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[Merrymeeting]

Originally Posted by SailinAway

A damper was installed in the pipe over my strong objections and against the manufacturer's clear instructions not to install a damper.

So much here doesn't make sense. I've been running a wood stove all winter for decades. Never had cement on the joints. If the chimney is drafting correctly, shouldn't be needed. In fact I recently discovered that my pipe had partially pulled out of the chimney opening (yes, immediately fixed) and yet it still drafted fine and didn't put any smoke into the house.

Yes, the thimble where the pipe enters the chimney is decorative only.

Finally, I don't get the quote above. If you told him you didn't want it, why did he do it? Perhaps more directly, why did you let him. It serves no purpose in your setup.

I'd recommend you hire someone who knows what they are doing to rip it all out, start with new pipe (it's not that expensive) and get it installed correctly.