odd stove pipe predicament

[husky455rancher]

ok heres my predicament i have a fireplace insert (dutchwest). the problem is i have to crush the #### out of the flex pipe to fit it up my chimney. its hard to explain how the top of the fireplace is shaped(dunno the proper name for it). where the metal flapper thing on fireplaces go to open or close it. anyway its wide and very narrow. so the pipe from the stove is 8" if i remember right so i have to crush it almost in half so i can fit it up inside the chimney. i realize this is bad and i clean the pipe 1/2 way through the winter aswell just in case. i would like a real fix to the problem as i dont wanna keep rolling the dice on my stomp the pipe method.

is there a pipe made that has a built in reducer to 4 or 5 inch? or better yet 2 4" tubes would be fantastic. or am i looking into a custom? the more i think about it i think the 2 4" pipes or 2 of the biggest i can fit would be the way to go? any thoughts?

oh and yes i did take the metal flapper thing out of the fireplace and it made little to no difference in room gained, thanks Mike

 

[allthegross]

wow doesnt sound to safe to me and would think about cleaning it more than once depending on how much you burn. then again i clean mine a little to much bout every 2 cord or so and i burn six to seven a year. I would think you could get some help from the manufacture of the flex pipe. i dont think crushing it is recommended but im not sure. have you checked to see if you could find something that would fit better....kind of tough to understand with out seeing it

 

[husky455rancher]

oh i know its not safe. i prolly burn about 3 cord a year. last 2 years i cleaned it out in january and its just been a little dirty but i want to get a better setup as im not comfortable this way.

 

[Booshcat]

Sounds like an original..
Its pretty common to have to flatten the flex somewhat to make it through the damper area, for an insert, but down to 4" (square??) is tough.
I would log into ********** and look around and maybe do a search.
********** is to woodstoves and heating as Arboristsite is to chainsaws.
Hows that for my analogy of the day.

 

[husky455rancher]

cool ill check it out i see i can but 8 to 6: reducers but i dont think 6 would fit

 

[Zodiac45]

I installed a Jotul on the hearth with flex flue and found it easiest too remove the damper flaps all together. I then got a piece of plate too fit the space and had a hole cut into it for the pipe. This closed off the opening for heat loss and keeps the flex pipe centered.

 

[boostnut]

Do you intend to return the fireplace back to its original use in the future? If not you may want to cut the damper frame area out for clearance. I did this using a cut off disc on a 4" angle grinder, I've heard of some others using a sawzall. Also, there are adapters available that transition from round to oval. 2 of these might do the trick although I bet they are pricey. Good luck!

 

[dustytools]

ok heres my predicament i have a fireplace insert (dutchwest). the problem is i have to crush the #### out of the flex pipe to fit it up my chimney. its hard to explain how the top of the fireplace is shaped(dunno the proper name for it). where the metal flapper thing on fireplaces go to open or close it. anyway its wide and very narrow. so the pipe from the stove is 8" if i remember right so i have to crush it almost in half so i can fit it up inside the chimney. i realize this is bad and i clean the pipe 1/2 way through the winter aswell just in case. i would like a real fix to the problem as i dont wanna keep rolling the dice on my stomp the pipe method.

is there a pipe made that has a built in reducer to 4 or 5 inch? or better yet 2 4" tubes would be fantastic. or am i looking into a custom? the more i think about it i think the 2 4" pipes or 2 of the biggest i can fit would be the way to go? any thoughts?

oh and yes i did take the metal flapper thing out of the fireplace and it made little to no difference in room gained, thanks Mike

If you want to keep the volume of one 8inch pipe you will have to use atleast four 4" pipes instead of two. Two 4" pipes would only be about half of your 8" pipe.

 

[husky455rancher]

boost i thought of cutting it up but i have no idea whats behind that metal. do i have to do anything so my house dont burn down or can i just cut it out? i guess what i mean is it chimney behind there? i would cut it out if it was safe sure. as much as i like the fireplace i dont see me using it again, the insert is so much better.


i do realize that 2 4" pipes isnt the same area as a 8" one but now my 8" tube is literally crushed to 1/2 size to get it to fit.


i gotta clean the stove , chimney and figure what to do with my pipe sometime when i do ill take some pics.

 

[Mike Van]

A good sheetmetal man could make you a piece to go from the back of the insert at 8" round to a 4" x 12" or 14" rectangle that would slip right up the damper - My 2 cents - I wouldn't start hacking the inside of the fireplace apart, but hey, it's your place.

 

[husky455rancher]

i thought about that but id have to get a guy in here i think to see it nothings a straight shot everythings angled....everywhere.

 

[LTREES]

I had no intensions to go back to a heat sucking fire place, so I used a sawzall. The stove I have has a beautiful glass front. Try to get your hand behind the piece of steal and see if there is any concrete there. I'd also would try to neck it down to 6" pipe. no smaller.