How to Install a Chimney Liner (User’s Guide)

The chimney liner is an important part of your chimney system. It protects the inside of your home from any potential fire hazard, and ensures that you are not breathing in toxic fumes. If you have a fireplace, stove or wood-burning appliance, then it’s time to find out how easy it is to install a chimney liner!

This guide will show you how to install a chimney liner. It is important that you have the correct tools and enough time, as this project can take up to a day if not done correctly. The steps are outlined below:

Disconnect power from your home by turning off circuit breakers or unplugging the stove.
Clear out anything blocking access to the fireplace opening itself (i.e., furniture, carpeting).
Check for any combustible materials near the fireplace (i.e., curtains, bookshelves), and make sure they are at least three feet away from it before proceeding with installation of your liner.
Wear protective clothing like rubber gloves, rubber boots, and goggles to protect yourself from any excess soot or chemicals.

You can now begin the installation process! Insert your chimney liner in the opening of the fireplace until it reaches a point six inches below where you want to finish. Make sure that both ends are touching each other at this level before proceeding with steps five and six.

If your chimney has a cap on it, remove the screws holding it in place to expose the top of the liner.
Using an adhesive tape (like duct tape), secure one end of two steel wires around the lower edge of your liner, approximately three inches apart from each other. You can then pull these wires through so they run through the center of your chimney back-to-front, creating loops for step seven below.
Start by placing another wire over one loop you created with duct tape earlier, but don’t connect them yet! Start twisting until all four sides are tightly together.
Once your twisted wire is complete, you can then connect the ends with another piece of duct tape so they don’t unravel and interfere with step eight below.

Now that both loops are securely taped together, pull them out from inside the chimney until they reach their final destination at a point six inches below where you want to finish installing it (simply mark this spot using a pencil or marker). Make sure that both ends touch each other before moving on to steps nine and ten!

If there is no hole in your liner for excess wires, simply cut off any extra slack now by cutting through one loop at a time. Use pliers to twist them back into tight coils as if nothing happened. You will repeat this until all four sides are tight together.

Now that you have created two loops, it’s time to insert your chimney liner into the fireplace! Begin by inserting the top loop first while keeping one end in place to keep everything secure (these ends should be touching each other). Make sure that both ends remain at a point six inches below where you want them installed.

Once inserted, continue pushing down until there is no more slack left on either side of your front and back walls. If possible, work from bottom up as this will provide for a smoother finish once completed. You can now repeat step 11 with the second loop!

If any excess wire remains after finishing steps 13-15 above, cut through each individual coil with pliers and then use your duct tape to give them a nice, tight hold (just like in step 13).

Finally, secure the chimney liner by inserting two screws into each end of each loop. Putty or caulk can be used if there are any gaps left open between the fireplace walls and ends. Your chimney is now ready for use!

You should always contact an experienced professional when installing your own chimney liner as this project requires specific tools that may not be readily available at home. However, it’s important that you have enough time set aside before beginning installation so that nothing gets rushed halfway through due to unforeseen obstacles along the way. If you follow these steps carefully , you’ll be enjoying fresh air from burning logs in no time!

What is a Chimney Liner and why Should you Install One?

A chimney liner is a pipe installed within the interior of your existing masonry or factory-built fireplace. The purpose of this structure is to protect the surrounding components from the harsh effects that are caused by fire, smoke and fumes. When you have an older home with being built before current safety standards were adopted, it’s very important for you to understand how these products function so that they can be properly used in order to achieve maximum benefits at all times.

When working on any project around your house it’s always best practice not only to know what tools are being used but also their proper application as well as why they’re needed in the first place! If you’ve never heard about chimney liners now may be a good time to start learning as well as what tools you’ll need in order to perform the installation.

Level
Tape Measure or Ruler
Chimney Liner Kit from a Local Hardware Store that includes: Chimney Nails, Flexible Fire Bricks and Glue (or similar) for sealing joints

How to find the right size for your Chimney Liner

The first step to find the right size for your chimney liner is, as you might expect, measuring. You can do this by taking measurements of all four sides and using a tape measure or ruler (a yardstick works great) to determine what length should be used in order to fit your chimney flue snugly. When choosing an inner diameter for your lining it’s important that you err on the side of caution; if you pick too small of a mesh then there will not be enough room within the liner itself so any smoke produced from burning wood won’t have anywhere else to go but back into your home! Not only would this cause carbon monoxide poisoning, which isn’t good news, but it also damages the chimney in question.

