Boiler Vent Pipe: 30 ga Temporary Or Don't Try It

PGB1

Hi All!

The vent pipe for a 100-k BTU natural draft boiler has a small rust hole & generally is starting to get very thin from rust. There is one adjustable elbow and 18" of pipe until it reaches the clay tile liner of the brick chimney.

Locally no heating suppliers, plumbing suppliers nor hardware stores have 5" in 26 gauge or heavier. None would order less than a case of 5' lengths and a case of elbows.

Realizing that 30 gauge is not compliant, if I temporarily installed 30 gauge galvanized will it last until I can find 26 gauge somewhere? Or will this be a "going to last a week" kind of fix?

Thanks For Helping,
Paul
PS: This one is my own house.

Jamie Hall

30 gauge isn't going to last long... might last a week, might not. Can you get a small sheet of 20 or 26 gauge galvanized-- say 3 feet square or so -- and cut it so it fits lengthwise on the thinning pipe and wraps about 1 and half times around, then smear the rotted section with furnace cement, wrap your wrap on, and pop rivet it in place? Not the best idea... and I won't guarantee anything... but it might buy you enough time to get some proper flue pipe ordered and delivered from somewhere... State Supply? Grainger? Even Amazon???

EBEBRATT-Ed

Home Depot has 26 g pipe and elbows on line if not in their stores you can order it and have it shipped.

30g is ok temporally but you can get the 26 quickly

EdTheHeaterMan

30 gauge will last more then a week. You can order 26 gauge for the repair from an online supplier like Amazon or SupplyHouse.com

yellowdog

I'd put 30 ga on it before I wrapped it and riveted it. Then replace it with 26 ga.

retiredguy

when I first started in the residential HVAC business, around 1968, all we used for natural gas flue pipe was 30GA. and it lasted for years unless there was a moisture problem. Very few ever rusted out.

PGB1

Thank You All for helping. I very much appreciate your sharing of knowledge.

Bad luck day for finding pipe & fitting yesterday:
I tried all of the on line places with no luck. Surprisingly, even Supply House came back as Back Ordered during Checkout- 24 ga also. Grainger was also B/Order, but at 142.00USD for 4 ft & 84.00 for elbow, perhaps that's a good thing. Home Depot would not order the items, saying they don't carry them. This morning on line, I saw the elbow available to order. Maybe the pipe is in there somewhere.

Today, I'll get some 26 or 24 ordered somewhere and put 30 ga temporarily if I can't get parts today.

Thanks Again for helping!
Paul

PGB1

Success!
Today is the Happy Parallel Universe day of yesterday. Two supply houses I frequent & with whom I spoke yesterday called this morning. Each found the pipe and fittings in the warehouses.

Thanks Again Everyone for helpful information, repair suggestions and sharing experience.
Paul