Lining chimney question

Bob Harper

Insist on a listed type 316Ti stainless steel liner with a transferrable lifetime warranty. Alumninum may be code compliant but comes with many drawbacks: 20-25yr warranty, can rot out, easily crushed during installation, and does not come with a listed tee that has snouts on opposite sides.
If you build the manifold properly, you can have it tie in on one side and connect either to the snout of a listed tee or just pull the liner through like a hockey stick for improved performance. Some AHJs still insist on cleanouts with liners out of habit.
I don't know of any chimney pros who install alum. liners for boilers,furnaces and WHs. Gas fireplaces, yes.
HTH,

Linda R

Lining chimney

My chimney is brick & mortar, unlined, goes up through the center of 2 story house from basement (also through walk-up attic). I know I absolutely have to have this lined. It was just cleaned and the structure of the chimney itself is ok.

I have a gas-fired steam boiler and a hot water heater feeding into the chimney in the basement. No other appliances.

I've been getting estimates and would like to know if these companies are suggesting appropriate materials for steam boiler exhaust.

So far both companies have said 6 inch liner, and 35' long. They are both recommending a flexible piping. One specified stainless steel, the other I thought told me aluminum.
I have one more company coming Tuesday.

Also one company suggested moving the exhaust pipe from the hot water heater so that it joins the exhaust pipe from the boiler and goes into the chimney in one place. That would result in the water heater exhaust pretty much going horizontal (at slight slope up) from the top of the heater rather than straight up about 6" and then into the chimney at 90 degrees. This sounds somewhat fishy to me. Is there any problem with doing that?

What do I need to know to make sure this gets done right?

Linda

ddlong1286@yahoo.com

Chimney

Hello,

Fireplace? Aluminum should be ok unless some other info we don't have, why I asked about fireplace. But you can't have the fireplace and gas appliances in the same vent.

Got to have pitch to vent. Joining the two appliances outside of the chimney is easier than in the chimney. Probably why the one wants to do it that way.

Don in Mo

kpc_75

I would only...

do Stainless steel. Most all have a lifetime wrnty. Alum will not stand up over time.

Linda R

No fireplace

it only handles the hot water heater and the boiler.

KevinCorr

boiler age

How old is that boiler? I agree you need a liner, and stainless steel is standard, but will you replace the boiler any time in the next few years.
Most of the new boilers offer a side vent or direct vent.

If your boiler is inefficient you may be better putting your money in a new system. If you would not choose to use the direct vent on a new boiler, then go with the ss liner because you can use it with a new boiler.