Chimney liners as protecting from creosote fires

[beowulf]

No real experience here. However my neighbor has a cinder block chimney and uses an insert. They had a fire early last winter. Fortunately not much damage, but they didn't have wood heat the rest of winter. Pretty exciting night in the neighborhood, fire dept was there most of the night.

I wouldn't think a DIY liner would be tough if you are a somewhat capable DIYer. Its going to be pricey, nothing stainless steel and insulated is cheap. Would likely improve the draft and safety quite a bit.

I clean my stovepipe every fall before the first fire.

I am a lifetime DIY'er and kind of like to understand how things are done, so like to DIY when I can. And, then there is the satisfaction. I think I will get it thoroughly cleaned, then install a really good liner. I recall last Winter one chimney sweep guy who was recommended locally told me he could not get to it for several months but said he would be willing to 'help me out with a liner install' later. That may be a good option - DIY with help.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Egon]

Burn hot with the. Proper air fuel ratio. No creosote forms.

 

[cholland]

Without anything else a good cleaning would get you through another year. Depending on the size and shape of your current flue, a brush and set of rods can be found on Amazon for not too much. Hopefully there is a cleanup at the bottom?

What everyone says about a hot fire, etc. is true. Im sure you know this. But your setup is not going to work well for that. You want the same diameter as the exit of your insert all the way out to fresh air.

 

[Boiler74]

Get over to hearth.com and firewoodhoardersclub.com. Look up the knowledge of Backwoods Savage and others regarding the 3 year plan, insulated liners and modern stoves. I’ve been burning about 8 years. Zero creosote concerns while burning all types of dry wood, including pine. I sweep once a year myself and get literally a couple cups of fluffy ash and I heat 24/7 and that is running low and slow. Dry wood is the key.

i dropped my own liner down through my damper in the existing fireplace to a freestanding stove. And added a block off plate. All things learned through the above mentioned sites. It all depends on your skill level, roof line/access, and local laws/rules.

 

[ponytug]

Peter, We have had it cleaned but only twice in 30+ years so very negligent there. When we did it we hired chimney sweep guys but not sure what kind of a job they do - assume they are thorough. I do recall the last time we did it the guy said the chimney was not too bad. But it has been a long time since we did that. Every year I wait too long, the cold weather arrives and the 'sweeps' are too busy. This year I am going to get a jump on it and check out liner options and have it cleaned in the middle of our Summer heat wave. Thanks for the input.

It is nice to have a clean chimney, but honestly, I think of it more as a check box.

"Yes, sir, I have the chimney cleaned every two years by Bob-o's real quick reamers. No, I don't know what caused the chimney fire..."​

I lived for years in homes that never saw a sweep, but we checked every fall, and they never had more than 1/4" of soot on the damper ledge. A lot depends on what you burn, and how you burn it. Old dry oak is very different than green pine. I do look up every year before the first fire, just in case. (e.g. hornet nest, rat nest...) No liner.

I have it mentally filed in the same place as why do it yourself inserts and liners aren't allowed by my insurer. Box check.

Trees checked periodically by an arborist. Check.

All the best,

Peter

 

[BoylermanCT]

I installed my stainless steel insulated liner when we bought our fireplace insert. House is a ranch and chimney is about 18' tall. Was not difficult. Hardest part was feeding it down the chimney from the roof as it does not bend easily. If you have easy access to the top of the chimney it is not too bad. Make sure you have clearance at the flue damper opening for the diameter insert you have. I had to use a grinder to cut away the damper frame. Removing the damper door was easy, but that only gave us 5" clearance for a 6" liner.

 

[hosspuller]

I installed a DIY chimney liner. Installed a 6 inch insulated SS liner into a 8 inch square tile. The old insert was just sealed to the bottom of the smoke shelf. The insert / liner draws better and the liner eliminates sharp turns that accumulate ash. I did and recommend installing SS flex liner with aluminum clad ceramic insulation, covered with SS wire mesh. The mesh protects and holds the insulation to the liner. Also, make sure to have a rain cap to complete the install.

With 20 years of use, burning about 4-5 cords annually , I only clean it every three years. Use a nylon brush. A steel bristle brush will poke holes in the SS liner.

Here's 3 years of ash

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Have you looked down your chimney? It may already have a fire clay liner. More than once I have burned creosote out of a lined masonry chimney by damping it down and letting it burn. Just having it swept once a year should be plenty. If it has a masonry liner, you can install a stainless sleeve if you want, but you don't gain much.

If it's a raw brick chimney with no liner, yes, you need one. To do it right, buy a fireplace insert and connect it to a liner. You will have to cut the damper out to do it. Figure several hours of work and tools to do it yourself.

 

[hosspuller]

Larry Caldwell ... I disagree that installing a liner doesn't gain much over a lined masonry chimney. I had just that, it had sheets of creosote build-up. I installed a SS liner. The thin SS heats very quickly, yet the insulation keeps it hot. Creosote doesn't get a chance to condense & build up on a cool surface. Further, the constant diameter liner connected directly to the stove collar produces a much greater draw without back currents than in an oversize flue.

My 20 years experience says so. The only creosote build up, I get is on the chimney cap. It's exposed to the cooling air.

 

[PILOON]

Burn hot with the. Proper air fuel ratio. No creosote forms.

I agree!
Heated with wood for some 20 years and swept a few times to find no creosote.
Old timers did teach me a few tricks however.
Every so often I'd let the fire roar and could hear any creosote simply get crispy and fall away.
Guess they'd call it a 'controlled burn'
A few times it would ignite but since I did this on a regular basis it was minimal.
Over time I learned that one secret was a tightly sealed chimney of flue.
If a slightest air leak was present that would be where creosote would form.
Once on a 'patented' metal flue I found a large washer like creosote ring just where the 2 sections were poorly joined.
The creosote ring was caused by hot fumes hitting the cold air.
Guess that's why they sell 'liners' to prevent that.
Next is what wood do U burn?
Good dry hard woods won't create creosote while pine and spruce will really do a number.