New PE FP30 with questions.

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Tater1985

Member
Jan 26, 2018
46
IN
Newbie looking for some insight on a few questions/concerns I have with my new PE FP30. The guys just finished the install Monday and I was wondering about the following:

My chimney pipe is DuraVent DuraTech 6" galvalume. Should the outside wall of this pipe be too hot to leave your hand on during a burn? I can quickly touch it to feel how hot it is, but can not leave my hand on it for more than maybe 1 second. This is on the first 4ft section of pipe off the top of my unit. I did check the pipe up in the attic as well, maybe 6-10ft above the unit, and it is still very warm up there, a bit cooler, but still not leaving your hand on it for a long time.

I have attached a picture of my OAK duct. Is it alright for this to be running across the top corner of the unit and touching my chimney pipe? Also, is it normal when I have it dampered down running on low for that OAK duct to get fairly warm to the touch pretty much anywhere shown in this picture? It dissapates as you feel the duct closer to the ceiling.

A DuraVent attic insulation shield was used where my chimney comes thru into the attic. However, this looks a little bit different than I was picturing, and wondered if anything appears to be alarming. I will say that this work was done prior to the insulation being blown, and just a small amount of insulation found its way in to the "box out" area for the chimney, maybe 1in of it. It was touching the larger OD shield but not the actual chimney pipe, the inside of the collar should be clean and empty still. Just wondering if we need to get all this our of that boxed out area between 2x4s and shield?

EDIT: I have read where some of the members here are placing a condar or similar stove top thermometer just above the left side if the door to monitor temps. Can someone post a picture? Anyone know if this will still work with the craftsman surround?

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Thanks for them help. Let me know if more info is needed.
 
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anything combustible touching the chimney needs to be moved away from it. class a has low clearances (2") but not no clearance. as for the OAK, i was always under the impression that you didn't want it higher than the firebox so it couldn't have the possibility of acting like a chimney in the event of a reverse draft.
 
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I’d build up a box around the transition to class A so that you can have your insulation come up to the outside of the box. Maintain your 2” clearances to combustibles. It’s hard to see if the paper backed insulation already there is greater than the 2” or not. There is a shield you can get from DuraVent that goes in above the transition box. It’s make of metal. You’d have to disconnect the chimney to get it in though.
 
anything combustible touching the chimney needs to be moved away from it. class a has low clearances (2") but not no clearance. as for the OAK, i was always under the impression that you didn't want it higher than the firebox so it couldn't have the possibility of acting like a chimney in the event of a reverse draft.
There is nothing combustable touching chimney, that 1in of insulation was touching the attic shield.

The install manual states that the OAK must terminate at least 5ft below your chimney. So they ran it up and out the side of the bottom portion of my exterior chase.

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I’d build up a box around the transition to class A so that you can have your insulation come up to the outside of the box. Maintain your 2” clearances to combustibles. It’s hard to see if the paper backed insulation already there is greater than the 2” or not. There is a shield you can get from DuraVent that goes in above the transition box. It’s make of metal. You’d have to disconnect the chimney to get it in though.
The paper backed insulation is probably 3-4in from the collar portion of the attic insulation shield, so prob a good 6-8in away from actual chimney pipe.

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Chimney pipe will get hot, especially right above the fireplace.
 
Is that wood framing just above and to the right front of the unit in your first picture? Where the metal studs used above the unit?
 
Is that wood framing just above and to the right front of the unit in your first picture? Where the metal studs used above the unit?
I asked about the metal studs that are shown in the install manual, and the reply i got was that when you are framing in an enclosure the studs that are used in that area are to be metal, however, the ones shown in the picture are old nailers for the last units blower vents. They have been cut away and there is about 4-5" of clear space between them and the top of the unit.

This was a retrofit install, not new construction, so there was no new framing for the stone oranything on the front of the unit.

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I am by no means a professional, but having anything combustible in that area above the unit would scare me. I believe the manual specifically calls this out. I am not trying to be a pain. I hate to see anyone get hurt is all.
I asked about the metal studs that are shown in the install manual, and the reply i got was that when you are framing in an enclosure the studs that are used in that area are to be metal, however, the ones shown in the picture are old nailers for the last units blower vents. They have been cut away and there is about 4-5" of clear space between them and the top of the unit.

This was a retrofit install, not new construction, so there was no new framing for the stone oranything on the front of the unit.

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I am by no means a professional, but having anything combustible in that area above the unit would scare me. I believe the manual specifically calls this out. I am not trying to be a pain. I hate to see anyone get hurt is all.
So i raised the question to the "professional" who is supposed to know these things. He said there was nothi g to worry about there. Short of calling the manufacturer im not sure what to do. And i was unable to find a number for PE.

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I agree, as a fp30 owner, I would not have wood studding above the firebox like that. The metal studs are required by as per the msnual. I'm confident in saying that you are risking disaster if they leave the wood studding.
 
page 40 of the manual: blue is combustible
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page 41 and this is painted on the unit:
upload_2018-10-27_22-49-33.png
 
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EDIT: I have read where some of the members here are placing a condar or similar stove top thermometer just above the left side if the door to monitor temps. Can someone post a picture? Anyone know if this will still work with the craftsman surround?
This can be done with the craftsman surround. I have the thermometer in this location(no idea what temps I should be getting in this spot). I have to open the door and then it can attachmagnetically to the unit. The door closes in front of it. To remove it I have to open the door as there isn't enough room.