My client wanted his prefab fireplace lifted to accommodate a raised hearth. The primary obstacle to this seemingly simple desire was the 40 ft. of interlocking metal chimney above the fireplace. I’d have to remove the sections from the top down to separate the flue from the fireplace before the hearth-raising could take place. I called some chimney specialists to find out how to separate the interlocking flue sections. Their advice was to use three screwdrivers simultaneously to pry the interlocking tabs loose, and they’d be happy to do the job for about $1,000.

Stunned by this revelation, I mentioned my predicament to my local sheet-metal supplier. He let me in on a trade secret that works for both assembling and disassembling interlocking metal flue sections. Instead of using three screwdrivers, his method involves a single length of metal plumber’s tape, a piece of 1/4-in. all-thread rod and a wing nut. As shown in the drawing, the plumber’s tape goes around the flue pipe that fits inside the mating section.

Bend tabs on the ends of the tape and leave an inch or so between them. Insert the threaded rod, put a nut on one end and a washer and a wing nut on the other. As you tighten the wing nut, the flue is constricted enough to pop free of the adjacent section.

David Strawderman, Los Angeles, CA