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ReliningChimney liners and relining
Chimney liner installation gives an old flue a smooth, sealed pipe sized to whatever vents into it. Sterling relines chimneys for gas inserts, wood stoves, furnaces and water heaters, and relines flues where the clay tile has cracked. We look inside the flue first, then name the liner that suits your appliance.
Open 7 days, 8am-8pm
Not sure what is inside your chimney? A camera look answers that before anything is ordered.
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- Open 7 days, 8am-8pm
- 10+ years
- Licensed, bonded & insured
- Same-week, evenings & weekends
What does a chimney liner do?
A liner is a pipe or a seamless coating that runs the full height of the flue. It carries smoke and exhaust gases out of the house, keeps them away from the masonry and the wood framing around it, and gives the appliance a flue that is the right size. Think of it as a new, sealed channel inside the old chimney.
When does a flue need relining?
Most relining jobs start with one of these:
- A gas insert will vent through an old wood-burning chimney.
- A wood stove will vent into a masonry chimney.
- A new furnace or water heater changes what the flue carries.
- The camera shows cracked, missing or gapped clay tile.
- A chimney fire has left the flue damaged.
How do I know if my flue is lined?
Many chimneys have clay tile, and some have a metal pipe. From the hearth, a flashlight pointed up past the damper sometimes shows square tile edges or a round metal pipe. That glimpse is not enough to say what condition it is in. A camera look confirms whether the flue is lined, with what, and whether it is sound.
Stay off the roof to check. We do that part. If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds at any point, get outside and call 911.
Which liner fits which appliance?
| Appliance | What the flue faces | What we look for |
|---|---|---|
| Gas insert | Cooler exhaust that carries moisture | A sealed stainless liner sized to the insert |
| Wood stove or insert | Hot, fast smoke that leaves creosote | A continuous pipe, sized to the stove, from the stove to the top |
| Furnace or water heater | Damp exhaust that can eat at old masonry | A liner sized to the appliance, per its maker |
| Cracked clay tile | Gaps that let heat and gas leave the flue | A new sealed channel, or a repair where the damage is small |
The appliance maker's instructions have the last word on the liner, and we work from them.
How a relining goes
Look inside
A camera scan shows the flue's condition, size and any offsets, and we photograph the trouble spots.
Explain the fit
You see what is there, and we say which liner type suits your appliance and why.
Fit the liner
We feed the new liner down from the top and connect it at the bottom, using drop cloths at the hearth.
Finish at the top
We seal and secure the top, then fit a cap, and we check the connection at the appliance.
Gas inserts and stoves: why the liner matters
A gas insert going into an old flue usually gets a liner. Gas exhaust runs cool and damp, and over time that wears at old mortar and clay tile. The insert's instructions and the condition of your flue decide. That is why a gas fireplace usually needs a chimney liner when it vents into an old flue. A wood stove needs a liner for the opposite reason: its smoke is hot and fast and needs a flue sized to it. Cracked flue tile is sometimes sealed, but more often relined.
What changes the cost of a liner?
Chimney height, the flue's shape and bends, the type of liner and the appliance all move it. The starting price for a stainless liner is on the services page, and a call after the camera look gets you the figure for your chimney.
Liner questions
Short answers first.
Can a liner go into a flue with bends?
Often. A flexible stainless liner follows gentle offsets. The camera look shows whether your flue is one of those, or needs a different approach.
Can I burn while cracked tile waits for repair?
Hold off. Heat and smoke can reach the framing through a crack. Leave the fireplace unlit and call us, and we will look before anyone lights it.
Do you line for a water heater or furnace?
Yes. We size the liner to the appliance's output and instructions, and check the connection where the appliance meets the flue.
Is a liner the same as a chimney sleeve?
People use both words for a pipe inside the flue. Whatever the name, what matters is the material, the size and a sealed path from the appliance to the top.
Does the old tile come out?
Not usually. The liner runs inside it. If loose tile pieces could drop into the way, we say so during the camera look.
Relining near these towns
We reline flues across the east metro, including these places.
- 01
West St. Paul
West bank of the Mississippi, along U.S. 52 and Robert Street.
- 02
Bayport
On the St. Croix, one mile south of Stillwater.
- 03
Mahtomedi
Along White Bear Lake, platted in 1883.
- 04
Stillwater
West bank of the St. Croix, along Highways 36, 95 and 96.
What comes before and after a relining?
A relining usually follows a Level 2 inspection, since the camera is what shows the flue. Once the liner is in, a yearly sweep keeps it clean.
Putting a new appliance on an old flue?
Tell us what it is and what the flue looks like, and we will explain whether it needs relining first.