Have an old chimney, no flue liner, just brick and mortar, built probably 50+years ago....
Is there a liner that I could slide down into chimney and then cut out hole for thimble?.......
IF so, were could I buy one? or length?....thanks.....
Mike
Already had one house to burn down, don't want a repeat....
Welcome to CBN, Farmer. I have seen liners that were slid down old chimneys, to repair them (vs replace). I think it was on an episode of This Old House. I would imagine a Google search will turn up something. They were made of stainless steel (?).
Howdy and welcome aboard! Around here there are fireplace shops that sell all manner of related stuff, including liners. I think you will be much safer and pleased with the results. The liner gets hotter than the old brick chimneys and so stays cleaner better.
My previous house was built in 1928 and had a brick and mortar F/P and chinmey. Had we not relocated I was considering a liner for it. It had begun to deteriorate and that would have been slowed or stopped with a liner as the old chimney would be a decoration not a working functional item.
[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
My woodstove flue is a std. 6" galvanized steel inside a brick and mortar chimney and it hasn't been cleaned or replaced in the last 22 years! The flue is straight up with no turns whatsoever. Creosote build-up is minimal and hasn't changed from year to year. The brick allows the metal flue to remain hot and prevent the condensation of creosote.
Capt, If you really stoke up your F/P and get 'er roarin' a few times the inside galvanize is history, outside too if you really get after it. Depends on lots of factors but it is possible to have it rust out after that.
Different folks report different lifetimes on galvanized. Stainless clearly costs more to buy but is more of a sure thing if there are moisture or other rust out concerns. The new house has 4 propane gas logs, three decorative parlor stoves and a fireplace. I'm using all galvanized with no particular concern because I don't have the chemicals to contend with of a wood fire.
Pat
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
Update: thanks for input...I looked up site on internet and got in touch with an installer of stainless steel liners,etc.....he gave me a ballpark figure(which I know will be low from experience)..of 2k,
This puts me on the spot because it is a lot of money...and money is tight right now......but it is gaurnated for life....and after....
But for this price,do I really want to invest in a liner , then have to cut and split wood..feed the stove, carry out the ashes, (just paid 3k for new carpets).....stove is in living room....
I am 58years old disabled all limbs attached...but not in the best of health.....so I wonder maybe I should go with propane instead.....can't heat the whole house anyway....still need baseboard heaters in outer rooms.....
Have 4wheel drive truck, chain saw,tractor, woods,etc...for getting firewood.......so no problem there.....
Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions, that may help me decide which way to go......thanks Mike
We have access to plenty of firewood, have the chainsaw, etcetera. The deciding factor was: do I want to bring firewood into the house, with snakes, spiders & scorpions hiding under the bark? [img]/forums/images/icons/ooo.gif[/img]
Kioti, Let me be blunt. As we age, even if fully AB with no health issues cutting wood is a chore. Some like it and it is good exercise but not everyone ends up thinking any money saved is worth the hassle with the ashes, potential for smoke, effort to "do the fire" delay in getting heat and so forth. I like a real wood fire but made the decision to go with a gas log. I installed a gas log F/P in my mom's house and it turned out to be a terrific heat source and looks realistic (just no wood smell, unfortunatley.)
I Installed some parlor stoves with gas logs for ambience as well as backup heat in three locations; sun room, sitting room, and basement. I put in a large direct vent gas log fireplace in the great room. It looks good but is fully functional and in case of a power outaage stopping our heat pump it will take care of us in the worst weather we have (rarely below zero.)
There are gas logs and then there are gas logs. You can install a gas log in a real wood burning F/P by substituting the wood holder. I do not recommend this to you for your needs as it is mainly decorative rather than effective and shares shortcomings with old style F/P where most of the heat goes up the chimney. Looks good but heats very poorly. Worked for me in San Diego but you aren't in THAT CLIMATE.
There are gas log fireplaces that are decorative but are not rated as gas heating appliances. They provide some heat but are not so efficient.
