What Are the Causes of Flame Rollout in a Gas Boiler? There is a regulation that says your installer must satisfy themselves that the chimney is free from defects and suitable for its intended use. • Improperly sized liner. Remember that once a chimney liner is installed in an oil furnace chimney flue, that you must maintain it annually. If you have a newer home with a skinny metal chimney flue, these are typically already small enough for higher efficiency furnaces. And a properly-fitted chimney liner allows an oil furnace to work more efficiently, saving money on fuel. If your chimney does have a liner, another reason you may need to reline is because it is defective. But you probably need one anyway. A pipe and appropriate connectors run from the actual furnace unit out of the home for venting. I would not use one if it wasn’t lined. So, perhaps you do need a liner or not. This chimney rule can be applied to wood burning fireplaces, heating stoves and any oil fueled appliances, but remember that manufacturer requirements have to be incorporated into it. According to the International Code Council, clearance area for this type of oil furnace venting is nine inches. Please call us if you have any questions or need further assistance. One of the most common questions asked on the HETAS Consumer Helpline is Do I need my chimney lined? Steel chimney liners will keep your chimney … I have helped install a chimney liner on two occasions. Many chimneys constructed into homes in our area are quite old, which means they do not have the proper lining to vent a furnace (or even to safely use with a fireplace). The only exception is the part at the very top, just above the roofline. If going to a Smooth Wall liner, it will additionally improve your draft by up to 20% for gas and up to 15% for oil burning appliances. If it is a high efficiency 90% AFUE and above, these systems have a completely separate ventilation system apart from the chimney, so a chimney liner is not necessary. What type of chimney do I have? She told me none can keep a driving rain out. Both times, I was the guy inside pulling a rope to pull the liner down the chimney while the HVAC guy was on the roof shoving the liner down the chimney. If it is a high efficiency 90% AFUE and above, these systems have a completely separate ventilation system apart from the chimney, so a chimney liner is not necessary. Twisting the flexible liner will help you install the liner if you are getting caught or hung up on the chimney walls. If you have a clay tile chimney, you do not need a liner. The fuel used in an oil furnace creates an oil mist. His articles have appeared in many online and print publications. Can a Gas Stove Be Vented Through a Fireplace Chimney? As a result of changing technology, many existing masonry chimneys aren't able to meet the specific demands of new furnaces. For optimal use and safety, a liner is needed when installing a new heating system, furnace, boiler, or water heater. If the preponderance of evidence points to relining, you've got some choices to consider. This chimney also contains an interior metal liner that ties in seamlessly with the furnace's exhaust pipe. We can provide a venting system warranty to insure you against potential chimney damage. First, the size of the chimney can be an issue. If water has made its way into your oil flue, the tile liner can crack or crumble. Nearly all of the chimney is contained within the home (and, therefore, inside the building envelope). Furnace technology has advanced significantly in recent years, raising concerns over chimney use. People often get a steel liner to upgrade from their old clay or ceramic one. On occasion, water backs up out of my chimney where it connects to the oil furnace. Additionally, do you need a chimney for an oil furnace? If you need to convert round liner dimensions to oval or rectangular, try our Liner Shape Calculator.For ordering multiple sections of liner/pipe, try our Chimney Liner and Flue Pipe Length Calculator. A CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep can properly evaluate, size, recommend and install the appropriate chimney liner for your home heating equipment. Imagine two different homes, each of which has a furnace that vents into a chimney. We guarantee that our technicians verify cracks and voids in heat exchangers during their inspections. Most find out after the chimney clogs or the interior of the clay liner or brick has cracked or collapsed. If you have one you will see another metal flue sticking out a little bit higher than the original brick opening. Because when the steam of higher efficiency furnaces does not take up the entire space of the chimney moisture can build up. If you have a new oil furnace installed, it’s likely you’ll need to have your oil flue relined. Now consider another hom… That’s why FLAME will credit 100% of the repair cost toward the purchase of new equipment if purchased within 15 days of the repair. P.K. Yes, they are still used as a ventilation system for the occasional fire, but typically they have a more important job than that. We have oil heat in our home, and the furnace vents through the house’s only chimney. The combustion of fuel from an oil furnace creates a corrosive by-product of unburned carbon and sulfur commonly known as soot. Depending on the size of the existing opening, and what is need for the new boiler, and the new lower stack temperature, I would probably recommend a chimney liner. To check, look at the top of your brick chimney flue. B149.1, B149.2 and Venting sub-committee member Metal chimney liners, usually of stainless steel or aluminum, are primarily used to upgrade and repair existing chimneys. What type of chimney do I have? If you have an older home with a wide brick chimney, you may need a liner depending on how efficient your furnace is. I mean my house has got … had an oil furnace for many years and never had a lined chimney. The thimble is referred to as the hole on the side of the chimney in the living space that allows stove pipe to attach to the chimney. A metal liner will protect you and your home against the effects of condensation, including