The insurance co, says we need a new chimney on the camp!

John Y Cannuck

John Y Cannuck

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The Conservative part of Ontario
Bastards.
The current chimney is a stainless steel unit, that has been used for exactly three seasons. Near perfect condition.
It's outside mounted.
They are saying the thing is no good for a chimney fire.
(We were not planning to have a chimney fire)
Any chimney experts out there?
 
Stainless steel says nothing... is it single, dbl or triple wall? Insulated?
whats the fire rating...

If they are concerned about chimney fires it's a single wall and you don't plan a chimney fire but when they happen hopefully you have achimney that will withstand it.... if not you lose your home
 
To over come that problem we built a chimney (12"culvert) that is away from the building with its own stand. We have one section of the insulated stainless pipe going through wall out the side of camp to the culvert (no hole in roof). Culvert lasts around 10 years and has a bottom clean out and screened top.
 
The installed chimney is insulated, and has a two inch wall.
It's a standard insurance co. I'm not the contact person for them, so I don't have the name handy.
They sent an inspector to look at it.
We have been 'asked' to replace it by mid October.
 
As to canceling the insurance, this isn't just a shack in the bush.
We've got about thirty grand in it right now.
As to finding another insurance co, obviously you haven't tried that lately.
The bastards are all in cahoots together. If you cancel at one place, the next company checks your insurance history.
One of the guys at camp had some problems at home, long story.
 
Try an insurance co from the big city - they're usually less demanding. I'm not an expert in WETT stuff, but the 2 in insulated pipe should be the right spec - perhaps the inspector thinks its damaged, not substandard.
 
Insurance company from the big city are you nuts...

INS-> how to you heat
JYC-> wood
INS-> sorry sir that's not on my list of approved heating methods sorry sir...

Dbl wall insulated should be good.. But it Depends on how it's installed They should tell you what's deficient and why....
 
If your current chimney is listed to ULC S-629 (2100 Degree Wood Stove Standard) it should be good to go as long as it has not suffered a chimney fire in the past and the clearances to combustibles are OK, (Typically 2" with most 2100 degree chimneys)

I don't know about Ontario but here in BC most insurance companies are now asking for insurance inspections on all solid fuel installations - stoves and chimneys - every 4 or 5 years

BTW, If you have any pics of the installation you can email them to me and I will see if there are any obvious problems with your setup. (And yes, among other things, I am a WETT certified ;) )
 
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K98 said:
Cancel your insurance and do without or find another insurance company.
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other way around find new insurance....then cancel existing....actively searching may make the current agent a little nervous and a little more helpful... A COmpany Once tried to Pull my vEhicle insuRAnce a liTtle while Ago. due to three minor Traffic viOlatoins in thRee yearS. when the agent was apprised of the fact that I would be moving all my insurance business elswhere if they where to actually canel my vehicle policy they were able to convince the underwriters that maybe i just had a bit of bad luck and really wasn't a great risk after all..

tg
 
'Boo said:
If your current chimney is listed to ULC S-629 (2100 Degree Wood Stove Standard) it should be good to go as long as it has not suffered a chimney fire in the past and the clearances to combustibles are OK, (Typically 2" with most 2100 degree chimneys)

I don't know about Ontario but here in BC most insurance companies are now asking for insurance inspections on all solid fuel installations - stoves and chimneys - every 4 or 5 years

BTW, If you have any pics of the installation you can email them to me and I will see if there are any obvious problems with your setup. (And yes, among other things, I am a WETT certified ;) )
Click to expand...

Sounds like some solid advice John.:):)
 
tommyg said:
other way around find new insurance....then cancel existing....actively searching may make the current agent a little nervous and a little more helpful... A COmpany Once tried to Pull my vEhicle insuRAnce a liTtle while Ago. due to three minor Traffic viOlatoins in thRee yearS. when the agent was apprised of the fact that I would be moving all my insurance business elswhere if they where to actually canel my vehicle policy they were able to convince the underwriters that maybe i just had a bit of bad luck and really wasn't a great risk after all..

tg
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Lucky you.. My insurance agent whom I had all my insurance with.. informed me some years back that I would need to jump thru all sorts of hoops, pay up front, structural safety etc etc within 30 days or they wouldn't renew my insurance and oh yeah the rates would be going up 75%.. No accidents etc... The new broker I was assigned apparently was anti gun and decided she didn't like me.....

I called up her up after I switched all of my insurance and advised him that I would be posting a little article on my wall of shame she didn't seem to care I called the office manager and faxed him a copy.... Strangely enough they managed to find me insurance at a cheaper rate without the conditions... I told them that I was no longer interested in doing business with them.... The account is on my wall of Shame

http://reloadersbench.com/wall_of_shame.htm
 
John Y Cannuck said:
He wasn't specific enough, so I don't understand what his problem is. The chimney id in excellent condition.
Is there a problem with it being outside mounted?
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Then I would get the answers before replacing it...

Yes and no...

Being outside it cools quicker and creosote can build up faster is there a cleanout and when was it last swept? For the $100 or so to have a WETT inspection and $50 for a cleaning why not have that done?
 
Take a pic of the chimney & the standards certificate & send it to the company & says is that OK now ;)
Chances are they'll say "Oh that's better, thank you" & your good to go!

I had an inspector put in a clause that I was storing combustables to close to the wood stove one time.
I called the insurance & informed them I would take the magazine off it before I start a fire, it's JUNE for crhists sake!!!! :rolleyes:
 
Chimney

Like 'BOO, I too am WETT certified, going on 13 years in as an inspector.
A 2" wall chimney may be S/S and have only have a rating of 600 or 540 degrees, which may be grounds for refusal. The thing about a factory built S/S chimney, is that they may not show that a chimney fire has occured, and may not manifest itself until it has a real good fire in it, then the liner will fail

If the labels are intact and show that its a 650 /2100 chimney, macro photo the labels and send them to the company. That being said, a lot of insurance companies do not want cottage/camp insurance business, especially if wood or pellet heat is in use.

If the insurance wants to send their inspector, just make sure he is WETT certified as well, if he isn't, he's not the real deal.

Rick
 
I replaced the chimney on my farmhouse up near Sudbury last fall. I used 2" wall stainless insulated pipe, but its good for oil or gas only. The guys at the heating company where I bought it told me that the pipe rated for wood uses a heavier guage steel for the inner liner (was also going to cost about $1200 more). I mounted it on the outside of the building and had no issues with the insurance or the heating oil company which requires me to have a yearly inspection done before they will deliver any oil. Is it possible your chimney is rated for gas/oil only, or that your insurance company thinks so?
 
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