Chestnut Hill Chimney & Hearth

(603) 755-4835

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Metal liners are used to vent appliances through existing masonry chimneys. The type and compound of metal is determined by the fuel. Liners can be rigid or flex, insulated or not, depending on the chimney itself. The size of the liner is determined by the appliance, you can not change the size of the vent (for example a wood stove with an 8" outlet cannot be vented through a 6" liner).

The most common reason for using a liner is when venting a fireplace insert or hearth stove. According to National Fire Code, which is part of NH Fire Codes, most fireplace flues are too large to properly vent an insert or hearth stove, leading to chimney fires. A pipe that goes through the damper and up a few feet into the chimney, then stops, is not an NFPA 211 legal installation, and hasn't been since 1987.

 
Any new installation must conform to current codes, this includes changing out of similar appliances (installing a modern woodstove to replace an older unit for example). Old installations should be upgraded to meet current standards for safety reasons. This applies to oil flues as well, modern oil furnaces produce a much more corrosive exhaust which can really damage clay flue tiles.

A properly lined chimney is safer and functions better. Metal chimneys are not chimney liners but a separate unit.

The reason we will not use poured liners is because of their failure rate. For some pictures of failed poured liners click here.
 

Mark (technical questions) chcs@metrocast.net 

Laura (all other questions) chcsadmin@metrocast.net