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I have had a wood burner for a year and had a chimney sweep in today he told me there is no liner and has
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quoted £1300 to put in a chimney liner. There is also the loft type lining installation (fluffy fibreglass type looking stuff)the chimney sweep said this is all wrong and this material should only be used for loft installation.
What happens if I dont put in the chimney liner - it has been fine so far?
What happens if I dont put in the chimney liner - it has been fine so far?
Answers
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Have a look at this:
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The key points are:
1. You don't need a liner unless the chimney is leaking
2. If you do have a liner it must be one that can cope with the much higher temperatures associated with a wood-burner. If you have a line that was designed to work with a gas fire, it may start to disintegrate, releasing noxious fumes.
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The key points are:
1. You don't need a liner unless the chimney is leaking
2. If you do have a liner it must be one that can cope with the much higher temperatures associated with a wood-burner. If you have a line that was designed to work with a gas fire, it may start to disintegrate, releasing noxious fumes.
Sue, I'm assuming you got in a chimney sweep because there was a problem.....
Often with wood burners, resins accumulate in the flue and cause the fire to draw badly, or even cause a chimney fire.
In the past before you had the wood burner, whatever fire type was in its place either wasn't clarting up, or was, but wasn't giving out fumes hot enough to cause a chimney fire.
It's not just the fire, it's the fumes as well. Carbon monoxide and other toxic gases will be able to percolate through the brickwork and plaster. You can get away with this for ages, then a combination of partial blockages in the chimney, wind in the wrong direction and windows tight shut can cost lives.
Look on every day that you've got away with it as using up your luck.
Would you run across the main road without looking every day and expect to get away with it for ever?
Often with wood burners, resins accumulate in the flue and cause the fire to draw badly, or even cause a chimney fire.
In the past before you had the wood burner, whatever fire type was in its place either wasn't clarting up, or was, but wasn't giving out fumes hot enough to cause a chimney fire.
It's not just the fire, it's the fumes as well. Carbon monoxide and other toxic gases will be able to percolate through the brickwork and plaster. You can get away with this for ages, then a combination of partial blockages in the chimney, wind in the wrong direction and windows tight shut can cost lives.
Look on every day that you've got away with it as using up your luck.
Would you run across the main road without looking every day and expect to get away with it for ever?
Sorry, I was on my phone just now. Age of house is important because if it's a newer house then the chimney will be pot lined (or it's called something like that) and won't need a liner. Depending upon what part of the country you are in, £1300 is expensive to get it lined. A lot of chimney sweeps are getting into lining chimneys/fitting stoves. Not saying it is the case with your sweep, but he might be chancing his arm. If in doubt, get a couple of others out but don't tell them what the first bloke said, just see what they have got to say.
Yes how old is the house?
It does sound pretty odd I doubt the sweep would tell you that though if it wasn't true it's a pretty bizarre thing to make up.
Who put the burner in for you - was it a "familly friend" ? I can't imagine a reputable installer would. - There are building controls for fireplace installations and I'm pretty sure this contravenes them.
Actually if here's no liner I'm wondering what's keeping the insulation in place I wonder if there's a liner that's somehow come away.
If this is the state of affairs I guess the fibreglass liner could come lose and block the chimney and force the gasses back down. I'd be surprised if it would burn itself but if this has been bodged this badly it's difficult to guess what else might be up there.
I would certainly get a second opinion before using it again
It does sound pretty odd I doubt the sweep would tell you that though if it wasn't true it's a pretty bizarre thing to make up.
Who put the burner in for you - was it a "familly friend" ? I can't imagine a reputable installer would. - There are building controls for fireplace installations and I'm pretty sure this contravenes them.
Actually if here's no liner I'm wondering what's keeping the insulation in place I wonder if there's a liner that's somehow come away.
If this is the state of affairs I guess the fibreglass liner could come lose and block the chimney and force the gasses back down. I'd be surprised if it would burn itself but if this has been bodged this badly it's difficult to guess what else might be up there.
I would certainly get a second opinion before using it again
I bought a semi-detached cottage in the Yorkshire Dales which had a multi- fuel burner installed. The man next door came round almost as soon as I moved in, to complain about smoke coming through the walls into his property because it turned out my chimney was not lined. Cost me about £600 I think but it was 15 years ago. I had a lot of other work done at the same time so not absolutely sure but it was around about that figure. You need to get it sorted.
One of the reasons that older houses need liners for wood burners is that the flues were intended for carbon fuel such as coal or coke. These fuels produce a dry waste product (carbon dioxide mostly). These do not damage the mortar used to bond the chimney bricks together. Wood on the other hand not only contains free water which is released when the wood is burnt but it also produces water as the hydrogen in the cellulose (of which the wood is made)is oxidised. This water condenses inside the flue and the carbon dioxide dissolves in it and corrodes the mortar thus weakening the chimney and causing leaks. Additionaly wood tar soaks into the chimney and seeps through to the interior wall surfaces around chimney breasts. A cheaper option is to use a stainless steel flexible liner which will have to be replace about every 5 years depending in usage.
Just asked himself (he's just got in). A flexible flu liner is guaranteed for 10 - 15 years (dependent upon if you buy the good stuff or the cheaper stuff). The rigid flu (which is way more expensive and is used where you don't have a chimney) is only guaranteed for 5 years (which I think is mad given the price of the stuff). Your liner will last for less time if you burn coal or if you keep it going over night (we have a stove that can (just about) burn throughout the night). A flu liner will make your stove burn more efficiently though. (And if it was put in by anyone with any sense they would have supplied a carbon monoxide detector that has to be placed a certain distance from your stove.)
OK these are the building regulations relating to stoves
http://
1.24 says that appliances other than flueless appliances must be connected to flues
I very much doubt your wood burner is flueless!
This and a number of other points put this out of building control
On a practical pont - if this indeed is the case I'd think the biggest risk is that there'd not be enough updraft or it could become blocked or restricted both of which could cause a build up of carbon monoxide.
However I'd not be 100% sure that he's entirely right - perhaps there a flexible flue liner that's become detatched or something like that - definately get a secong opinion.
One thing that does bump up the cost of fitting chimney liners is the need to have scaffolding put up in order to do it - so £1300 doesn't sound totally outrageous if this is included and it depends on the type of liner and whether there is insulation being used here for example.
Mine has a flexible flue with pummice beads insulation and I think it was about that much if I recall
http://
1.24 says that appliances other than flueless appliances must be connected to flues
I very much doubt your wood burner is flueless!
This and a number of other points put this out of building control
On a practical pont - if this indeed is the case I'd think the biggest risk is that there'd not be enough updraft or it could become blocked or restricted both of which could cause a build up of carbon monoxide.
However I'd not be 100% sure that he's entirely right - perhaps there a flexible flue liner that's become detatched or something like that - definately get a secong opinion.
One thing that does bump up the cost of fitting chimney liners is the need to have scaffolding put up in order to do it - so £1300 doesn't sound totally outrageous if this is included and it depends on the type of liner and whether there is insulation being used here for example.
Mine has a flexible flue with pummice beads insulation and I think it was about that much if I recall
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