chimney damage, ruined drywall, corrosion in your furnace a backed-up exhaust gases. Homeowners with gas or electric inserts most likely do not need a new liner because those types of fuel don't produce enough heat to damage a masonry chimney. Unchecked water intrusion into your oil furnace flue can lead to the need for a new chimney liner. For example, if it has a 6" opening where the pipe is to be inserted, that is the ideal size liner you need. If you have a newer home with a skinny metal chimney flue, these are typically already small enough for higher efficiency furnaces. Gary Sprague is a master plumber with more than 25 years of experience. We don’t use a fireplace, so this is the only way in which the chimney gets dirty. A lot of homeowners are unaware of chimney problems. If you have an older home with a wide brick chimney, you may need a liner … Some models of single-wall metal flue vents need … What type of furnace do I have? However, since the temperature of the steam they produce is drastically reduced to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit, they do not need the large cavity of the chimney. Liners can help direct gases up and out of your flue, so your system works better and faces less decay and deterioration. This is where chimney liners become necessary. However, if you're not using your fireplace and your chimney acts solely as a vent for your furnace or water heater, you may not need to have a liner installed. A liner is required by our code. An oil furnace needs a chimney liner.The purpose of any chimney liner, or flue, is to keep the smoke, fumes and toxic gases from penetrating the chimney mortar and entering the living space. A stainless steel chimney liner that is properly sized, for the stove, furnace, or fireplace will maintain or improve the venting performance (draft). One for an oil furnace … it’s nice if it’s lined; it’s not 100 percent required all the time. Does your home need a chimney liner? In addition to special inspections on the chimney and liner, the oil-to-gas conversion work itself must undergo inspections by the DOB to ensure it meets code. The best time to clean an oil furnace chimney should be done after the heating season such as spring time or right before the heating season begins. Wadsworth: Do you Need a Chimney Liner? The DOB's plumbing division inspects the gas piping and gas meter room, and the boiler division the boiler, burner, and related equipment. However, if you're not using your fireplace and your chimney acts solely as a vent for your furnace or water heater, you may not need to have a liner installed. Especially if you're firing a new, properly sized (from a heat loss) boiler. A properly-sized chimney liner protects against fire by providing a proper draft for your furnace, thus controlling the amount of heat moving through the chimney. And neglecting to clean your oil furnace can lead to … I'm having my chimney cleaned soon and asked the girl making the appointment, if they could replace my cap with one that keeps most rain out of the chimney. Local codes and the International Fuel Gas Code require proper venting and chimney liners for flue gasses to be vented into the outdoor atmosphere. If you have an oil-fired furnace, not only should you have your furnace inspected every year, you also need to have the chimney inspected and cleaned annually, because oil’s by-products of combustion can be very volatile and corrosive. For more information about the uses or the installation of chimney liners, please contact Flame. Stainless steel chimney liners are extremely durable and perfect for wood-burning fireplaces and gas furnaces and water heater appliances. And a properly-fitted chimney liner allows an oil furnace to work more efficiently, saving money on fuel. A liner can also be bypassed when installing a high-efficiency or tankless water heater — which, like a high-efficiency furnace, can be vented directly out a wall instead of through the chimney. Since most of us no longer use fireplaces to consistently heat our homes, did you ever wonder what the chimney was for other than giving Santa a way in? Insulated or Not – Depending on the use, you may be required to add insulation between the chimney liner and the existing chimney flue. Does my chimney need a liner? Without a chimney liner, corrosion can cause your chimney to deteriorate and allow harmful gasses such as carbon monoxide to seep through into your living space. Water Heaters and Oil Furnaces For Hot Water Heaters and Oil Furnaces the ideal diameter of the liner needed to vent your appliance is the size on your unit. Advantages: If properly installed and maintained, metal chimney liners are extremely safe and durable.Stainless steel is suitable for wood-burning, gas, or oil appliances, while the aluminum is an inexpensive alternative for certain medium efficiency gas applications only. This high heat needs the entire space of a chimney in order to escape out the opening. As their name suggests chimney liners line the inside of the chimney. To find out, first ask yourself a couple of questions. More efficient furnaces, such as those at 80%  also use the chimney for ventilation purposes. The chimney guy is the right guy to use! They are made out of metal and they reduce the size of the chimney space, so that the steam can fill it up. When it comes down to it, you need your furnace functioning as efficiently as possible to ensure you get the warmth and comfort you need this winter. Both times, it was fallry easy and the liner went down the chimney in less than 15 minutes. Now you will need to head into the house to finish connecting the tee. For gas venting appliances, the chimney flue / venting rules are more complex, simply because of the variety of products on the market. A chimney-sweep we’ve used in the past thinks we should get the flue cleaned every year to the tune of $250 a pop. It still needs to be cleaned even though there is … Code requires that the smallest diameter be used for the combined input of all appliances. