So my chimney has some cracked flue tiles and instead of replacing them or repairing them I plan on getting a wood stove insert and just installing a 6 inch diameter stainless steel liner. Does anyone have any tips or advice on doing this themselves? Me and my brother plan on installing it ourselves. Thanks.
What is the flue size now? A 6" liner with insulation will be ~7.5" in diameter...and with the mortar blobs that invariably ooze out of each flue tile joint, a flue with an ID of 8" would still be a real challenge to get a liner down. But I absolutely would insulate the liner...better performance and stays cleaner too...also, fab up and install a blockoff plate in the fireplace too...a lot of heat lost up the chimney cavity if you don't. Most chimneys would require a liner with insulation to really be up to code anyways. And I sleep better at night with lined/insulated flues too...well, that and burning 3-4 YO CSS wood helps a lot too...
Tito , I was a rookie like you but with great info from folks on here I installed my own liner and stove with a little help from my wife and cousin who helped me lift the insert in place. With some careful planning and some help from your brother you should be just fine. Here is a link to my install thread, it's not professional by any means but it's solid and I sleep sound at night. Hope it helps and if you need any info just shoot it to the forum. brenndatomu and so so so many others have been a huge help to me over the years.
thank You! i really appreciate it. How do you like your Drolet 1800i ? i was thinking about getting one.
Did my own too. Recommend a smooth wall flex liner. Less resistance to the brush when cleaning. Made my own “pull cone”. Plan to cut a little off of the top and bottom if you use one of those.
Those have quickly fallen out of favor with the chimney pros...the inner wrap (how they make it smooth) kinks when the liner is rolled up for shipping and doesn't lay flat again...makes for "scales" sticking up inside that tend to catch/hold soot and/or creosote...and depending on how they stick out, they can actually make a shelf of sorts for crap to lay. I made the same mistake, bought a "heavy duty smooth wall liner"...found out soon after that was a mistake...and paid extra for the privilege too! Just a standard SS liner (with insulation, if at all possible) is fine...if you want to "upgrade" you can buy a HD liner, but make sure it is single ply, not double...HD is about ~0.010" thick whereas standard is ~0.006"...they all have to meet the same standard test so...
My pleasure! I am very new to wood burning and this is my very 1st wood stove/insert so I really don't have much to compare it too. This past winter was my 1st burning season. With that said the price point could not be beat, has a nice big firebox, large glass view, customer service is excellent and extremely helpful, and it kicks off some excellent heat (Again I don't have much to compare that too). I have roughly a 2,000 sq ft two story home with pathetic insulation and it heats the entire downstairs and upstairs if I leave the doors open. Now it is def cooler upstairs but we like it cooler to sleep, so it works out nicely. In NJ we have mild winters so I would need more insulation if I lived up North and would need to re-think my setup but you being down South, I think you will be way more then fine. I ran a SS insulated liner and I have been very happy so far. And like others said you can def do this yourself with no problem.
Thanks for letting me know. Would think they would have a recall if they were found to be defective. I suppose the only way I would know the status of mine is if I shoved a camera up there.
