So you’ve just layed down $1500 bucks on a brand new wood stove. You figure you will just vent that thing into the fireplace and save the expense of adding a chimney to the house. That is possible, but you do have some very serious considerations to make…

If you’ve gotten up to date on fire safety codes you might have been pleasantly surprised to learn that according to the law, you can still shove a stovepipe through a metal plate and into the fireplace. If that is your plan, I want to strongly urge you to reconsider. I have several reasons;

1. The code should be updated to address a severe safety risk associated with this practice. Without connecting the stove vent to the lined chimney area, all masonry parts of the fireplace are coated in creosote and virtually impossible to properly clean. This causes a major fire hazard. At the VERY LEAST you should install a direct-connect package (pictured) to get the flue products into the chimney without coating the fireplace ans smoke shelf.
2. The stove may require a reduction in chimney diameter to work properly. Today’s high efficiency wood appliances are putting almost all of their heat into the home. This means stack temperatures are much lower than in an older stove. Heat powers the chimney and creates draft. Less heat means weaker draft. Whereas an old  stove might have worked great with a 13 inch chimney, your new model may not work at all until you properly size the chimney to fit the appliance.
3. The absolute best installation for function and safety is to line your chimney from stove to cap with the proper size. Your stove will perform its best and your chimney will always remain in the condition it was in before you added the liner.
4. With a full reline you will never have to worry about the tolls of age on your masonry chimney. Keeping the heat and corrosives contained in the stainless-steel liner system will ensure your masonry chimney stays like new.
5. Chimney cleaning is much easier with a direct connect kit than with the “into the fireplace” method which is tedious and practically impossible to do right. However, if you spring for a few more bucks and install a full liner system, cleaning will be a breeze every year. In fact, with a full liner system, you could buy your own brush and rods and do the cleaning yourself saving about $150 per cleaning! Cleaning up after lesser installations will likely require special equipment and you should call a professional.

I hope this article answers a few questions you may have about relining. Remember, if your chimney is damaged or not up to code, you MUST fully reline it to be safe. Also, if you are installing a gas stove you MUST fit the stove with the proper size liner for the stove. If you have any questions or need an evaluation, you can always call on us at 828-367-0031 or shoot me an email to Jack@FireByJack.com for a quick response.