Seeking advice about Vent pipe/flashing level

kaymaxi

Greetings,

I'm here seeking expert advice from, well the experts!
The gas fireplace vent in our new build appears to have been installed out of level as it comes up through the flashing. From the ground it looks like something from a Dr. Seuss book. We all loved a good Dr. Seuss book when we were kids, just maybe not so much the look you want when we're paying every last red cent (and then some) to have your house built (in twice the time you were told it would be done in).

Builder is claiming this is normal and straight and an illusion from using universal flashing and our roof pitch (8-12).

I can see how the flashing *might* give the effect, especially as one side has more shingle trimmed and flashing exposed, But I definitely think the vent piping and 'cap' (not sure of the correct term) look pretty far from plumb/level. Here is a straight on shot from as high an elevation as I can manage on the land. The vertical and horizontal lines of windows, sills, fascias and ridgeline all match the grid (as do a nearby plumbing vent and the roof vents) and i've attached a shot with a level grid overlay for reference.


A tick here or there from plumb would be fine, but this is embarrassing.

What do you folks think?

Thanks in advance!
K

neilc

yes, embarrassing

Larry Weingarten

Hi, I’d put a torpedo level on it to know just how far out of level it is. Also, I’d check manufacturers instructions for how tall the pipe should be relative to the roof.

Yours, Larry

Jamie Hall

Sloppy work.

kaymaxi

Thanks Folks!

Your insight and willingness to take the time to reply is very much appreciated. We will check on the height with fireplace manufacturer and bring the out of plumb issue up again with the builder to give him the opportunity to take another look.

Thanks again!
K

hot_rod

Google the code for flue termination. Hard to tell from the camera angle but it looks far too low 
Being low on the pitch, extending it up will look even worse out of plumb and may need to be guyed.

looks close to the valley also? Hope you are not in heavy snow country😙

kaymaxi

hot_rod said:

Google the code for flue termination. Hard to tell from the camera angle but it looks far too low 
Being low on the pitch, extending it up will look even worse out of plumb and may need to be guyed.

looks close to the valley also? Hope you are not in heavy snow country😙

Yikes. Thanks for the input. We will look into that. We did notice that a similar build a few miles away terminates much higher above the roof and is tethered (and is also plumb!). Moderate to heavy snow country. We're in pretty severe snow country now, but new build is half an hour south and quite a bit closer to sea level so doesn't seem to get the above your head/house burying concrete snow drifts we currently deal with.

We hadn't thought about proximity to the valley, but I agree it does look pretty close. This is the ENE side of the house, so might actually get some significant drifting from the westerly winds.

Thanks again!

K

kaymaxi

Thanks again!

I found the code and am guessing it's passing by the skin of it's teeth although would probably be safer higher with the snow load possibility - I guess we'll know in a couple of month

From our building code:
"HEIGHT OF CHIMNEY FLUES
9.21.4.4. Height of Chimney Flues

(1) A chimney flue shall extend not less than,

(a) 900 mm above the highest point at which the chimney comes in contact with the roof, and

(b) 600 mm above the highest roof surface or structure within 3 m of the chimney."

A friend took some drone shots recently so i'll see if I can estimate the distance from the ridges using them and double check against the plans with a scale ruler (plans aren't completely accurate any longer so might give some false measures).

Thanks!

K

hot_rod said:

Google the code for flue termination. Hard to tell from the camera angle but it looks far too low 
Being low on the pitch, extending it up will look even worse out of plumb and may need to be guyed.

looks close to the valley also? Hope you are not in heavy snow country😙

kaymaxi

kaymaxi said:

Thanks again!

I found the code and am guessing it's passing by the skin of it's teeth although would probably be safer higher with the snow load possibility - I guess we'll know in a couple of month

From our building code:
"HEIGHT OF CHIMNEY FLUES
9.21.4.4. Height of Chimney Flues

(1) A chimney flue shall extend not less than,

(a) 900 mm above the highest point at which the chimney comes in contact with the roof, and

(b) 600 mm above the highest roof surface or structure within 3 m of the chimney."

A friend took some drone shots recently so i'll see if I can estimate the distance from the ridges using them and double check against the plans with a scale ruler (plans aren't completely accurate any longer so might give some false measures).

Thanks!

K

hot_rod said:

Google the code for flue termination. Hard to tell from the camera angle but it looks far too low 
Being low on the pitch, extending it up will look even worse out of plumb and may need to be guyed.

looks close to the valley also? Hope you are not in heavy snow country😙

Hmmm, after reviewing the drone shot from above I'm not so sure. Here is a shot from above. The red line is pretty close to approximately the 3 meters/9'11". The family room is 18' across so midline of of the roof to outer wall should be just about 9'11". The yellow lines are cut and pasted versions with the colour changed so should also be pretty accurate to the distance. *IF* my fake measuring is correct *AND* I found the correct passage in the building code (could chimney flue be different than a gas fireplace flue?), then the flue should be higher than either of the roolines and, as you pointed out, it's not. The building department here is pretty easy to get in touch with, so we will contact the inspector directly and see what they say..?

Thanks!

K

mattmia2

you might be able to get a level on it more easily from the attic

mattmia2

that almost certainly has to be above the ridge in that location.

kaymaxi

mattmia2 said:

you might be able to get a level on it more easily from the attic

That is a GREAT idea. And one my chicken scared of heights self likes a lot more than the crabbing over the roof while whimpering softly that was likely going to happen. I'll be on site today and take a little climb through the trusses.

Thanks!

K

Zman

Does the vent pass through an attic? They may be able to straighten it from below, if not, the roofer would need to peel back the shingles and slide the flashing over.
Even if it all meets code, it is obviously out of plumb and should not be accepted from a workmanship point of view.

kaymaxi

Zman said:

Does the vent pass through an attic? They may be able to straighten it from below, if not, the roofer would need to peel back the shingles and slide the flashing over.
Even if it all meets code, it is obviously out of plumb and should not be accepted from a workmanship point of view.

Thanks. Yes, it does pass through the edge of an attic space that is easily accessible. I climbed up to look, but the heat shielding from the flexible venting made it so I couldn't get a look at the actual pipe, so I'm not sure if it can be righted from below.

I agree on the workmanship level it should be replaced, sadly it's going to be another tough fight with the builder who seems to think that any mistake or flaw left by any trade is acceptable. I'd love to detail them all (boy would I ever!), but might be off-topic and breaching forum etiquette.

Thanks again for the reply!

K

mattmia2

Perhaps you should make sure you are there when the inspections happen.