Below grade install

[flati]

Hello gang,

I'm new here and have a lot to learn so I'm counting on your help. I just had a Buck Model 74 wood burner installed by a local installer but I'm questioning the cleanout. The triple wall pipe exits the basement below grade unfortunately so the installer dug what was necessary to allow the pipe to exit the basement and for the clean out attachment but as you can see in my picture the clean out is now resting on the ground and will offer absolutely no access. What should/could have been done for this particular application?

 

[edyit]

i have a friend that has a basement install like this. we ended up digging deeper around it so he had space to get tot the clean out. he used paving bricks for the floor and built a "box" out of metal roofing for the 3 walls and top. when he cleans he takes the box out so he can pull the cap off the bottom then cleans from the top down and shop vacs everything out of the hole and puts the box back in. not the easiest of operations but it's better than the alternative of it filling in.

 

[Simonkenton]

Very interesting install, I have never seen one done like that. I think edyit made a good suggestion, dig deep around the connection so that you can at least unscrew the cap and put a bag down there to collect soot.
Then clean from the top down.

What in the world did the contractor expect you to do, never clean the pipe? You ought to call him up and ask him that question.

 

[bholler]

Very interesting install, I have never seen one done like that. I think edyit made a good suggestion, dig deep around the connection so that you can at least unscrew the cap and put a bag down there to collect soot.
Then clean from the top down.

What in the world did the contractor expect you to do, never clean the pipe? You ought to call him up and ask him that question.

Suck it out from inside sometimes there just is no other option

 

[snaple4]

My concern is when it rains a lot and that hole fills up with water. I would dig it out and put a drain in.

Last thing you want is to walk down into the basement and find a pool starting.

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[Alexander L]

^^^ That is what I was thinking. I would want to see some sort of drain (french) that would direct water away from filling that hole.

 

[sportbikerider78]

That certainly is interesting. That would never work here, as that pit would fill with snow and water. Maybe there is a roof-line we can't see that covers it.

Right now, the cleanout does nothing for you.

 

[Simonkenton]

That's true the hole could fill with water. Just a badly designed install.

 

[bholler]

My concern is when it rains a lot and that hole fills up with water. I would dig it out and put a drain in.

Last thing you want is to walk down into the basement and find a pool starting.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Yes that is a real concern. When we do it we dig atleast 2' down and fill with gravel. Then make a cover for the hole

 

[begreen]

Another thing to watch out for is leaves accumulating in the pit around the chimney pipe. They are combustible.