# Multi fuel chimney flue liner



## MDC250 (Jan 4, 2014)

Thinking of overhauling living flame gas fire that was fitted and in situ in the lounge when we bought the house to an open fire. It's a Victorian property so chimney is inevitably leaking smoke in the loft 

Hoping somebody on here can give me a rough idea of what I might be looking at cost wise for the above fitted? Let's say give or take a 10m drop maybe a little more but I doubt much less.

Just wanting to try and rule this in or out as a possibility.

Thanks in advance 

Oh and any recommendations for fitters and/or where is good to source materials etc would be appreciated. I'm North of Liverpool.


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## Sh1ner (May 19, 2012)

I don't know if any of this will help but here goes.
I will start by wishing you the best of luck. I have found it a much bigger subject than first anticipated.
It will depend on what you are intending to replace it with and what and when you are going to burn.
I would suspect about 1k to 3K perhaps more depending on what is required you may need a new throat, fire back, hearth, extra vents, extra insulation etc if it does not meet current building regs.
Good liner appears to be about £20/£30pm. The fitters I have spoken to generallyl slag of the other fitters chosen brand of liner. 
If you do I would only use a 904 type liner it will last much longer than one made of cheaper 316. However pay no attention to the ridiculous warranties offered by the liner companies they are not worth a candle.
Check and see what you have to do to maintain any warranty (virtually impossible) and then they only cover the cost of a liner, no labour. Will they still be in business?
Many fuels are very acidic be it smokeless, wood, pellets etc and eat liners for breakfast especially if kept in overnight. 
I would give serious thought to checking and restoring the chimney before putting a liner inside. It might well work out much better/cheaper in the long run.
You will either have to notify building control and let them inspect if you put a liner in yourself or use an approved (Paid the money to join the club) contractor.
If it does leak or has a few cracks it can be locally repaired or completely rendered with sand and cement and it should be fine. It does not have to have a liner it just must not leak.
Smoke bombs for testing are easy to find.
As far as I can tell from everything I have seen, asked and read it is all potentially a bit of a con and widely abused. The premise behind it might be ok but the implementation and regulation is sadly lacking.
The quality of some of the work I have seen has been apalling.
I am sure there are good, reliable, competant, reasonably priced people out there but finding them is a lottery.
I can only suggest you do your research, find out as much as you can, current legislation included and then see what you think of the answers to your questions from anyone you get to quote. 

We have 10 chimneys. I repaired two and had two lined to take woodburning/ multi fuel stoves. The original liners lasted two years before they literally fell apart and collapsed inside the chimneys. The mess was unreal. The replacements have lasted 5 years, despite a seven year warranty and have gone the same way. It is possible to sweep them when new but once they are a couple of years old...... The stoves are used from november/december to perhaps april which invalidates any warranty I have seen.
I have been quoted £1000+vat per liner to replace as a starting point. They have been told, ha ha ha.
I will do it myself and get it signed off by building control. The cost is £200 per 904 liner + my time. I will fit new cowls and fittings as well. These were an extra £370 from the liner people but actually cost me £100 after shopping around.
By way of contrast the two repaired unlined chimneys are still fine. I sweep them twice a year once before and once after the season so they are clean and dry for the summer. One has a 30 year old multifuel/woodburning stove that is kept in all winter and the other is an open fire. They are both left open during the time they are not lit to allow for ventilation.
If you are careful there is very little mess if you choose to sweep yourself but even if you do not it is still much easier/quicker than replacing liners.

I can only imagine what it would be like to replace a liner that has been backfilled with vermiculite.


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## HarryHedgehog (Aug 13, 2013)

http://www.hetas.co.uk/

Search here for decent installers, 100 per meter is about right, did ours about 6 years ago, and that was the price then.....


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## LeadFarmer (Feb 23, 2011)

Interesting thread

This is how my living room looks at the moment, rather than getting scaffolding would it be possible to cut a few bricks out of the chimney breast and insert the flue liner in from the bottom, feeding up the chimney?


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## Sh1ner (May 19, 2012)

It is often difficult to insert the liner from below because the brickwork in the top of the chimney is sticking out against the flow and will try and stop it going up even with a cone on the end. It also stresses the liner because the whole weight is being pulled/forced up rather than being pushed down and hanging. Even then the liner is often damaged by sharp and jagged bends.
Most liners are directional.
If you have not seen one they are actually very thin and because they are only folded can come apart. Duraflue make a big thing of how strong their liner is. Docherty is another make.
The recommendation appears to be to use a liner that is only just long enough for this reason. This often means getting the liner to be only just the correct length, to minimise weight, then lowering it into place and securing the top.
If you are going for an open fire and liner, to meet current regs, I think you will have to remove some of the upper brickwork above the fire anyway and along with the liner fit a two piece throat/lintel along with a suitable back plate and perhaps modify the hearth (needs to be a certain thickness) and make sure there are suitable expansion joints etc
If you are fitting a stove it needs to have certain clearances all around it and will still require a suitable register plate for the liner to pass through and attach to the stove flue pipe with an adaptor.
All the joints must be sealed with fire cement and there are no joins allowed in the liner.
You will also need to find out if the chimney is suitable for the size of liner required. 6 inch is preferred and 5 inch is probably the minimum but don't quote me on that.
It might be worth having a word and asking advice from your local building control as they will want to see what has been done if you do it yourself. It is classed as notifiable work but can be done by a competent person and then signed off.


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## ChuckH (Nov 23, 2006)

LeadFarmer said:


> Interesting thread
> 
> This is how my living room looks at the moment, rather than getting scaffolding would it be possible to cut a few bricks out of the chimney breast and insert the flue liner in from the bottom, feeding up the chimney?


 Mark I take it you can get up to the top of the chimney ?

If so get up there with a length of rope. That blue BT type stuff is ideal

Try threading the rope down the chimney. Obviously a weight will help but try without as adding an object / weight carries the risk of it getting stuck. An old trick is to fill a plastic drinks bottle with water cos it it gets stuck you can just yank it out or light a fire and clear it that way.

Once you have the rope in the fireplace tie it on securely . Emphasis on securely.

Then with one up top and one below push and pull and it will go up a reet treat !

Any problems do you have my number ......... No ? .........Good


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## slim_boy_fat (Jun 23, 2006)

Difficult to tell from your pic, but I hope there's still a lintel above that hole....


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## chrisc (Jun 15, 2008)

slim_boy_fat said:


> Difficult to tell from your pic, but I hope there's still a lintel above that hole....


3rd brick up by the looks of it


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## LeadFarmer (Feb 23, 2011)

slim_boy_fat said:


> Difficult to tell from your pic, but I hope there's still a lintel above that hole....


There is, but its cracked, and strangely its above two courses of bricks!!!

Ive removed the lower course, and the bricks up each side. They must have been put there to reduce the size of the opening?


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## slim_boy_fat (Jun 23, 2006)

^^ Or to avoid the expense of replacing the cracked one.


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## LeadFarmer (Feb 23, 2011)

slim_boy_fat said:


> ^^ Or to avoid the expense of replacing the cracked one.


Its bizare because I can't see the bricks underneath being of any support.


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## slim_boy_fat (Jun 23, 2006)

LeadFarmer said:


> Its bizare because I can't see the bricks underneath being of any support.


Not now that he's removed the lower, shorter lintel - but they would have filled the gap between the two quite successfully. As a 'stop-gap' if you like.....


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