Chestnut Hill Chimney & Hearth
(603) 755-4835
Metal chimneys can be used to vent any appliance. The type and size of the metal chimney is determined by the appliance that is being vented.
You can install an appliance almost anywhere in a room, not just next to
an existing masonry chimney.
You can install an appliance that won't properly vent through an
existing chimney for size or safety reasons.
The appliance drafts better, because the chimney is the exact size that
is needed.
The chimney is easier to maintain and clean as metal does not absorb
creosote.
It can be enclosed in a chase, which is a wooden structure built around
it and which can then be sided to match your home, or covered with brick
or stone facing to look like a traditional chimney.
Metal chimneys are not the same as stove pipe, they are specifically made for venting to the outside. Stove pipe can only be used to connect an appliance to a chimney, it can never be used as a chimney. Metal chimneys are also not liners. A liner must be used as a flue inside an existing chimney structure. Although you can enclose a metal chimney in a chase, it can stand alone as a separate chimney.
There are many
different brands of metal chimneys. The brand we prefer to use, Excel,
is the highest rated. Most metal chimneys are designed to contain a
chimney fire for 10 minutes (the industry minimum). Excel is rated for
30 minutes. 10 minutes may be enough to get your family safely out of
the house and call 911, however with 30 minutes there is a good chance
that the fire department will be on the scene before the chimney
completely fails, thereby making it easier to save your home as well.
Yes, it does cost more initially, but the extra peace of mind is worth a
few dollars more.
Mark (technical questions) chcs@metrocast.net
Laura (all other questions) chcsadmin@metrocast.net