help me out one & all
Vermont Castings Stardance direct vent gas stove unit ( faux wood fireplace lookalike ) vented up my old chimney filling old fireplace opening much like a woodstove insert
the airtight barrier from the outside world is a piece of sheetmetal creating a ceiling at the top of the fireplace box
the installers did a pretty good / half assed job
there are spaces on either side of this sheetmetal barrier say 1″ X 6″ that need to be filled ( both these areas at least 12″ away from stove & exhaust vent pipe )
and the worst spot the area up the middle where the two 3″ pipes go up the flue – some open voids I’d like to close
fantastic stove / heater / fireplace running w/ the widow slightly open is the scenario
Vermont Castings wants nothing to do w/ giving advice & I look at my installers as a last resort & I know the many woodburners / gas stove users must have some empirical evidence type advice
I’m thinking ( with hopefully an experienced nod ) that new fireblocking expanding foam for the areas not too close to high heat and then combo of rockwool & red RTV silicone for around pipes??
thanks John
Replies
Greetings john,
This post, in response to your question, will bump the thread through the 'recent discussion' listing again.
Perhaps it will catch someone's attention that can help you with advice.
Cheers
damn, am I fat!
its possible you saved a life with that layup, Saint Dave
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
thanks you guys for feedback & concernthe exhaust venting is all good & secure / all to factory specs in 3" pipe out proper stack 2 plus stories upwith the introduction of this new fixture I do have a CO detector - leaning to outlet behind TV at say 40" high rather than a lower wall outletthe questionable area (s) is the area of sheetmetal around the two 3" vent pipes - and the areas on either side where the firebox is a little bigger in front than back & the new manifold is squarein the meantime I've spoken to someone who has installed many & he recommended I stuff voids w/ rockwool ( sort of chinking )I'm running electrical today to eliminate ext cord hookup for testing fan so in next few days we'll use it for heating & I'll see how rockwool responds to whatever amount of heat is created in the exhaust pipe / rockwool about 7" horizontally from back of stoveThanks John
Makes me wonder how much more common the CM poisoning is than what the records show.
Remembering a number of years ago a friend was relating a situation he had at his new home in that he awoke in the middle of the night feeling ill.
It was some type of furnace malfunction and he sent the wife and kids to their mothers.
Needless to say he has CM detectors in his home now.
damn, am I fat!
Don't get wild with that foam yet. It will only make a mess of things and harder to correct.
I am not going to get too specific on this, for one reason because I am not that familiar with the gas versions of this, but something does not sound right beyond the sloppy plate fitting.
I have done about forty of thsoe BTW, but for wood appliamces, not gas.
First questuion is whether the installers are licensed to install gas appliances? If not, you can assume this is done wrong and that you may be getting carbon monoxide gas in your living space.
Here is the basis of my concern for you - a chimney flue in a fireplace is sized for the amt of exhaust gases it produces. for a wood burning open fireplace, that is geometricly larger than what is needed for a gas burner.
It sounds from what you say, that they have only vented a short distance beyond the plate they fitted poorly. That means that gasses meant to climb a warm 3 or 4 inch column are drifting and meandering slowly around in a cold flue trhat is at least 8x8 and probably more like 8x12 or larger. Not all of the exhaust is being lifted out of the flue because there is not enough draft.
So some of it spills back into the room via that poor fitting job att eh sealing plate.
IMO, and I could be wrong on this, the right installation is for exhaust pipe to run all the way out to the top of the chimney. Surely the instructions that came with the unit have something to say. If yuou or your installers have lost it, Google for it as a PDF document. I can gaurantee you the company has something very specific to say about how it should be installed and your statement that they are not being helpful signals me that they hear a hint that something is not up to snuff and once they get involved in a substandard installation, they assume liability.
Meanwhile kill that thing and get a CO tester until you are sure.
Signs of CO poisoning include red face headaches, and nausea - some flu-like feelings
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!