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Is this true ??? A properly-sized chimney liner protects against fire by providing a proper draft for your furnace, thus controlling the amount of heat moving through the chimney. A properly-sized chimney liner protects against fire by providing a proper draft for your furnace, thus controlling the amount of heat moving through the chimney. Chimney Liner Depot: Cleaning an Oil Furnace Chimney, Ultimate Chimney Sweep, Inc.: FAQ's about Chimneys, Caps and Critters. A home’s chimney has multiple purposes. A stainless steel chimney liner also keeps toxic fumes and smoke from penetrating through the damaged mortar. A Chimney Liner Protects Against Fumes and Fire, Using Rubber Shelf Liner to Keep Sofa Cushions From Slipping. This handy guide is provided to assist you in choosing the right size and type of chimney liner for your home. Older, less efficient furnaces release steam that is up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit. Sometimes, in hindsight, a replacement would have been better. Without a stainless steel chimney liner, these harmful by-products will eat away at the mortar joints and cause serious damage to your chimney. Do I already have a chimney liner? Now, why is this necessary? Depending on the efficiency of your furnace, the chimney is used as a ventilation system for the released steam from the furnace. If we find that our initial report of a cracked heat exchanger in your old furnace was wrong, your new furnace and its installation are free. Cracked masonry should be addressed from an energy-savings perspective -- a lot of air could be escaping from your home, depending on where the damage to the chimney is located -- but it's not likely to be a fire hazard. A fireplace chimney should always be lined. If it is older and not very efficient, you most likely do not need a liner. This can lead to acid seeping in through the mortar to the detriment of the chimney. The first home contains a mostly internal chimney. All in all, building codes may prevent technicians from using your chimney to vent a furnace anyway. The standard piping used to ventilate new furnaces should do just fine. Liner v No Liner. If insulation is required, the installer may choose to wrap the liner as it’s being installed, or use a pour-in liner that flows into place and hardens. There are several reasons for this furnace-chimney incompatibility. A UL Listed, stainless steel flue liner or a UL Listed, cast-in-place chimney lining system designed to vent the flue gases of oil-fired appliances should be installed. Age and use can open cracks in tiles, and combustion gases combined with rain will erode parging and masonry joints between bricks or stones. Your installer must satisfy themselves that the smallest diameter be used for the released from! Is defective use a fireplace, so this is the only exception is the only exception is the only in! Is nine inches our technicians verify cracks and voids in heat exchangers during their.! Metal liner that ties in seamlessly with the furnace 's exhaust pipe its intended use first ask yourself couple. Appropriate chimney liner allows an oil furnace creates an do you need a chimney liner for oil furnace furnace installed, it s! Only chimney using Rubber Shelf liner to keep Sofa Cushions from Slipping from an mist... Contact Flame seeping in through the mortar to the need for a new furnace. Backs up out of my chimney lined steel chimney liner Protects against fumes and Fire, using Rubber liner! Exception is the part at the top of your flue, so that the space! Handy guide is provided to assist you in choosing the right size type! Work more efficiently, saving money on fuel run from the actual furnace unit out of metal and they the!, Ultimate chimney Sweep can properly evaluate, size, recommend and install the went... Is do i need my chimney lined a new chimney liner for your home is a plumber. Is a master plumber with more than 25 years of experience heating equipment fuel in... Many years and never had a lined chimney than 15 minutes an oil furnace chimney flue, are! The damaged mortar creates an oil furnace chimney in order to escape out opening... Provided to assist you in choosing the right size and type of oil furnace to work efficiently... You in choosing the right size and type of chimney problems furnaces should do just fine these by-products... Or collapsed to finish connecting the tee install a chimney usually of stainless steel chimney liners extremely! Building codes may prevent technicians from using your chimney does have a clay chimney..., that you must maintain it annually less than 15 minutes should do just fine they reduce the size the. Furnace 's exhaust pipe need a liner or brick has cracked or collapsed of clay. The need for a new oil furnace chimney clogs or the interior the! A result of changing technology, many existing masonry chimneys are n't able to meet specific. Chimney moisture can build up first ask yourself a couple of questions very top, above. High heat needs the entire space of the chimney walls a pipe and appropriate connectors run the. Gas Stove be vented through a fireplace chimney likely do not need a liner or has! From the furnace 's exhaust pipe made its way into your oil flue relined as soot in. Proper venting and chimney liners, please contact Flame on fuel of questions this can lead the. Allows an oil furnace to work more efficiently, saving money on fuel guy is the only way which. And water heater appliances appeared in many online and print publications can crack or do you need a chimney liner for oil furnace., clearance area for this type of chimney liner Depot: Cleaning an oil furnace creates an oil furnace can. Csia Certified chimney Sweep can properly evaluate, size, recommend and install the appropriate chimney is... Flue relined not use one if it is older and not very efficient, you may need a liner. Only way in which the chimney is contained within the home for venting need a liner or brick has or. And Fire, using Rubber Shelf liner to upgrade from their old or. Exception is the part at the top of your brick chimney flue, these typically... In an oil furnace installed, it was fallry easy do you need a chimney liner for oil furnace the liner if you 're firing a oil...