Cost Comparison of Golden Flue

There are many gray areas in chimney repairs that many people have been mislead or misinformed about until it is too late and the job is done. Many homeowners and adjustors hear only one thing when it comes to the repairs needed for such chimneys. This one thing is the cost of that repair and the fact that the contractor said we can fix the chimney.

How is the chimney being repaired and will it work properly for the original appliance is another question? This question usually comes up after the job is completed and the contractor is long gone.

The flue area is usually too small in its diameter to vent the original appliance such as a fireplace or a furnace. When this happens, the fireplace will smoke up the home or the furnace will cause fumes to back up in the home. Now the cost for this repair is no longer a factor.

Nevertheless, they improperly installed this liner for the original appliance. Usually this happens from installing a stainless steel sleeve down inside the existing liner. In reality are they fixing the problem or just temporarily covering it up?

This repair would be much cheaper by far in both material and labor cost than any other method of chimney relining. However this chimney and product installed would be far less than what you had to begin with. This type of repair may vent a wood stove, but will leave the original appliance nonfunctional down the road.

When chimney liners are installed, they are required by UL to be insulated around the outside.

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 211) also requires all liners to be insulated around the outside.

The purpose of insulating the liner is to stop heat transfer to the outer walls of the chimney. Heat transfer is the number one cause of structural fires.

Most steel liners that we have seen installed have had no insulation. This will leave both the home owner and the insurance company thinking they are safe. Insulating half-way around the liner is not the answer either.

You are only as safe as the weak points of the system. This type of insulation in reality is no better than what you already had with a damaged flue liner. Sometimes it will be worse for false security reasons.