Broken Flue? How to Fix?

daluds · Post by **daluds** » Fri. Sep. 18, 2009 10:09 pm

Hello,

Does anyone know how to fix a broken flue? I noticed it while cleaning out the stove pipe and flue insert. Here are some pictures.

Thanks,

Dave

Freddy · Post by **Freddy** » Sat. Sep. 19, 2009 5:50 am

It's hard to tell from the pics. Is everything we're looking at stone, brick, etc, or is some of it metal? If it's stove, pieces of firebrick and furnace cemant should fix it. If it's metal it needs to be welded.

lowfog01 · Post by **lowfog01** » Sat. Sep. 19, 2009 6:48 am

daluds wrote:Hello,

Does anyone know how to fix a broken flue? I noticed it while cleaning out the stove pipe and flue insert. Here are some pictures.

Thanks,

Dave

Hi Dave,

Do you have any idea how this happened? The pictures look strange to me because the edge is straight and if it had broken I think the edge would be more ragged. If I didn't know when or how it happened I would be concerned that maybe there are other spots you can't see or access that are "broken" too. That happened to my neighbors. It was discovered that the flue had been installed incorrectly along the entire length of the chimney and to fix the problem they had to put an insert down the chimney. Without the insert they had a very real chance for a fire. I think I'd get a chimney guy in to check it out before I tried to fix it. I maybe being overly cautious but hey, why take a chance. Lisa

daluds · Post by **daluds** » Sat. Sep. 19, 2009 7:56 am

Fred,

Its made out of ceramic/clay flue blocks and around it is the chimney brick on the left side and cement on the right side. There is a fireplace above to the right.

Thanks,

Dave

CapeCoaler · Post by **CapeCoaler** » Sat. Sep. 19, 2009 9:08 am

Looks like a mismatch from when the chimney was built...
Round flue into a smaller square/rectangular flue tile...
If you are just burning coal some furnace cement to patch it up...
Wood is a different story with the creosote build up.

daluds · Post by **daluds** » Sat. Sep. 19, 2009 8:01 pm

I bought some furnace cement. I thought about using metal stucco mesh as a form for the cement, but not sure this will expand/contract with temperature changes causing the cement to crack. Any thoughts?

Dave

CapeCoaler · Post by **CapeCoaler** » Sat. Sep. 19, 2009 9:04 pm

Furnace cement strong...
I would not embed any metal...
As it will rust/corrode

daluds · Post by **daluds** » Sun. Sep. 20, 2009 9:49 pm

I patched it up with some furnace cement, and did use the stucco mesh to make a form for the cement. I'll check it in a few weeks to make sure its still in tack. The opening is much bigger now than it was originally so maybe the draft will be better.

Thanks for all the replies!

Freddy · Post by **Freddy** » Mon. Sep. 21, 2009 5:24 am

I think you'll be fine. Glad you got it repaired.

daluds · Post by **daluds** » Mon. Sep. 21, 2009 10:27 am

From the 2nd picture I posted, the flue insert stops on a ledge. Below is the clean out, but I noticed it is also open to the area around the flue insert up the chimney and presumably to the adjacent cleanout for the fireplace. What prevents air from going out these other paths? Does this affect the draft?

Thanks.

Broken Flue? How to Fix?

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