pack insulation does not settle - not skirting the issue.
The test results involve comparative temperature tests and some of the evidence can be damaging to some of our competitors - not posting the results is a legal liability issue. I will try to figure out how to best communicate a summary of the results - without geting sued.


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## begreen (Jul 23, 2008)

Thanks John. To clarify, I was impressed by how well the 20 year old Metalbestos pipe I removed stood up. It was still in great shape. I'm a little dubious about the total superiority of the insulation, especially as providing a significant increase in the flue gas temps, but would welcome lab data confirming this. Not sure how publishing independent lab testing results would be a legal matter, but law is not my strong suit. Regardless, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Selkirk pipe.

In the meantime, maybe hearth.com members that have both flue and IR thermometers can do some field testing this winter and see how much heat our class A stacks are radiating? It will be much more subjective, but should be interesting and give us another excuse to play with our toys .


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## Metal (Jul 23, 2008)

johnvuk said:
			
		

> The issue of "settling" is mainly attributed to silica-sand "loose fill" designs - mid 1990's or older. I believe there is some older SDV DuraPlus literature floating around that attributes this to Solid Pack - but that is not our experience.
> We have some independent lab results on skin temps done a few years back, but the info is not posted online.



Check out Duravent's website: http://www.duravent.com/?page=1c.php
Read the paragraphs on the right hand side.


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## webbie (Jul 24, 2008)

Pretty strong stuff for DV to claim their competitors start fires! That goes past marketing! It is the old FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt).....

In the 30 years of installing chimneys at our store - Hart and Cooley, Pro-Jet and Metalbestos....we never had a situation where a chimney caused a house fire. I did know of one such fire through another dealer, but this was a multi-fuel furnace where the installer had oversized the oil nozzle and about 350,000 BTU's was being sent up a short chimney rated for much less....even that fire was never solved as to the exact cause. 

Bottom line - I would not hesitate to put any of these major brands in my house - installed properly. I would sleep well.


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