# Smoker Chimney made of Water Heater Vent Pipe



## pianov (Jan 12, 2015)

I have a masonry offset wood burning smoker. I recently upgraded it (new doors, top and chimney) with a new chimney made of double-walled water heater vent pipe.

I was just reading through some old posts on wood burning techniques and ran across this:  _"The suggestion to stop using the water heater vent is a good one...the last thing you want to do is start a chimney fire in a water heater vent, (it's a vent not a smokestack) and burn down your house..."_

The chimney is made of a one foot long section of 4" 1/4"-walled steel pipe, and then the 4" double-walled water heater vent pipe. Seems to me that the double-walled water heater vent pipe is a good idea. Is there something I'm not aware of? FWIW, no wooden structures are anywhere near my smoker - all aluminum.

Terry near Tampa Bay, Florida

Here's a few pics:













IMG_0085.JPG



__ pianov
__ Jan 2, 2015


















IMG_0086.JPG



__ pianov
__ Jan 2, 2015


















IMG_0087.jpg



__ pianov
__ Jan 2, 2015


















IMG_0082.JPG



__ pianov
__ Jan 2, 2015


















IMG_0081.jpg



__ pianov
__ Jan 2, 2015


----------



## crankybuzzard (Jan 12, 2015)

For your application, you should be fine.  Using a "vent" for a real live chimney is the problem you were reading about.

More than likely, the vent material is lighter weight and thus has a lower temperature rating than standard chimney materials.  Also, some vents are made of aluminum, not good for a chimney burning wood directly below.

With your offset setup, you should be fine when smoking at normal smoking temperatures.


----------



## pianov (Jan 12, 2015)

Thanks Cranky. I rather thought so. And this one is made of steel - thin, but steel - stainless on the outside and galvanized on the inside.


----------

