Chimney liner replacement in Waterford Lakes

Airspace around an interior chimney

Where any part of a masonry chimney sits inside the building or within an exterior wall, section R1003.18 calls for at least 2 inches of airspace to combustibles. Framing tight against the masonry is a clearance problem the liner has to account for.

We check that space wherever it can be seen, in the attic or at openings around the chimney, and record exactly what we could and could not confirm. The record matters, because unconfirmed clearances can change the liner from a plain installation to an insulated one.

The metal in a stainless relining system

In one listed stainless flexible system, the liner, top plate and rain cap are all 300 series stainless steel, with worm-drive clamps securing the parts. Knowing the alloy matters when an appliance produces corrosive condensate, since some products exclude those appliances.

We record the product and alloy in your paperwork, and we tell you in the estimate why that alloy suits the appliance you use. If a different alloy is called for, the reason is written down beside it.

Planning around a future appliance

If you plan to replace the appliance soon, tell us before relining. A liner sized for today's equipment may not suit the next one, and the new appliance's instructions may set a different size or product.

Relining once, for the appliance you will actually use, avoids paying for the job twice. Where the timing cannot be aligned, we explain what a temporary arrangement would and would not cover.

Questions worth asking before you approve relining

A sound relining proposal should answer each of these clearly. If one of them gets a vague answer, ask again, since each one affects how the liner performs or what the job includes.

• What finding makes the current lining unsuitable?
• Which listed product is proposed, and at what size?
• Is insulation required, or only recommended?
• What preparation happens before the liner goes in?
• Which old parts stay, and which come out?
• Which separate repairs, if any, are recommended?