how often should you change chimney pipe?

How long does the pipe from the boiler to the chimney last before it needs to be replaced? Mine feels good still but I'd rather change it before it becomes an emergency shutdown problem in the winter. I am tempted to buy the double wall 25 year stuff when it needs to be changed, right now I have the pipe that comes flat and you snap it together. The only problem with the double wall is how to mount the baro?

If you keep the pipe clean and dry, it will last many years.. If you shut down the boiler, leave the ash in it, and have lots of humidity, it may not be good for more than one or two seasons.
You are burning your stove 12months/year right?? I would think it will last many years... I just 'thunk on it' with my fingers.. you can tell when it is getting thin..

Greg L

.

Stove pipe is not very expensive and is easy to replace. For your own peace of mind (and the money you save by using coal instead of oil), any time you you question the safety of the pipe ---- replace it. I would rather spend the money to replace the stove pipe than have to worry about it falling apart and killing me.


But then, that's just my opinion.

We have the same heavy gauge galvanized pipe that was installed 25 years ago and its not going anywhere. It's also been in use that whole 25 years so there is no chance for any mosture to get inside it. You don't need the double walled, get some heavy gauge galvanized.

If one is bad replace the lot, don't spot replace.

Now here's a question? I just got a used stove that was sitting for a year full of ash. The 5' vent pipe seems to be in good shape (no holes that i can see), but what do I know? I've never seen one of these things before. Should I put out another $1000 for a full chimney stainless steel liner installed or use this pipe for a year?

I am still unclear as to whether I MUST have that 25' liner in my terra cotta lined chimney versus this pipe as recommended by the manufacturer. Chimney sweeps have recommended the former, but Alaska stove and at least one dealer say that this short pipe through the damper with insulation to seal the opening is sufficient.

Your thoughts?

Flamingo26 wrote:I am still unclear as to whether I MUST have that 25' liner in my terra cotta lined chimney versus this pipe as recommended by the manufacturer.

You don't need it, they just want your money.

Follow the advice of Alaska stove and the dealer,, there is no need for a chimney liner if your terracotta chimney is in good shape and draws well. Just make sure you seal the area around the flue pipe so NO room air can get pulled up into the chimney,, and install a barometric damper, and set it correctly.


Greg L

I agree with Richard, my Mother's house has the same galvanized stove pipe for over twenty years. If the boiler has fire in it year round the stove pipe will last a long, long time. I take mine and my mothers pipe off once a year to dump the fly ash out and if it needed replaced I would be able to see it at that time.

Thanks for the replies. I installed the boiler with the used pipe that came with it last fall so I'll buy some new heavy gauge galvanized when I shut down for cleaning this year.

I have 2 sections of 6' black stove pipe running from the stove to the wall & I find that I can get maybe 5 years of service from them if I disconnect them & seal the hole in the wall for the summer. I used to just leave them connected but the humidity would rot them out in a year or two. (This also lets me dump out all the fly ash each year)