Furious with my chimney installer

[Ashful]

I wish. In fact, the flange could be removed, it's not doing anything, but the liner is just flush with the plate, which seems to butt up against the bottom of the 8" clay tile liner.

 

[HotCoals]

take off the plate and after hooking stuff up shove roxul or whatever it's called up there?

 

[HotCoals]

Another stupid question..lol.

Can you unbolt the block off plate then hook stuff up then slide the plate back up?

 

[begreen]

Duraliner joints get pop-riveted, not screwed.

.

 

[Ashful]

I'll have to check. He put a crimp on the bottom of the liner, so as to make it slide into the stovepipe, so there's no chance of using an appliance connector, the way I had done on the other fireplace. I believe the liner actually ends up inside the 8" ID clay tile flue, meaning any screws, pop rivets, whatever, would have to go from the inside, out. I do believe the only truly kosher way to make a connection from flex liner to stove pipe is with an appliance adaptor, and do not think that this can be put on without extending the liner. Looks like that's what I'll be doing... if I can find the materials.

 

[Hogwildz]

There has got to be an adapter available for this. I seem to remember others on here using a liner to splice adapter or liner to pipe adapter in similar situations. Otherwise, time for a new liner. It is not hard to install a liner and cut off the excess, even with insulation wrapped around it. Did the same thing for a member on here last year I think it was. So the installer is just full of shat with that excuse.

 

[tom dee]

the wrapping for faster heat up / draft ?? I do some firewall penetrations for an industrial HVAC co.. all i can say get the heck out of acommercial build in a disaster Quickly unless designed for said disasters you will be hurt

 

[webby3650]

He put a crimp on the bottom of the liner, so as to make it slide into the stovepipe, so there's no chance of using an appliance connector,

The crimp won't prevent an appliance connector from being used, If you can reach it that is.

If he had a tape measure, he could have figured out where to stop the insulation, then cut the liner to the right length after it was dropped.

 

[Ashful]

Yep... the wrap was to improve draft. The chimney height is only about 18 feet on that install, and with the 8" clay tile liner in an exterior masonry chimney, I was having problems with back-puffing. The theory was that I could improve draft and reduce back-puffing with an insulated liner slid inside the masonry flue. It does seem to help... a little.

I'll call the installer and discuss with him on Monday. A flag stone top has to be pulled to access this, which makes the job a little more difficult than otherwise. I'm going to get him out here to make it right, but I'll be here watching him this time. If he doesn't offer to replace the whole thing, I'll probably suggest pen's solution, adding to the top and sliding the whole thing down.

 

[mfglickman]

Scary discovery, to be sure. Glad you did not have a house fire from it.

At very least it seems if the liner were cut short, screws or no screws, he owes you a new liner...?

 

[Ashful]

Okay... update! I removed the block-off plate that he added (stupid sheet of stainless with the useless collar), and exposed the original block-off plate, installed by the guys who put the new brick and clay chimney on this old fireplace in 1994:



So, as anticipated, he ended the liner flush with the bottom of the clay liner. However, I'm happy to see there's plenty of room for the clamp of an appliance adaptor. The only challenge is getting it up onto there and clamped! A 5/16" socket on a small 1/4" ratchet might just squeeze in there. If not, I'll be looking for a way to drop the liner down a bit to make the connection, and then pull it back up.

At very least it seems if the liner were cut short, screws or no screws, he owes you a new liner...?

That would make it right, but I've dealt with enough contractors to not expect much. As rdust suggested, I think I'm just going to cut my losses, here.

 

[Ashful]

Hey... where's the best place to buy chimney components? Looking for an appliance adaptor and a telescoping stovepipe.

Thanks!

edit: nevermind... already ordered an appliance adaptor and telescoping pipe from Rockford Supply.

 

[webby3650]

It looks like there is plenty of room to get a ratchet in there.
What was wrong with the "stupid" SS plates and collar? It looked pretty good!

I would at least give the guy the chance to come out and make it right. It's only missing a very small part! Easy fix.

 

[Ashful]

"stupid" because it wasn't doing anything. It was a sheet of stainless with a collar on it, and the collar served no purpose. Keep in mind, this is 9 feet up inside of a fireplace where you need a ladder and a flashlight to see it, so looks aren't important, but function is!

No need to have him back out. I've already got the parts on order, and trust my own work more than his.

 

[clemsonfor]

In Mass there is a remediation process for licensed home improvement installers. You file a claim to the state to the fund and the fund pays the claim and tracks the complaints against the fund and if too many, the installer lose their license. Licensing fees paid to the state fund the "fund" . Check to see if CT has such a system. Designed several years ago to keep such things out of small claim court and also to track the performance of the installers/Home Improvement professionals etc.

