stainless steel chimney liners

[mattg1970]

I am looking for info about chimney liners. How they are installed and price range. Does the liner size have to match the size of the stove collar or can it be larger? Any web sites with pictures would be great.
Thanks
Matt

 

[agz124]

I just installed mine today and it was a piece of cake. I used a 6" flexible liner and put it into a 7x11 terra cotta flue. I bought a kit from a local vendor. What questions do you have?

 

[jtp10181]

You want it to be the same size as the stoves chimney collar. I was doing lots of reading the other day and I think I read in the code book it had to be the same size as the stoves collor, or if it is any other size it has to be approved and tested by the mfg and testing agency. A lot of units that have 5" collars are approved for use with 6" liners.

 

[webbie]

A liner can be oversized up to 100%, as per NFPA, but there is generally no reason to do so. The vast majority of stoves today are 6", which means a 6" liner is fine. If you have a 12x12 flue tile and want to leave every possibility open, you can install an 8" liner.

All liners are not equal. Both the thickness and the grade count for something - so does the exact construction (how it is wove together, in the case of flex) - it is generally agreed that a rigid liner is better - will last longer, etc. Our shop used to do a lot with rigid, but with the bottom 5-8 feet being flex to get through the damper.

The same companies that offer very thin liners usually offer an upgrade to a slightly thicker metal - personally, I would spend the few extra bucks and get that. Chimney sweeps have told me they are replacing a lot of liners these days...truth is that no long term tests have been done on some of the paper-thin models. They will pass UL tests, but those are done over a week or so! It is impossible to simulate the conditions on the inside of a chimney! (moisture, salts, etc.)