I recommend a gas log fireplace that has a heating appliance rating. Within that category, efficiencies and features vary but as a minimum get something rated as a heating appliance. Get direct vent. In special cases a "B" vent may be OK but I do not recommend relying on a vent free fireplace for a major source of hea. I'm sure there are folks who have them and love them (folks smoke a pack and a half a day and think that is normal too) These units don't make code in some states. Some less caring states allow them. It turns your house into a chimney. Some folks don't think they smell bad but folks with asthma and other conditions can't deal with them. They lower the O2 concentration in your living space which can impact your health. The cost savings isn't worth the risk. They come equipped with an oxygen depletion sensor that shuts the heater off before the O2 is so low it directly kills you but I like more than just barely enough, personally.
OK, direct vent advantages: The air that supports the combustion comes into the stove from outside and then the exhaust gasses go back outside. The combustion chamber is hermetically sealed and never exchanges air with the indoors. They can not backdraft under any conditions short of something breaking the stove up. If the wind managed to "mess" with the fire it still has no chance of getting fumes or gas into the room.
They come with self generating pilots so you can use a thermostat even when there is no electricity from the utility. They have piezoelectric ignition (mechanical clicker thingy.) You light the pilot in fall and turn it off in spring. There is a "volume" control, a knob to adjust flame size from a small neat flickering to a fairly robust and pretty realistic larger fire. Yo can get them with remote controls where the portable remote (wand like for a TV) is the thermostat. YOu can get them with or without an electric blower to help spread the heat. If you have a ceiling fan in the room that is all you need and it is much quieter than the blowers.
The appliance rated units like mine have mineral glass in front. Gives a good view of the phony logs and the embers and fire AND it transmits infra red heat energy quite well. Sitting 20 feet away I can hold up a hand and rotqate it from palm toward the fire to back of hand toward the fire and feel the difference. Ahh radiant heat. Radiant heat is a nice feature of the gas log. YOu get radiant heat and hot air. To stir the air so the heat isn't lost up at the ceiling you really should have a " Casa Blanca" Humphrey Borart type ceiling fan.
It takes a special stove pipe. The pipe is double walled, a small diameter pipe inside a larger one. The hot stack gasses go up the little one and the combustion air comes in between the inner pipe and the larger pipe. This turns the stack into a heat exchanger. Heat in the exhaust warms the incoming air so you recapture some of the enery in the stack gasses. Since the hot gasses are inside the ouiter pipe doesn't get nearly so hot as a regular stove pipe so clearance requirements are relaxed. The stack can exit through a wall to the outside or through the ceiling. A special design made for the prupose allows the cap to exhaust and take in fresh air at the same time with no interference.
I like the luxury of convenience. No mess, quick response, no tending, thermostat control and I don't bring in spiders and such with the cord wood. Some folks put a small log holder beside the gas log and put some real cord wood in it. It helps complete the illusion of a regular fireplace as does an andiron set.
I reserve my logging operation for wood to feed my woodworking house trimiing activities.
If you Google on "direct vent gas log fireplace" you will get lots of good hits.
Oh... you can get a small gadget with a speaker in it that simulates the crackling and popping of a real fire. It completes the illusion. Most places selling gas logs should have them or be able to get them.
[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
As there are health issues there is a decision only you can make. Using wood may not be good for your health as the labour involved may be too much. On the other hand perhaps the excersize may be helpfull for your health.
It is a matter of doing some costing of different methods taking into account your physical ability to handle materials.
If in doubt go the propane route but again do the pricing first.
Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
Well I have used wood heat for years, even after house burnt (1976?).....never carried any scorpions or snakes into house ...maybe a spider or two.....
I could really use the exercise of a wood burner,I'm overweight and need some sort of exercise....
With the layout of house, I can keep a supply of wood right outside of back door.....wouldn't need to keep wood in house..
also I'm concerned about the oil-propane sitituation world wide..
I heated last house with two propane heaters on wall....worked great,but head was stopped up every morning,plus was always concerned about depleted O2 in house....
Also the cost of propane over a couple of years ,would pay for the installation of flue liner.....which is gaurnetted for life...
I have a stove in Living room not a Fireplace....it has a fan also i have a ceiling fan.......
I really appreciate all the great info and suggestions..and would like to hear some more....
I live in West Virginia by the way.....
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