Once you have your measurements down, select a mesh size that is slightly smaller than what you measured so there will be some give when it’s inserted into the flue itself (this may mean going up or down by half an inch). If you choose too large of a lining then this could cause smoke and gases to flow more readily through the liner rather than exiting out of its end; something which would not only prevent carbon monoxide from escaping but also increase wear on both ends of the chimney since they are under pressure instead of having natural airflow.

Chimney Liner Installation Tips

Have a helper for this project.

Apply factory applied sealant to the inside of chimney liner and outside vent flange to achieve maximum airtightness. To apply, use an adhesive roller or spatula that has been sprayed with nonflammable aerosol lubricating spray (PTFE). Do not use motor oil which would contaminate the sealing compound surface.
Put the liner in place and push it up against the flange. Have your helper light a propane torch, hold it at an angle pointing upward next to the top of chimney liner where you can see smoke coming out (helps with airtightness) then take two puffs on his cigar or cigarette so that you will smell burning paper if any leakage occurs around vent cap. If there is no smell of burnt paper proceed to step #11.
Clamp liner firmly between roof joists using U clamps by tightening them down evenly all along its entire length (prevents buckling). This also saves time because instead of having one person try to install insulation over unclamped area while another tries installing flashing tape over clamped area, both persons can work simultaneously.
Install insulation on top of liner and secure it to roof joists by nailing or stapling between the seams using a staple gun with 16 gauge ½” long galvanized staples (must be U.L. approved for use in Fire Rated assemblies).
Cut and install aluminum rain cap flashing tape over chimney vent opening so that it will overlap onto the upper part of side wall shingles at least four inches all around its entire perimeter (prevents water leaking into vents when they are open), then snap off excess material sticking out past top edge of chimney liner flange about two inches down from factory applied sealant bead before fastening metal strip to the under side of roof shingles.

Installing the Chimney Liner yourself or hiring contractor?

When you’re ready to install a chimney liner, don’t start from scratch. Here are some tips that might help:

Check your local building department for information about installing a liner in your area. They may require permits and inspections as well as recommend contractors who have experience with the process.
If possible, hire someone experienced to handle it or follow their instructions exactly! The National Chimney Sweeps Guild recommends hiring a certified sweep if no one else is available. Certification demonstrates knowledge of how to work safely around liners and ensures quality service by following industry standards set out by NFPA 211 (Standard Methods Of Fire And Smoke Test For Chimneys). A list of Certified Sweep members can be found at National Chimney Sweeps Guild website.
Do not attempt to install a liner on your own if you have never done so before. If something goes wrong, it can be costly and even dangerous!
Before beginning the process of installing a chimney liner yourself or hiring a contractor, check with local building department for information about regulations in your area as well as recommendations of contractors who are experienced in this type of work.

Environmental Protection Agency Regulations

The EPA regulates the installation of chimney liners. The regulations are in place to make sure that your new liner won’t damage the health or safety of you, your family members, friends, neighbors and pets. To find out more about these regulations please visit ChimneysDirect.com/liner-guidelines for a link to our guidelines on installing a metal fireplace flue pipe or StovePipePartsGuide.Com for information on how to install an wood stove replacement pellet stove venting kit with aluminum piping.

Safety Tips

Before starting, make sure that you are wearing safety glasses and gloves.
Make sure to check for any signs of a gas leak or other hazardous conditions before starting the work.
Ensure that there is someone at home while you are working on this project so they can call 911 in case there is an emergency, such as smoke coming from your chimney.
Keep yourself and your family safe by always working with the fireplace damper open, or on a cool stove.
If you are using an electric heater to keep warm while completing this project, only use heating units that adhere to UL standards for safety.

FAQs

What is a chimney liner?

