Chimney Lining

[Mikey C]

Hi all,

I had my chimney swept recently because we were getting a "smokey" smell in our upstairs bedroom. However, the sweep told me that I will need to get my chimney re-lined to fix the problem.

I live in a victorian, 3 storey townhouse and (used) to enjoy my nice coal fire.

I have received one quote to install a steel liner but he wanted =A34,500!! I have also heard about another method of lining by pouring cement down the chimney.

My questions are:

- Does anybody have an idea of how much this should cost - Will this method require opening up my newly decorated walls??

Thanks

Mike

[Martin Bonner]

Is this three original storeys, or two-storey + loft conversion? It UKP 4k5 sounds expensive to me, I think we paid ~ 2k5 to have a chimney lined + a fireplace opened out a couple of years ago. But they did by ladder to the loft conversion + stand on flat roof ... and yes, this /was/ after the new "working at heights" rules came in. If they need to erect scafolding, it will probably be more.

Probably worth asking for a couple more quotes - they might not have wanted the job much.

[jim]

Few years ago I had a "3 storey + loft" chimney relined w stainless steel liner- I bought all the bits off t'internet and paid a HETAS registered installer to do it for =A3300 - he didn't do a *brilliant* job but it is still ok. Total including all was abt 2k.

You could do it yourself (technically you must let Building Control know and pay their fees) but it isn't rocket science - (it's only building!).

I've had a scaffolding tower put up, taken down, left for a "weekend" for =A3120 cash from a local hire place. Once you get used to the height it isnt that scary and wonderful views!!

A cementitious lining *done properly* would involve opening up through chimney breasts wherever the flue changes angle to enable the

*professionals* to centralise the inflatable "sausage" former - otherwise it will touch the inside of these bends and the "concrete" poured around it wont get between the former and the brickwork - leaving potential gas leaky holes in the lining....

jim

[Toby Sleigh]

I live in a victorian, 3 storey townhouse and (used) to enjoy my nice coal fire.

I have received one quote to install a steel liner but he wanted £4,500!! I have also heard about another method of lining by pouring cement down the chimney.

My questions are:

- Does anybody have an idea of how much this should cost - Will this method require opening up my newly decorated walls??

Thanks

Mike

We had our London victorian 3 storey semi lined last year. Cost inc ss liner was £1550. BUT they were able to do the work from the attic via a Velux window and roof ladders, so no scaffolding needed. Scaffolding would have been approx £1000 extra.

Your newly decorated walls will remain untouched unless the liner gets stuck half-way down, if that happens then it will need to be dug out. That nearly happened when ours was done, but one final heave on the rope got the thing unstuck. That was the good news, the downside was what looked like several hundredweight of of soot & debris came down the chimney with enough force to burst through the anti dust sheets & boards at the bottom.

Toby

[David]

We had a poured concrete liner put in the last house about five years ago for around GBP 1,100. They put a large inflatable sausage down the chimney, through a shutter board at the bottom and then pumped it up. The lightweight concrete is then pumped in at the top and the sausage forms a smooth round flue. When it's dry, they deflate the sausage et voila! we were very happy with the results and when I swept the chimney after a year there was no soot, probably due to a high temp woodstove and the smoothness of the flue.

I'd go with this method every time as it seems permanent - to me those stainless steel tubes look a bit vulnerable to a careless sweep etc, though I could be wrong. Also, no holes in walls.

I'd have to trust the installer though. There's potential for filling the floor void/neighbour's house with concrete. If they get the shutter board wrong, you get a free body cast...think Pompeii...

David

[Mikey C]

Wow, I think I better start saving my pocket money then!

Thanks for all your advice

Mike

[jim]

What holes in walls? with stainless steel liners??

Jim

[David]

To quote another poster - "Your newly decorated walls will remain untouched unless the liner gets stuck half-way down, if that happens then it will need to be dug out."

D

[andrew]

I had two done at once by this method and have had no problems but on at least one sharp curve I can see the concrete was so thin that some of the old flue is now exposed. I think this is because the way the liner tries to follow the curve. I wasn't home when it was done so didn't actually get to see whether the rubber tube had stand offs to avoid this problem.

Doing it again I would DIY with the double skinned ss stuff but I cannot see a way around the self certification.

Be aware it must be 6" plus for a wood fired stove even though people advertise the 5" as being suitable.

AJH

[jim]

wouldn't you just pull it back up and try again?

Jim

[David]

I think you're probably right, though do remember speaking to someone who'd seen one stuck for two days. I suppose if you've fed it round a couple of turns in an old stone chimney, there's potential for jamming.

[Toby Sleigh]

If you could do that it wouldn't be stuck would it.

[jim]

er..precisely - one would hope that what went down can come back up again