Articles - Putting The Spark Back Into Your Fireplace

		HomePro Systems, Inc.

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Home Pro Inspection
Systems Inc.
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Oakwood, Ontario
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Putting The Spark Back Into Your Fireplace:

By definition, a "nonworking" masonry fireplace doesn't have a chimney lining; while it actually could "work," its operation would be beneath modern safety standards. (A bare flue provides poor heat containment and increases the chances of a chimney fire burning through weak mortar joints and igniting the framing of a building.)

Double check by sighting down the chimney from the roof. Occasionally you will find a chimney with a few liner sections near the top and bottom. To be more sure that your lining is complete, lower a drop light from the top of the chimney.

Get professional help if your roof is made of slate, terracotta or any other brittle substances that might crack easily. Likewise, stay off steep or wet roofs. Also, beware of electrical entrance wires, wires through trees and TV antennas. (A chimney sweep or a fireplace mason will check a chimney lining for about $25. Be sure to ask that a drop light be used during the inspection.)

Terra-Cotta Lining: Terracotta (a type of baked clay) is the traditional masonry, chimney lining material. Retrofitting (installing a lining after the fact) requires breaking into the old chimney from inside the house and setting in the liners a messy, expensive job requiring professional masonry skill.
The liners come in sections that are generally 2feet long and 5/8 -inch thick. The cross-sectional dimension of the liner is determined by the square-inch opening of the fireplace it will serve. The ratio is 10to1 for a chimney height of 30 feet or less and 12to1 for a height over 30 feet. For example, a fireplace 30inches wide and 24 inches high totaling 720 square inches would require a flue with at least 72 square inches of opening if the chimney was 30 feet or less in height. (Flue linings that are installed using a more restrictive ratio often cause smokey fireplace operation.)

Lining a fireplace with terracotta also could involve rebuilding the firebox and smoke chamber and fitting in a damper ring and plate as well. You should expect to pay a minimum of about $1,500 for the masonry work for a two-story chimney naturally, any framing or plaster repairs would be extra but sometimes it's possible to find a relining specialist in a renovation area who can do the job for considerably less. In any case, of course, be sure that whomever you hire can provide you with a list of previously satisfied homeowners.

Metal Lining (Old School): Old chimneys can be relined with stainless steel pipe lowered down the flue (stainless steel is the only material that will resist the corrosive effects of creosote.) The sections range in length from 6 to 36 inches and come in diameters of 5 to 10 inches. Each section must be held together with metal screws. This method is only practical when the chimney is very straight, but most chimneys have offsets and bends that make this method a poor consideration.

Metal Lining (New School): A flexible stainless steel liner is now available for retrofitting old chimneys. It comes in diameters from 5 to 8 inches and is fed down the flue, making it the practical solution for a sound chimney with bends and offsets. Once the flue liner is in position, vermiculite insulation is poured around it from the top and a cap is secured above the chimney. (This is the desired lining for any flue servicing a wood stove since the insulation around the liner provides a warmer flue with a better draw and less creosote condensation.) For installation, expect to pay a professional at least $600 for a two-story chimney.

WARNING: No metal lining will resist the corrosive effects from burning coal. Only terracotta or masonry will do.
"English" Lining: The so-called English method involves dropping a cylindrical, inflatable bag down the flue and sealing off the base of the chimney. Spacers are set around the bag to keep it centered and the bag is inflated. A cement slurry is then pumped in around the bag and allowed to cure before the bag is deflated and removed. Expect to pay about from $1,000 to $1,300 for a two story flue. (This system has the added benefit of adding strength to the chimney itself.)

"Aherns" has a chimney lining system that is somewhat like the English system except that a metal bell with a vibrator inside it is winched up through the chimney as special mortar is poured down on top of it. A ceramic-like second liner is then applied over the newly set mortar mix. This would appear to be very effective and is reported to have been done more than a million times.

Self Help: Here is something you can do yourself that costs a little but takes a lot of energy. First, brush the chimney very clean and then drop a rope down to the hearth. Attach the rope to a burlap bag filled with tire chains (on the bottom of the bag) and tightly balled newsprint (on top of the chains), making sure the bag is just large enough to fit snugly into the flue. As the bag is inched up, shovel mortar (refractory cement) on top of it; the cement should adhere to the sides of the flue. Multiple lifts are required and the final job should be checked with a drop light lowered down the flue. Have the local fire marshal or a qualified chimney sweep survey your work prior to lighting the first fire.

Final Touch: Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional, the best way to check if your chimney is completely sealed is to light a smoke candle above the damper, cover the top of the flue with a wet blanket and survey inside and outside the house for smoke leaks.

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