# Old Wood Stove Exhaust Pipe



## mr9iron (Feb 28, 2010)

Hello, looking for any information on how to remove a wood stove exhaust pipe that runs to the roof:

I have a '64 tri level, just bought about 4 months ago. My wife and I started demoing the family room (bottom level), doing a complete re-model of this space.

While removing an old shelving unit, we discovered the soffit was used to cover up an old exhaust pipe from a wood stove. I have no experience with these things.

I appears to have a steel flange about 18 inches in diameter, and about 1/8 in in thickness. the out side of the pipe appears to have some kind of insulation or ceramic cylinder around it, very heavy.

The flange is really secured to this pipe and I can't seem to remove it, and I am thinking even if I could, I am 2 stories down. If the pipe and this ceramic are one piece, I do not think I can remove it from inside or else it will bottom out on my floor. Could it be cut? and removed in sections?

If the flange is part of the pipe and cannot be removed, then how could it be taken out from the roof? Is there any other logical places that this pipe would be fastened?- would it attach to the vent or roof with screws? How is this thing being held up and how does that insulation cylinder stay in place?

here are some links to some pictures I took of it:

http://www.unbreakablebridges.com/EL84/pipe_5.jpg

http://www.unbreakablebridges.com/EL84/pipe_6.jpg

http://www.unbreakablebridges.com/EL84/pipe_4.jpg

I was hoping for now to leave the exhaust vent on the roof and patch from the inside as well as patch every hole (the crawlspace attic the second floor and the family room ceiling.) Recently all the vents and chimney on my roof were flashed so all the seals are good. The vent itself does not leak but there is evidence that some birds and squirrels may have entered in through the vent and down the pipe, not to mention all the heat loss as this thing was never plugged.

If this is something that has to be done from the roof end, I may have to hire it done, because it might be out of my league, if that is the case any ball park figures for a job like this? and is a roofer the right person to call?

any help appreciated.

Jeff


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## Bud Cline (Feb 28, 2010)

The pipe is already in sections, probably three or four foot long sections. They are likely screwed together.  The pipe interior is integral and can't be separated from the pipe.

My guess is the "red" plate is somehow folded upward and screwed to some roof rafters or ceiling joists.  The cut and folded tabs are probably also riveted to the pipe.  Rivets can be drilled out to remove them.

There may also be some straps mid-span to hold the pipe in place.

The open top above the roof can be permanently capped so removal isn't necessary, no harm no foul.  

Why not just leave it and cover it up again?  The pictures are great but huge and it is hard to see exactly how the pipe was installed with the close up pictures.


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## mr9iron (Feb 28, 2010)

Bud, I really appreciate the reply,

I went up top this afternoon and here is what I found:

the vent stack is just "slipped" inside the steel pipe. The outside rim of the stack just rests on the taper of the mounting which is flashed to the roof.

From your reply can I just plug this tapered mount? or are you suggesting I leave the stack on the mount and some how fasten and plug that?

The other thought I had was I wondered if there was something I could do to convert it to a crawl space vent, but I do see your point.

In any event, I just pulled the stack off with ease it's just sitting there unfastened. The insulation cylinder lifts right out. I could probably just lift that entire thing out from the roof, by just me or using a helper.

The steel pipe, however, seems fastened somehow, seems like you said, it's in the floor joists somehow. I can wiggle it side to side fairly easy but I cannot lift it out, it seems pretty heavy.

I see your point if I could just get the flange off to get my ceiling back, and it doesn't fall down, yeah I could cap it and cover it back up. But this house loses heat something fierce, and I'd just prefer to have an uninsulated alley way to the roof removed. I know it's more work, but by doing this I can also get 3 feet of closet space back from the upstairs loft as the false wall was installed to hide the pip stack.

again thanks for the reply, I can post more pictures if you have other ideas.

Jeff


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