So you call a public fund first and that increases license fees and government burocracy and possibly lessons the pot for someone who actually may need the help for something serious that they cant afford?? I think this should be a last resort if the contractor does not pay to redo it. And most states I think don't have anything like this. That sounds like a socialist system to me!!

 

[clemsonfor]

Scary discovery, to be sure. Glad you did not have a house fire from it.

At very least it seems if the liner were cut short, screws or no screws, he owes you a new liner...?

Located 9ft up inside a current chimney with no combustibles inside I don't think there could be a chimney fire that could get out and do anything? After all the fire place was designed to be filled with burning wood and sending hot embers up that area in the first place. It could smoke up the house and give smoke damage.

 

[pen]

Located 9ft up inside a current chimney with no combustibles inside I don't think there could be a chimney fire that could get out and do anything? After all the fire place was designed to be filled with burning wood and sending hot embers up that area in the first place. It could smoke up the house and give smoke damage.

That's assuming that the chimney was originally up to par and which now has a good many years on it, is up to the task yet.

Doesn't hurt a bit that he's making sure what he does, is done well.

pen

 

[mfglickman]

Located 9ft up inside a current chimney with no combustibles inside I don't think there could be a chimney fire that could get out and do anything? After all the fire place was designed to be filled with burning wood and sending hot embers up that area in the first place. It could smoke up the house and give smoke damage.

His chimney like mine is nearly 300 years old. I sleep better knowing we have a correct liner, which is, after all, what he purchased.

 

[Ashful]

One of each, actually! The chimney where I installed the new stove is indeed 240 years old, and very questionable. However, the chimney where this old stove is located is actually a new clay tile and brick unit placed on an old fireplace, around 1994.

When there's a big backpuff or chimney fire, and those three 30" sections of stovepipe held by nothing but gravity become disconnected, who knows where the pieces may land? On the carpet? Will hot embers spew? Also, this chimney now has a 6" liner, hardley adequate to provide draft for a 30 square foot opening. There would be smoke damage to the house, at the very least!

 

[clemsonfor]

That's assuming that the chimney was originally up to par and which now has a good many years on it, is up to the task yet.

Doesn't hurt a bit that he's making sure what he does, is done well.

pen

Yea I see your point, I would make it safe and right but I would not be so sure that if some flames spill out that the house is and instant goner.

 

[Ashful]

Yea I see your point, I would make it safe and right but I would not be so sure that if some flames spill out that the house is and instant goner.

You're almost certainly right, but life is a game of chance. I'm just looking to improve my odds.

In the end, I agreed to pay a reasonable amount of money to have a specific job done in a very specific way... or at the very least, to NFPA guidelines. I paid, but the job was not done.

 

[clemsonfor]

if any of you followed my thread where I put the small vogelzang in my farm house I had some smoke spillage to say the least!! Luckily I did not have a full load of wood in it, cause I would have had to throw water into it if I did What happened was I had some small sticks and paper and such checking draft and looking for leaks at the connection, then all of a sudden no draft and smoke started spilling into the room. I shut door and it was spilling out of the vents. The insulation blanket at the top of the stove got sucked into the flue collar and blocked 100% of the draft off. there was smoke to say the least. Not so bad I had to vacate the house I sat with it and opened windows and put the fan in the close window blowing outside, the window looked like a chimney from the outside!! But no damage to say, it smells no more like a fireplace than it ever did inside.

 

[clemsonfor]

You're almost certainly right, but life is a game of chance. I'm just looking to improve my odds.

In the end, I agreed to pay a reasonable amount of money to have a specific job done in a very specific way... or at the very least, to NFPA guidelines. I paid, but the job was not done.

im agreeing with you id be even madder than you seem to be in this situation. This is why I do most of my own stuff and when I do pay for it I baby sit the guys.

They did not do what you paid for and that's pretty sorry especially since he knew what needed to be done as he told you how to hook the second one right???

 

[webby3650]

This is why I do most of my own stuff and when I do pay for it I baby sit the guys.

Well, it shouldn't be this way. Too many companies hire hokey jokeys without the proper training or experience!

 

[clemsonfor]

Webby you are correct but sadly your are correct. To many folks that are there for the minimal amount they make and have no pride or care in what they are doing for the person who is paying. That is why when I have work done on my home I have to take those days off. Not that I don't trust who I hire but that I don't think that they can keep up with all that is going o, on a given job. Even though my roof was done by pros that came highly recommended and the owners brother was the crew foreman I was there and up on the roof watching and looking at nail location and counting per shingle every so often and watching how they flashed etc. I have an idea of how to do it but never done more than small stuff or patches and did not have the time to do my whole house my self. I watched and If I really did not know how or why a certain step was done or why I asked him and he explained it good enough that I felt he knew what he was talking about. When I had certain requests about venting etc they did what I wanted no questions.

Would I have got the same job had they not seen me out there every hour or so, probably but would I have ever known....no?