Hairline cracks in tile liner--usable? or must reline?

[agcowvet]

(Edited for clarity and to change image size to 'thumbnail'.)

Hi folks,

Exterior block chimney, 8x12 tile liners. Several near to the thimble have a number of hairline cracks. Only thimble is in the basement, used to vent a Riteway Omni wood furnace. Furnace is no good, firebox rotten near the hot water coil, and who knows where else. Considering relative merits of wood stove on 1st floor (would install new metalbestos chimney), coal stove in basement or first floor (using chimney as-is in basement, or direct vent on first floor) or new wood furnace (probably an Englander) in basement.

Obviously there's more to this decision than just whether this older chimney needs to be lined or not, but the $ may help to sway it one way or another. Starting another post to discuss that separately.

The last interior picture is taken looking back at the thimble, just above the entry to flue. Here it looks a lot worse than hairline cracking--repair with refractory mortar, perhaps? Chimney is below grade at this point, prob for about another foot or more. Then it runs thru the garage, then outside. The chimney to the right (up) serves the oil furnace. It looks to be in good shape; the wood one, not so much. I don't think there are any more exterior cracks higher up. Sorry no photo editing software on this computer.

Pictures:

 

[blades]

To make it usable any pro will tell you a liner is your reality, same goes for code, even if a dino fuel unit is used.

 

[pen]

Even if there were no cracks, it's reline time. Any modern wood burning appliance wouldn't operate for beans on that large a chimney as it wouldn't provide the draft many require.

pen

 

[agcowvet]

Kinda what I figured. But didn't know just how bad it really was...seems a lot of the information out there is put out by folks who stand to gain from a liner.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Sometimes its hard to weed through those people who only want to sell a product.

What those cracks do is give a spot for creosote to wick through the chimney. I've seen more than a few old brick chimneys with creosote dripping down the outside... inside the attic! I don't want to think of what would happen in a chimney fire in those cases. Same deal if the creosote worked its way between your house and the chimney. You might never know it was there.


Matt