SS Chimney Liner Installation?

Post by **Kungur** » Sun. Feb. 02, 2025 7:46 am

Has anyone here installed a flexible liner? I would like to hear how it went.
Thanks

Post by **gardener** » Mon. Feb. 03, 2025 12:29 pm

yes, what would you like to know?

seen it done before
looked at stuff online, as I recall the Rockford Chimney Supply 's website has some good info
went just like I had envisioned it it would

Post by **Kungur** » Mon. Feb. 03, 2025 12:31 pm

In my situation it would be about 32' long down to the existing thimble. That is where the snout would be. How difficult was your install?

Post by **gardener** » Mon. Feb. 03, 2025 12:34 pm

mine is 17 feet to the main floor fireplace, I did not want to bust through the smoke shelf, so I bought an ovalized liner and cut the frame of the damper to pass it through, then used adjustable elbows to connect to stove

my liner flexes when it heats up, so I leave the top plate loose

Post by **gardener** » Mon. Feb. 03, 2025 12:37 pm

I figured that because the flex liner I ordered was ovalized they delivered it in a looong box. Round liners they curl up and ship in various methods, sometimes a mesh bag.

better to buy too long a liner and have excess waist to cut off than to be short and have to reorder, I have seen unions to splice lengths together, but if I'm buying a flex liner I'd rather have one line if I can help it

if your flue is straight you can also use stacked stove pipe, which are thicker gage and should last longer

Post by **gardener** » Mon. Feb. 03, 2025 12:43 pm

I burn wood on the main floor, I burn coal in the basement, for coal I just use sections of stove pipe then block off to make it air tight, but our flue tiles are in good shape, otherwise I'd have to reline

if you have a jog in the flue, you can buy and I've seen places you can rent cones that attach to the end of the liner to be able to pull on the liner to get past bends

Post by **gardener** » Mon. Feb. 03, 2025 12:55 pm

Kungur wrote: ↑Mon. Feb. 03, 2025 12:31 pm In my situation it would be about 32' long down to the existing thimble. That is where the snout would be. How difficult was your install?

I think it was easy. The hardest part might be and depending on your chimney setup, getting access to the top to lower it. Ours is a central fireplace, one story with full basement, so climb to the roof on a ladder and walk up to the chimney that is 3 feet taller than the peak of the roof. I see a lot of houses with chimneys on the perimeter of the house and tops way out in the sky, I'm too chicken to take that on, but with secure scaffolding and fall arrest harness should not be any different. I've seen professionals use cranes and lifts, but they are saving on the time it takes to setup the scaffolding.

I was a little concerned the liner might wind down into the flue when we lowered it in if we lost grip, but they are so lightweight that didn't happen. As it turned out, because mine was ovalized it barely could flex and once it reached the smoke shelf stood up on its own.

Post by **gardener** » Mon. Feb. 03, 2025 1:08 pm

when I handled either end of the liner I wore gloves, probably saved me from many small cuts

since our chimney is interior to the floor space I did not bother insulating the liner, that would have added effort, spray adhesive and the time it takes to lay out a section at a time to wrap it... I would think if it is a tight fit for the liner to get down the flue an added insulation wrap will make it more difficult... read on here of people not wrapping the liner and blocking off backfilling the space between the liner and the flue tiles with something like vermiculite, I think there are similar products sold in shrink wrapped cubes you pour in.

Post by **Kungur** » Thu. Feb. 06, 2025 8:20 am

Thanks for the replies! I got a quote of $2000. I can get the materials for under $1000. I get a few friends and get it done.

Post by **gardener** » Fri. Feb. 07, 2025 12:58 pm

I'm pro doing things yourself, albeit $2000 seems reasonable for 32 feet if its a reputable business, seems like that could be money well spent. Best wishes whichever way you go.

Post by **LouNY** » Sat. Feb. 08, 2025 9:57 am

I did mine several years ago, I removed the dampener entirely. I used a round liner and ovaled it myself to get past the smoke shelf then reformed it back to round for the connection. It was a job getting it ovaled and more of a job getting it back round again. To oval it I used a piece of 2x6 and a sledge hammer, to get it rounded I used clamps and a V shaped piece of 2x6. I ended up lowering a few extra feet to have room to work on it to get it rounded again.
When I finished I used cement board with a U shaped cut out to sandwich around the pipe and support the rock wool I stuffed up around the pipe. the I cut of the excess up on the roof and installed the cap.

Post by **Kungur** » Sun. Feb. 09, 2025 7:18 am

I think my install my be quite simple. 35 ft. straight down to a thimble and there attached the "snout". I have already gotten 2 friends ,who I foot have installed their own, to help.
BTW, what did you use to cut the excess?
Mine is a boiler install.

Post by **LouNY** » Sun. Feb. 09, 2025 8:46 am

I used a new cutoff disc on my grinder. New from my construction experience in seeing that any wire brush or grinder disc used on carbon steel would contaminate SS and cause rusting.

Post by **gardener** » Mon. Feb. 10, 2025 8:58 am

Kungur wrote: ↑Sun. Feb. 09, 2025 7:18 am I think my install my be quite simple. 35 ft. straight down to a thimble and there attached the "snout". I have already gotten 2 friends ,who I foot have installed their own, to help.
BTW, what did you use to cut the excess?
Mine is a boiler install.

hacksaw, but it wants to follow the spiral
I considered using something with a circular blade, like and angle grinder with a blade, but as long as the liner was held steady by my helper I was able to keep the hacksaw cut straight