[l33b0b51]

Having condensation problems around my chimney. Attaching pics, they look like it wasn't installed correctly.

 

[chandler48]

Do you have a picture from inside the house looking up at the transition into the ceiling? There should be a solid box to allow for a clearance to combustibles. Where are you seeing condensation? It really isn't evident in your photos. There will be almost no heat produced outside the triple wall pipe and if the box as I described was installed properly there should be no domestic air leaking into the attic. We'll wait on pic.

 

[l33b0b51]

Here are pictures of the fireplace, inside with flue closed and with flue closed. The condensation seems to drips down the chimney area to ceiling of porch below.

 

[chandler48]

That picture clarifies a lot. At first I thought it was a free standing stove with a ceiling thimble plate. Being a fireplace insert, it definitely was not installed properly. The tubing from the fireplace should have been continuous to the chimney shaft, as warm air is being directed up and down that tube and will surely condense. May want to call the chimney guy out there and have him evaluate what his guys did.

 

[l33b0b51]

New info from local chimney guy. Looking at the pics he described the outer pipes as collar in ceiling to attic to keep blown in insulation from contacting the main chimney. But it still seems to me that would allow the warmer area from the void above the insert fireplace to the rise to ceiling and through that collar. There must be a safe way to seal that. How is it sealed if there is no collar? Just packing the attic insulation around it? Incuding pic of chimney stack from outside. Thanks.

 

[chandler48]

The more you add, the better the picture gets. He is right, the metal ring is there to keep insulation 2" away from the walled pipe. The walled pipe is all that is necessary to carry the smoke and heat up and away. It goes continuously from the top of the fireplace to the exit at the bird cage cap.

Have you looked down into the cavity formed by the metal ring? It may be that it is not open to the area below.

 

[l33b0b51]

Looks like the air flow around the collar is blocked. I guess there is minimal warm air from inside getting through. So it must be the closeness of the collar to the roof line and the metal foil backed insulation inside the attic. There is only a few inches clearance, most installations probably have much more allowing the warm air from inside to dissipate more before contacting the metallic foil coating of the insulation thus causing the condensation problem I am having. Considering using a heat resistant expanding foam filler to seal it better.

 

[l33b0b51]

Any ideas?

 

[steves7839]

"Considering using a heat resistant expanding foam filler to seal it better."

I think I would start with that.