Any recommendations on a stainless steel liner for use in an existing wood burning fireplace? The current arrangement has an iron damper at the top of the fireplace box which does not close very well, causing drafts in the winter.
I was thinking a new liner would improve the overall performance of the fireplace, and incorporate a tight seal when not in use.
Any recommendations, insights etc would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
Scott
Replies
Greetings slfinney,
Good question seeing the heating season will soon be upon us.
This post, in response to your question, will bump the thread through the 'recent discussion' listing again.
Perhaps it will catch someone's attention that can help you with advice.
Cheers
The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
A ss chimney liner will improve your fireplace only if it's sized correctly and installed correctly.
They all should be insulated with either a blaket made specifically for the ss liner or poured light weight insulation around the liner.
The problem I have with ss liners for a fireplace is that many are installed without care to get a really good seal from the smokechamber to the ss liner. It is difficult to do correctly.
If you're having trouble with drafts, first, I would take out the dampler flap that is there now, and install a Lyemance top sealing damper. They are installed on top of the last flue tile sticking out of the chimney. They seal the top from air, birds, rain, etc. Because they are sealed at the top, the flue fills with warmed house air, when you open the Lyemance damper to start a fire, the warm air rushes outside and helps create a good draft.
However, all of this is throwing good money after bad if you have a poor fireplace design.
A Rumford fireplace is the way to go. Search at http://www.rumford.com
Here is a soapstone Rumford I built recently.
Rod
We had a Ventinox SS liner installed in the chimney of our pre-Civil War house.
It cost about $1000 in 1994 or so. The liner drops in and is surrounded by a cement-like insulating mix.
It did improve the woodstove draft.
More importantly, it probably saved us from a disaster. When a port in the chimney was opened to install the pipe, we could look up into the cavity to see straight through gaps in the old clay lining to the wooden walls of the house, which were covered in creosote. So that may have been the best $1000 I ever spent.