We are getting a wood stove soon and will be putting it in our basement. Our house is 14 years old, and the previous owners had a wood stove in the same place. There is a brick hearth, good clearance, thimble– all ready to go.
We have a ZC fireplace upstairs (vents into a parallel flue) and the chimney sweep we use for that thought he saw an issue in the wood stove flue. So we had a video inspection done and the inspection crew found that the clay tiles are not all the same size. The tiles at the bottom are (I'm approximating here) 8 x 12, but about 16" above the thimble they reduce to 8" tiles. The chimney was very clean, and in good shape overall on the outside, clay tiles are not cracked anywhere on inside. The issue is where the two different size tiles meet. There is a small gap along the side of the smaller (top) tile where it sits on the lower (bigger) tile. I estimate this gap to be about 1/2" wide. The gap has masonry block on the back side of it, and brick visible at the top (closing it off). There is very little creosote in the gap (the brick behind it is very clean).
The outfit that did the inspection said this was a violation of an NFSA code, and we should have a liner installed. We have had 2 building contractors and a chimney mason look at it, who have said it's fine– there will be no draft through the gap (it doesn't lead anywhere) so no creosote will build up in it (there is none now). The chimney itself is substantial, the tiles are surrounded by block and brick, not old, and in otherwise good condition. It has two, parallel flues, one for the ZC fireplace, one for a wood-stove (flues do not join anywhere). Previous owners used it for 7 years with no issues. The inspection crew said other than this gap it would be fine to use as is.
Opinions?
We have a ZC fireplace upstairs (vents into a parallel flue) and the chimney sweep we use for that thought he saw an issue in the wood stove flue. So we had a video inspection done and the inspection crew found that the clay tiles are not all the same size. The tiles at the bottom are (I'm approximating here) 8 x 12, but about 16" above the thimble they reduce to 8" tiles. The chimney was very clean, and in good shape overall on the outside, clay tiles are not cracked anywhere on inside. The issue is where the two different size tiles meet. There is a small gap along the side of the smaller (top) tile where it sits on the lower (bigger) tile. I estimate this gap to be about 1/2" wide. The gap has masonry block on the back side of it, and brick visible at the top (closing it off). There is very little creosote in the gap (the brick behind it is very clean).
The outfit that did the inspection said this was a violation of an NFSA code, and we should have a liner installed. We have had 2 building contractors and a chimney mason look at it, who have said it's fine– there will be no draft through the gap (it doesn't lead anywhere) so no creosote will build up in it (there is none now). The chimney itself is substantial, the tiles are surrounded by block and brick, not old, and in otherwise good condition. It has two, parallel flues, one for the ZC fireplace, one for a wood-stove (flues do not join anywhere). Previous owners used it for 7 years with no issues. The inspection crew said other than this gap it would be fine to use as is.
Opinions?
