# Chimney Flue (Liner) Replacement

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chimney-flue-liner-replacement/641746>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [November 21, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chimney-flue-liner-replacement/641746 "2012-11-21T18:04:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chimney-flue-liner-replacement/641746/1 "2012-11-21T18:04:43Z")

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Haven’t used the fireplace much in my house (e.g., not once in the past 10 years) due to a problem with the damper. Had a chimney service come out today and they showed me how to work the damper properly (DOH!) but recommended a cleaning and video inspection of the flue.

Given that:

1. my house is 70+ years old,
2. this is the original terra cotta flue
3. there are signs of water in the current flue liner
4. the brick was pointed about 15 years ago

I need to get the video inspection and cleaning done. However, they gave a ballpark of $8000 for replacing/insulating the flue with a new stainless steel liner.

This seems incredibly high… ’

Any advice or experience would be appreciated.

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**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chimney-flue-liner-replacement/641746/2 "2012-11-21T18:24:07Z")

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We just had 7 done in the house using terra cotta liners for 14K; in contrast, they quoted us 24K using stainless steel. There’s probably a significant diminishing marginal cost by the time you get to 7, so I’d guess that 8K for one is a little high, but not crazy high.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chimney-flue-liner-replacement/641746/3 "2012-11-21T18:30:41Z")

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_A flea and a fly in a chimney flue  
The flea said, ‘Let’s fly!’  
The fly said, ‘Let’s flee!’  
So they flew through a flaw in the flue!_

I had my liner replaced when I replaced the old wood-burning stove with a new, efficient Napoleon one (with a glass front, yet!). The whole job, including the cost of the stove, the steel liner, County permit, and installation was about $6,000. Note that this house was built in 1934 and has low ceilings (about 7 feet) for heat retention. (It gets chilly here.) The chimney is _just_ high enough to not have needed extending.

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**Author:** ![DIYHome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b77776/32.png) [@DIYHome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DIYHome)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chimney-flue-liner-replacement/641746/4 "2013-02-18T19:39:57Z")

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You can do this job yourself in an afternoon’s work. I would NOT pay that kind of money for the installation. If anything, purchase the chimney liner online and have a handyman install it.