Chimney Liner Question

There are 2 possibilities.
#1 is that the Chimney Pro is correct with requiring a larger size. Remember, this is the guy that must come back if the system fails to operate properly. (like insufficient draft which results in smoking up your building) They must stand behind their workmanship and provide follow-up service, so they want to do it right the first time.
#2 is that they just want to make a sale on a new liner that is slightly larger without regard to the fact that your existing liner is adequate for such a small stove.

To determine if you have #1 or #2, I would get at least 2 more professional estimates for the job. especially if they are free estimates. Is the pro that is "waiting" for the larger liner also the same pro that is providing the price for the new liner?

My expertise is with Gas-fired and oil-fired automatic heating appliances. we have specific flue sizing charts for each type of fuel (different for gas v. oil) and I believe that solid fuel appliances have another sizing table based on the different fuels used therein. NFPA publishes these tables for most of those applications. NFPA 54 is for Gas NFPA 31 is for Oil but I do not know which number is for Solid Fuel appliances. perhaps NFPA 211 may be the proper reference.

You will need to do more research. I hope this info helps a little.

Some mfrs. will approve of a 5.5" liner if over a certain height (approx 30 ft.). We do it all the time without problems. The problem with a 4"x7" liner is insulation. Is this liner wrapped with 1/2" foil-backed ceramic fiber insulation for a zero clearance to combustibles 2,100F rating per the UL 1777 listing? If this is going into a nominal 9"x13" terra cotta tile liner, it might have room for the blanket if the tiles aren't staggered. That's one reason you must perform an NFPA 211 level II inspection prior to relining. Is this an interior or exterior chimney? What is the make and model of the stove?

Chimney Flue Sizing:
The Model 205 Fireview Wood Stove has a 6” flue collar and a 6” chimney is considered
ideal. If upsizing needs to occur due to an existing chimney the following general rules
apply:
1. Interior Chimney (no walls of the chimney exposed to the outside below the roofline):
the inside cross-sectional area of your chimney should be no more than 3x the crosssectional area of the woodstove flue collar.
2. Exterior Chimney (if there are one or more walls exposed to the outside below the
roofline) - The flue should be no more than 2x the cross-sectional area of the flue collar.
Recommendation: Woodstock Soapstone recommends, for the Fireview wood stoves, a
maximum of 8 inch x 10 inch rectangular or 10 inch round flue tile for an inside chimney.
For an outside chimney, an 8 inch x 8 inch square or 8 inch round would be the largest
recommended. The smallest size we recommend is 6 inches round. DO NOT VENT THE
FIREVIEW INTO A CHIMNEY OF LESS THAN 6 INCHES IN DIAMETER.
Note: For flues that exceed the recommended area, a stainless steel chimney liner is recommended.
Height Requirements:
The chimney must extend 3 ft. above the point where it passes through the roof and
must also be 2 ft. higher than any roof surface or obstruction within 10 feet (measured
horizontally) of the chimney. You should check your local building codes for any other
requirements.
The recommended minimum chimney height is 15 feet from the flue collar of the stove to the top of the chimney. This
includes connector pipe and chimney pipe. There may be other factors to conform to code for clearances on the roof,
high wind, high altitude, etc., that may make the minimum height undesirable or a violation of building codes.
They provide their tech services number if you have questions about the venting. You must insulate the liner because you will not have the requisite 2" clearance to combustibles all the way through the house. It just doesn't exist in the wild. If you call tech svcs. and they tell you it's ok to use a 5.5" liner at that height, request they state it in an email.
Soapstone stoves are awesome because they have such a high specific heat meaning they can absorb and store lots of energy then release it slowly over time.