Lining a Wood Stove

Lining a Wood Stove

Question- Here is an interesting question about using a Wood Stove that came into Ask the Chimney Sweep

With a fireplace insert, would it be practical to start by just dropping in a new metal flue liner, to TRY to stop the smoke from coming back into the room? (It’s an old home, therefore I am guessing the mortar MUST be getting weak by now, and it will be time for a fix.)

It’s the only fireplace there is. Furnace in basement is turned off. Won’t be turning on at all…might this cause any problem? Previous owners had installed a heat pump, high on wall, in same room as fireplace insert.

(There’s an attic space above the room that has the insert.) Cracking a window doesn’t seem to help. Therefore, I have to assume that the insert worked properly, at least at some point, it seems like the previous owners were there for many years, and had a big supply of wood. Any ideas what it should cost to have chimney person put in a metal liner (in WA State)?

Answer – Greetings Mr. Frustrated,

I’m going to try and save you a lot of grief. First, I would call a member of the National Chimney Sweeps Guild to find a chimney sweep in your area. In addition to this, it is very important that they do a “video inspection” with a closed circuit camera.

Today prices may cost you apx $200 -$350 but most of all, after sweeping the chimney of all lose sweepable deposits, not gummy grazed or tarry creosote as this would be addressed as a separate issued video inspection needs to be completed the service person will be looking to document, scorched burn marks, missing mortar joints, and possible cracked or broken terra-cotta flue tiles.

For instance, Power Sweeping, a fireplace with a spinning brush, mounted on extendable rods has proven to be the very best method to reach all of those difficult nocks in crannies that are hiding up in the smoke chamber.

Consequently, after a chimney fire, looking down this chimney flue you can easily see the flue tile damage.