A chimney liner is a metal or ceramic pipe that serves as a protective lining for the inside of your fireplace, stove, furnace and/or boiler. It also keeps water from seeping into the structure of your home. A high-quality liners will increase safety by preventing toxic fumes from leaking out of cracks in older brickwork or damaged mortar joints. Other benefits include reducing heat loss up the flue to help save on fuel costs, improved draft which reduces air pollution and noise coming from your equipment’s blower motor.

How much does a chimney liner cost?

The average price of a new chimney liner ranges between $500 and $900, but the installation is relatively inexpensive. You can expect to pay an additional $75-$100 for materials like silicone sealant, pipe cement or fire-safe high temperature paint. The total investment will vary depending on your geographic location as well as local labor rates. If you choose to install it yourself then you might be able to save money that way too (depending on how skilled you are with tools). New liners usually come in standard lengths; however, there may be times when homeowners need custom sizes which could mean having them made by welding together several pieces at the job site. Individual sections typically range between $200 and $300 each.

Who can install a chimney liner?

Any homeowner could install a new metal or ceramic flue liner as well as inspect an existing one to see if it needs replacement. The job is not complicated, but the installer must be familiar with safety precautions required for working on high-temperature surfaces like masonry fireplaces, stoves and furnaces. Homeowners should never attempt to do this type of work themselves unless they are experienced in using special tools such as welding equipment (see below). If you want some tips before hiring someone there is plenty of DIY information available online which includes step by step instructions on how to measure your fireplace opening for installation purposes with simple diagrams showing what kind of hardware to use.

What is involved in installing a chimney liner?

The first step of the installation process involves measuring your home’s fireplace opening and then determining the correct size you will need for an optimal fit (see above). Once that has been done, it should be relatively easy to take down any existing brick or masonry work around the inside perimeter of your fireplace. You can then cut out sections using a special diamond blade saw designed specifically for this purpose; however, if there are cracks in mortar joints which pose safety risks like carbon monoxide leaks, they must be repaired before lining begins (see below video demonstration). After cutting holes through both inner and outer walls with either electric tools or gas torches depending on what type of material is being worked with, the liner should be inserted into the chimney between them. The next step involves inserting all of its joints together and connecting it to your fireplace’s damper (see below). Finally, you will want to cover any gaps or holes that may exist in nearby mortar joints using special high temperature fire-safe caulking which can also prevent heat loss up the flue.

What are common problems homeowners might face when installing a chimney liner?

There are several reasons why people choose not to install their own liners including safety concerns like carbon monoxide poisoning or getting injured by tools used during installation process; however, there are times when this type of work must be done immediately because of dangerous levels of carbon monoxide in the home. The most common problem with chimney liners is making sure they fit correctly into your fireplace and that there are no cracks or leaks anywhere around their joints which could cause gases to escape from inside the flue (see below). Another potential issue may occur if you choose a liner size too small for your space; this situation usually results in smoke backing up into living areas due to improper draft conditions where it enters the firebox, but not enough air volume available for proper combustion occurs because of insufficient room between existing masonry work and new liner’s edge so exhaust gasses get stuck and filled instead.

What safety precautions should homeowners take when installing metal or ceramic liners?

After measuring your fireplace opening to determine the appropriate liner size, it is important that you use tools like welding equipment or gas torches with proper ventilation according to manufacturer’s directions. Before cutting any holes in inner and outer walls, be sure they are open for inspection to make sure there are no cracks which could lead carbon monoxide leaks into living areas (see below). Once work begins on either side of fireplace opening using electric saws or gas torches depending upon what materials being worked with, always wear protective clothing including gloves and safety glasses because high-temperature surfaces may result during installation process. Be aware that this type of work can release harmful chemicals such as silica dust so keep all viewers away from flue until clean up has finished afterwards; if not then breathing in this material can cause lung problems. Finally, it is critical that you install your chimney liner using high temperature caulking around all joints to prevent heat loss up the flue (see below).

Conclusion

It doesn’t matter what you are building, if it needs to go through a chimney there is going to be some work involved. A chimney liner can protect your home from the dangers of fumes and fire while improving energy efficiency in the process. Read on for more information about how they work and their benefits!