charliefarly

I have have read all the threads with great interest. Since I have had an estufa supplied and fitted by a local 'specialist'. I had to have the installation carried out by this company as we have bought the estufa through an incentive by the junta de Andalusia. I guess I always knew it would end up like it is...not fitted properly with creosote leaking from all the joints after just 1 fire. I'm kicking myself because I didn't have the conviction to make the fitters understand the male down female up rule. I still seem to have the belief that so called profesionals here in Andalucia know what they are doing!! There's plenty of advice on the net in English when you google, how to fit blah blah but nothing when you try in Spanish ( spanish web sites) The reason I point this out is because I have to pay the balance of the work and I want to go in there armed with something written in Spanish to back up my claim that it's not fitted properly. I really believe that the people here think it is quite normal for pipes to leak just as it is to have humidity in their houses. Maybe it's just better to take it all down and start again, thanks for reading my rant, feel better now

bil

I wish to god this were an unusual event. Sadly tho the rule about the way up the joints go all too often seems to be based on the toss of a coin.

You actually have two problems by the sound of it.

One is the fact that the pipes leak, the other is that there is condensate, which suggests the flue gasses are being over cooled in the flue. This is often caused by too much single skin flue allowing the gasses to over cool. The worst thing of all is if the single skin flue is used at all outside.

Outside they should only ever use twinwall metal flue pipes, but those cost an arm and a leg.

jdr

Or if the liner is in an old flue then plate the bottom and lag it with vermicalite or similar.

big wheels

[QUOTE=bilOutside they should only ever use twinwall metal flue pipes, but those cost an arm and a leg.[/QUOTE]

50€ per mtr 3yrs ago. But well worth it IMHO. Not had a drip from ours since I fitted it.

Hillybilly

There IS info in Spanish on the internet.
Here's one site from the stove manufacturer, Hergom, in Spanish. It's a pdf file but you can view in html...it states "La parte hembra de los tubos debe quedar siempre orientada hacia arriba, para evitar que la creosota que pueda formarse salga al exterior". I suggest you go armed with this.
Edit...would help if I put the link in! http://www.hergom.com/pdf/c870_esp.pdf

agoreira

Agree, there is indeed! "Cómo instalar una estufa" will bring uo a load of stuff. Here's one I found earlier!
http://www.divamii.com/web_diva/docs/Manuale_HV2007.pdf
A different link to Hilly's but it looks the same source! Even if they were fitted the wrong way, if they were fitted with the sealer, would they still leak?

helenba

sorry bil but started reading this thead thought might be intresting but after 10 mins gave up you must live a very boring life sorry yes we all want to keep warm but come on .the best information isthe web site mentioned stoves on line with back boiler bill its christmas eve goand have a drink and chill.{how senior is senior member}

bil

Well, you know what they say, excitement is very over rated. Having had 30 years experience in this particular field, I can assure you that the rules concerning chimneys and the like often seem more honoured in the breach than the observance. The site mentioned is pretty good and the info accurate with two exceptions. They sell a compound to eliminate deposits. I´ve seen a few used in my time, but never yet seen one that was proven to work. If your chimney is prone to tar, then the best solution is to burn smokeless fule for a few months, as that will lift and foam the tar off the walls better than any chemical sold.

Butterfly valves. A stove which has a butterfly valve usually isn´t a good buy as it usually means there is less than adequate control over the primary air.

Sorry you find it boring, but what was your aim in posting that? The information I have posted on here was done in an attempt to help people with specific problems, and hardly merits your comments.

bil

Yes. Only a matter of time I´m afraid. A flexible heatproof seal might last longer, but the problem usually is that the tubes expand and contract so much when heated that any sealant is almost always doomed to fail.

That is precisely why the rules say to put them in the right way.

helenba

excitment is good for you im sure your information is of help for some people why dont you write a book ad sell it to them have a good christmas and stop thinking chimneys for one day .this one will get you going my husband is making our own central heating system from are wood burning stove in the living room .

agoreira

I'm sure you're right, but she said after the first time she used it! That's a bit soon to be leaking, I know nought about these things, but I would be wondering if any sealant was used. It seems logical that the pipes should be fitted as described, and even if the installer was a bit of a cowboy, un chapuzas, you'd think he's know that. I know zilch about domestic thingies, but have been in the oil refining for many years, we used furnaces that reached really high temperatures, and the fire clays and refractory sealants did the job.

VFR

I will assume that this is not & joke between you both ? (I am fairly new here)

Well I for one find it a very interesting thread & I fancy that many here in Spain do as well
I do not need the sound information myself at present as we have a TV/DVD in the fireplace in our villa, but if we move and I need to buy something I now know where to look for the info that I will need as it will save me a a good piece of money by not buying the wrong item & having it installed incorrectly.

If I find a thread of no interest I simply do not read it anymore

bil

Well, I know nothing about your field, but I would hope to god that the sealants you used were a damn sight better than the ones I see in the domestic setups. I have seen two similar jobs, one leaking within minutes, the other no leaks even after 20 years. The variables are of course many.

I used to reckon that installers just tossed a coin to work out which way up the pipes should go.

As for some, well...... when a metal fluepipe penetrates a wall there is a specific way it is meant to be done, in order to prevent cracking the wall or the plaster work. In 30 years I have seen an awful lot of these installed, and in all that time I have never seen one that was fitted correctly.

Helen, there´s no real market for it. Very few people really want advice, they just want to be told that what they are doing is fine.

I´ve been called a fool by builders for telling their customers that the builder really shouldn´t have used wood as a structural element in a fireplace.

Truly, I kid you not.

dunmovin

I can believe you. Recently we demolished an old chimney and found a few strange things buit into the brick work. Wine bottles, pieces of wood and a metal box

campolife

I find this all fascinating and Bil explains things very clearly.

Being a novice with wood burners I wonder if anyone could comment of my fireplace. It is in a totally new building and is unused (even though it may not look it).

What I want is to be able to burn wood in the fireplace efficiently but for it to have a glass front. I have attached 2 photos. (Is it complete to use as an open fireplace now? or has the builder left it incomplete?)

Do I need to totally replace what is in place now to enable a glass front one or is it possible to buy the accessories and a door separately?

Here are the photos if anyone can help me understand.