Installation of asbestos-cement chimney

Installation of the heating system of a private house or bath is a very responsible and important task. Not only the heating efficiency, but also the safety of staying inside depends on how well the work will be carried out. One of the most critical stages of work is the installation of a system for the discharge of combustion products from the stove. For these purposes, a variety of materials can be used and it is necessary to decide which of them to choose individually. Below will be considered the installation of the chimney from asbestos cement pipes, as one of the most common options until recently.

General material description

Before proceeding to the consideration of the installation of the chimney, it is necessary to say a few words about the properties of asbestos-cement pipes as a material for such tasks. The fact is that there is no single opinion on this matter. Some experts categorically do not recommend the use of the material, and the other part, referring to good performance, fully permits installation. Anyway, it is necessary to solve independently, and for this purpose it is worth getting acquainted with pluses and minuses of material.

pros

Among the positive performance characteristics of asbestos cement as a material can be identified:

• Asbestos-cement pipes are available, both in terms of their prevalence and price.
• The material is easy to work.
• Under normal operating conditions, asbestos pipes are able to perform their functions for a long time.

In most cases, these qualities are sufficient for choosing in favor of the material, especially if we are talking about the installation of the chimney in the country, which will be used only from time to time, which means that no extreme impacts are expected.

Minuses

As for the material cons, they are also present. Among those can be identified:

• When exposed to high temperatures (more than 300? C) asbestos-cement pipes may burst. For the sake of justice, it is worth adding that the smoke produced during the combustion of coal or firewood does not reach such a temperature, but, nevertheless, it is necessary to know about it.
• It should also be taken into account that the internal surface of the asbestos-cement pipe is not smooth. Small roughness will to some extent impede the free passage of smoke, and small particles of soot will linger and adhere to the walls, turning into a fairly strong deposit in time.
• Asbestos cement is able to absorb moisture. As a result, moisture can be transferred to other structural elements, both the heating system itself and the house frame. To prevent this from happening, the pipe must be reliably waterproofed in the place of its contact with the external parts of the building.

Based on the listed qualities of the material, it is necessary to make a decision regarding the installation.

Installation

If the decision to install the chimney from the asbestos-cement pipe with their own hands is made in the affirmative, then you can proceed to work. It is worth noting that usually such pipes are installed in the systems of removal of combustion products that have a simple structure. The structure of the material, as well as the fairly significant weight of the elements, do not imply the equipment of a large number of bends. In this regard, the sequence of actions will be as follows:

• 
  In the place of articulation of the brick part of the chimney and asbestos-cement pipe, small pieces of metal reinforcement necessary for support are embedded. The supports are installed on two rows of masonry lower than the upper edge of the brick part.
• The asbestos part of the chimney is inserted inside the brick base.
• The space between the pipe and the inner surface of the brick base is filled with mortar.
• The pipe is displayed through the roof to the top. The element must be additionally fixed at the point of pipe exit to the surface.
• In order to protect the pipe from sudden changes in temperature and, accordingly, cracking, it must be insulated, for example, with mineral wool, over which a metal protective cover should be worn. So it will be like sandwich technology, which allows not to worry about the safety of the pipe.
• A special protective umbrella is installed at the top of the pipe, which will prevent precipitation from getting inside the pipe.

It is important to add that in the case of pipe installation on the outside of the building, it is necessary to use fixing clamps and brackets, and the insulation should be carried out over the entire surface of the element. In addition, in order to isolate as closely as possible the passage of the asbestos-cement pipe through the roof, you can use special seals that are suitable for almost all diameters of pipes and roof manufacturing options.

In conclusion, we can add that despite the fact that asbestos-cement as a material for manufacturing pipes for a chimney has certain disadvantages, it is quite possible to use it for these purposes, the main thing to remember is to clean the pipe from soot in time, for which it is A revision should be made.