DYI Chimney Liner - Anyone Done It?

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leeave96

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I posted this at another forum, but thought I'd post here for a bit more input/advice - thanks!

OK, got the Woodstock Keystone squared away in the living room, but now I am thinking about a stove for the other end of the house in the kitchen.

Here’s the deal, I’ve got an old brick chimney that has 8 x 8 flue tiles with about a 6-1/2 inside dimension. These tiles have some cracks and down near the thimble has about a 4 inch piece of tile that has fallen out. The thimble is 6 inches and the height from the thimble to the top of the chimney is about 16 ft.

I’ve done some reading-up in some older posts, but now have a few questions.

1. I want to use a 6 inch liner and that means the flue tiles have to go. Has anyone done this? I have looked online and there appears to be a tool that attaches to a drill rod string that is by RO Kleen. It is a rectangular piece of steel that bangs against the tile and I gather breaks it-up and you simply clean out the pieces from the bottom of the chimney cleanout. Again, has anyone removed their own flue tile?

2. Since I’d have a straight shot from top of chimney to thimble, I’d like to use a rigid flue liner vs flex. I like the looks of Simpson Durliner. Their 6 inch flue is already insulated and has an OD of 6-5/8. It is a ZERO clearance liner. The tee for it that is positioned behind the thimble looks interesting in that the thimble piece that mates with the tee “snaps” onto the tee - no locking bands. Anyone tried this Duraliner with a tee/thimble connection?

3. The last choice would be to leave the liner intact and use an insulated 5.5 flex liner with insulation. I gather the insulation is 1/2 inch thick? This would make it a line to line fit into my existing flue, but it is an option. Not sure what stove I’d use for the kitchen, but it would be no larger than the Keystone. The Woodstock Classic might be a choice for that room - don’t know how the larger Woodstocks would work with a 5.5 inch chimney. I assume the thimble/tee for a 5.5 liner would fit a standard 6 inch thimble/collar?

4. Is relining a chimney a DYI project or should I farm it out to a sweep? How long woudl a project likt this take? A saturday, a weekend, a 3 day holiday or a week’s vacation? My boys and I worked through the Keystone install from unloading it off the truck, building a hearth, setting the stove and fitting the pipe and it was a great learning experience for them and myself. A relining project might be a good lesson learned for all of us too.

Any tips/suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks!
Bill
 
I've installed a lot of Simpson Duraliner over the years, good product, have it in my house...

Trying to install ridgid in an existing chimney....it may work, but what happens if you hit a narrow spot and get it stuck? The flex would be a lot easier, but, go for it.
 
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