Expert: James Ball - 8/30/2010

Question
QUESTION: We are renovating our house and want to move the heatilator brand fireplace from one area and put it in the new addition.  It is a heatilator 3138 and we will only use it for gas logs not wood burning.  I am having trouble finding more chimney pipe that will work.  The original pipe is 14" OD, 9 inch ID and is triple wall.  We need more of the chimney pipe since the original location was one story and the new location has a 3 story chimney.  Do you know where I can get more 14"/9"?  Thanks for any info.

ANSWER: Welcome Tina, I would say to not reuse the old pipe or try to more it, this would weaken the pipe and may not be safe, start fresh (no telling how old it is) and maybe look into a "Direct Vent" gas fireplace (no chimney needed just an out side wall). and should cost less than new pipe and moving the old.
Trying to find pipe that matches for a 10-30 year old fireplace is almost impossible as you must use the same pipe, you can not mix and match.
James

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: James,
Thanks for the reply.  Am I understanding correctly, a direct vent fireplace does not require a chimney, just a vent to the outside?  That seems like it would save me a lot of hassle and might be worth the expense of purchasing a new direct vent fireplace.

Answer
Welcome back Tina, yes a direct vent is much easier, visit your local wood stove store and see what they have, you might be surprised, I have a direct vent stove (looks just like a wood stove) that once I get it hot I lower the flame and use a regular box fan and it gets my living room (22' x 11' with two open doors to kitchen and dinning room) up to 80+ with in 1/2 hour.
no ashes, no wood, no bugs from the wood, no lugging the wood, no yearly cleanings, no smell (the first few times you use it it will smell, oils and curing of paint)
they make direct vent stoves and fireplaces that can look just like the real thing and have built in blower fans to help circulate the heat.
James