Chimey Liner: What's its function with gas heat and can I skip it? (house) - City-Data Forum

purelygeneric · 03-10-2010, 05:15 AM

A lot of plumbers appear to be willing to install a gas boiler (conversion) without doing the chimney liner. They say it's not really important and that it's a scam for towns to make money. My understanding that it could be a hazard. Can anyone shed any light?

FrmlyBklyn · 03-10-2010, 06:57 AM

The chimney should be lined prior to conversion - usually made of clay.
Why repair something if it isn't broke?

TomMoser · 03-10-2010, 08:30 AM

Gas heat requires a metal chimney lining. Because of the efficiency of gas heat, there is less heat going up the chimney. This results in more water condensation. If you don't have a metal lining the water can get between the bricks and freeze, cracking the chimney.

Kbinspections · 03-10-2010, 08:58 AM

Does your chimney have a clay liner or is it unlined. Is the chimney on the exterior of the house or does it come thru the roof? How old is it?

Did you consider a condesating boiler that does not need a chimney?

DeadPool1998 · 03-10-2010, 06:56 PM

I have chimney problems. The original heat was gas, and I updated the 1957 system with a newer 85% efficiency system. Since then, my chimney seems to be "sweating." The brick chimney runs through an addition to the house. At some point in the addition, they had put in a wood-burning stove. That was removed, but there is a terra cotta hole that diverts out of the chimney to accommodate the old stove pipe. It was sealed, but that seal deteriorated and oozed some sort of scum out of the seal. The seal was a form of concrete mastic that was packed around a coffee can. Well, once that failed, I scraped it clean and removed the can. Looked inside, and found that the chimney lining is also terra cotta. Anyway, I resealed it and put a new galvanized cap on the hole, but it is now beginning to deteriorate again.

Luckily, I seal the addition off from the rest of the house over the winter - with a plastic seal. But, we want to renovate that space this spring.

What should I look to do with this chimney? What's the problem?

Kbinspections · 03-11-2010, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeadPool1998

I have chimney problems. The original heat was gas, and I updated the 1957 system with a newer 85% efficiency system. Since then, my chimney seems to be "sweating." The brick chimney runs through an addition to the house. At some point in the addition, they had put in a wood-burning stove. That was removed, but there is a terra cotta hole that diverts out of the chimney to accommodate the old stove pipe. It was sealed, but that seal deteriorated and oozed some sort of scum out of the seal. The seal was a form of concrete mastic that was packed around a coffee can. Well, once that failed, I scraped it clean and removed the can. Looked inside, and found that the chimney lining is also terra cotta. Anyway, I resealed it and put a new galvanized cap on the hole, but it is now beginning to deteriorate again.

Luckily, I seal the addition off from the rest of the house over the winter - with a plastic seal. But, we want to renovate that space this spring.

What should I look to do with this chimney? What's the problem?

Do you have pics? Have you had that chimney cleaned? The wood stoves are known to be installed improperly and you may have a larger creosote buildup.