Liner install today - what a pain in my backside

[CarbonNeutral]

For reasons talked about in other forum posts I decided to go with a Simpson oval insulated liner - it comes in sections you rivet together. I did a fair bit of prep work as my boiler flue exits right next to the fireplace flue. I needed to cut the oil flue down by 4" to allow the top plate of the simpson to sit properly, and do some metal bending on the top plate.

Two of us were on the roof with some safety lines - I would drag a section of flue up, rivet it to the previous one, release the woodworking clamps, drop the liner down, reclamp, rinse, repeat.

All fine until one of the joints sheared off, leaving one section at the top of the chimney, dropping the other three 10' down the flue until they hit the smokeshelf. We did have a safety rope that was attached to the bottom section, so we were able to drag it back up.

Upon inspection, my rivets held, but the there is a small connector section at the top of the pipe - this is also riveted on with small rivets. All five of these had broken. I have a suspicion my clamps had pulled the pipe out of true, but the connector piece was stronger, which pulled the rivets mostly out. Luckily they were easy to drill out and replace.

I would guess that the rivets that were in the sections that dropped the 10' may be compromised by the impact, but I had always intended to support the liner from the bottom anyway for my piece of mind and because of the way I will be sweeping the chimney (another forum post). Now I definitely will....

Not particularly overwhelmed by the Simpson - even without the shear which was probably my fault, the parts didn't fit together fantastically - ended up redrilling one or two pieces as there was no way the holes could be matched. A minor gripe, but also, if you're up a chimney with the rivets - would it have hurt to have put one extra rivet in each pack?

 

[jtp10181]

Yeah we carry an extra pack of rivets when working with this stuff, in case one falls off the roof or down the flue. Never had any probs with it falling apart though.

Also, the top clamp is designed to support the pipe as you drop it down, but maybe it was easier for you to use your clamps? It is kind of a pain to keep adjusting the bolts on the clamp that comes with the cap kit.

 

[CarbonNeutral]

Was going to use the top clamp, but wanted to avoid loosening the bolts - the top clamp barely fits round anyway, so I could see the bolts dropping off every time I loosened- clamps were okay as long as you kept them away from the ends - with all the sections on, they didn't hold perfectly though. Lessons learerd..

 

[Hogwildz]

I used their round insulated double wall rigid.
I feel it is a good sturdy product. Had no issues with fit.
I did the install solo, and yes that was a PITA.
I used a length or romex electric wiring, wrapped it around the pipe which would choke around the pipe from the pipe's weight and hold it from falling, and tied it off to my step ladder I was on.
I would connect, loosen wire, slide pipe down, tighten wire, install next section, etc etc.
I have been using a steel brush the last 3 years, but admit to purchasing a poly brush last weekend. If it works, I will switch to the poly.
Did you use flex for the last 5'?

 

[CarbonNeutral]

I did use flex for the section through the smoke stack - I had bought the insulating sleeve - I couldn't send the sleeve down the flue (there was a reason I had to use oval), so my plan was to lower the liner all the way, then put it on. That didn't exactly happen - the inside of the sleeve is just insulation, so as soon as I tried to thread it on, it all just bunched up - they should have had a smooth inside to it, like the outside...

So instead I just pushed a whole load of mineral rockwool up into the smoke chamber. With the block off plate, it will be fine...

 

[jtp10181]

Yeah, my install crew usually tells me to stick the insulation sleeve up my you know what....

Its not easy to get down when the flue is just under 7" ID.

 

[Hogwildz]

My double wall is pre insulated, I didn't insulate the last 5' of flex.
I wanted to let the brick around the box take in the heat and radiate it back out.

 

[jtp10181]

Yeah we are just talking about the flex. You are technically supposed to insulate any of the flex above the smoke shelf, for the 0" / 0" clearance (masonry, and masonry to combustibles).

 

[CarbonNeutral]

Yeah we are just talking about the flex. You are technically supposed to insulate any of the flex above the smoke shelf, for the 0" / 0" clearance (masonry, and masonry to combustibles).

Exactly, and given the way my house is built... The rockwool pretty much is covering the pipe now anyway.

 

[CarbonNeutral]

Worked out my support for the liner - as I said, I always wanted to support it from the bottom as well - just gives me more peace of mind when I'm sleeping/sweeping. Quite pleased with the way it works - you won't be able to see any of it as the hearth is being closed off...