That is not true at all gas liners are very high quality stainless and they are magnetic and the outer shell on most class a is magnetic as well I cant remember the alloy they use now but it has higher corrosion resistance but not the heat resistance that is needed for the interior liner
Chimney Install - So what exactly is a “Professional Installer?”
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I base my facts on recycle prices. Higher quality SS is much more valuable and is always tested as non-magnetic. Low quality SS that is magnetic goes in with scrap steel - cheap.
There are many, many kinds and grades of SS and higher grades contain more chromium and nickel, which makes it non-magnetic. It is entirely possible that the interior liner of my chimney may be a higher grade than the exterior, as I did not test the inside. I would have thought that the high cost of chimneys would give consumers a higher grade of stainless. Apparently not.
To say that a very high quality stainless is magnetic is simply not true in my books. It may be 'good enough' and that's all. I've worked with both toxic chemicals as well as with exhaust hoods used in restaurants and industry and all stainless used is always non-magnetic.
There are many, many kinds and grades of SS and higher grades contain more chromium and nickel, which makes it non-magnetic. It is entirely possible that the interior liner of my chimney may be a higher grade than the exterior, as I did not test the inside. I would have thought that the high cost of chimneys would give consumers a higher grade of stainless. Apparently not.
To say that a very high quality stainless is magnetic is simply not true in my books. It may be 'good enough' and that's all. I've worked with both toxic chemicals as well as with exhaust hoods used in restaurants and industry and all stainless used is always non-magnetic.
i never said that all high quality ss is magnetic most is not but the fact that it is magnetic has nothing to do with the quality or price. But yes for scrap if it is magnetic you wont get anything for it. And i doubt that your inner liner is magnetic it is probably either 304 or 316 neither of which are magnetic
Simonkenton
Minister of Fire
Vigil, you are a man after my own heart. I also built my house, and did everything except the plumbing. Just don't like plumbing. Love to do that wiring, though.
blueguy
Feeling the Heat
Excel is a lifetime warranty.
Edit: For their chimney, the first 10 years is free replacement, after 10 years they prorate it at 50%. The UltraBlack is lifetime no receipt required.
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brenndatomu
Minister of Fire
So you get your facts from the guys at the scrap yard? That sounds dangerous...tall tales maybe, but real facts, nah.
Magnetism is not a good way to tell SS quality at all. 304 is considered non-magnetic but 304 nuts/bolts usually are magnetic, it's because of the manufacturing process the metal goes through to the final product. Here is a link from Fastenal that explains the details of it all. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...sYHYAg&usg=AFQjCNH5kTTCaxQNjvvrbR0C9rSHecwbBg
My insurance company wanted to know who installed the liners and stoves. I gave them the name of my small business that is licensed in VA. The funny part was having to give the county inspector the short course on chimney liners. He had never seen one before.
Sorry for the delay in reply. I've been super busy and it took a week to get an answer from ICC.
I checked the web site and the manual. The warranty is for 'perforation'. If you have holes in your SS chimney, they will give you a new section in the first 10 years or prorated after that. I'm not impressed.
If I had to do it over again, I would have bought another brand and I should have checked the quality of the SS used prior to buying it. My bad. My 3 month old Excel 8" chimney already is badly stained at the top. The Security Chimney on my 30 yr. old 6" chimney looks like the day it was installed - stains on the cap but nothing on the chimney. Do I think the Excel uses cheap stainless - YES!
I checked the web site and the manual. The warranty is for 'perforation'. If you have holes in your SS chimney, they will give you a new section in the first 10 years or prorated after that. I'm not impressed.
OK, I agree magnetism is not related to price, except at the scrap yard. However, I finally got the info (a week after asking) on Excel chimney and the outside is 434 and the inside is 304. After a lot of searching, 434 is a much cheaper SS - which is EXACTLY what I had posted. Actually 434 is not all that common due to it's lower qualities and was mostly used for chrome trim on cars (think rust). Depending upon the supplier, it varies from 35 to 50% less in price from 304.
If I had to do it over again, I would have bought another brand and I should have checked the quality of the SS used prior to buying it. My bad. My 3 month old Excel 8" chimney already is badly stained at the top. The Security Chimney on my 30 yr. old 6" chimney looks like the day it was installed - stains on the cap but nothing on the chimney. Do I think the Excel uses cheap stainless - YES!
blueguy
Feeling the Heat
Staining will wash away in the rain. Mine has done that over the last 3 winters and in the first spring rain, it's new looking again with no stain.
Ok all companies use lesser quality ss on the outside they dont need the high quality stuff there they only need corrosion resistance which mid 400 series ss has good corrosion resistance. The price would be much higher needlessly if they used 304 or 316 inside and out
this is what you said previously which is not true and they use the right materials for the application they are being used for plain and simple they save money where they can that in no way makes it a poor product Just because it costs less does not mean it will rust. It is the industry standard the cheap stuff uses galvanized stuff on the outside and some use 400 series on the interior.
A "professional" first and foremost has a Contractor's License. Next is full insurance including liability, workman's comp, and errors and omissions. Finally, of course is actual experience doing what you are hiring him (or her) to do. References help.
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