Relining a Historic Chimney Without Changing It

A historic chimney can get a new flue from the inside, without anyone seeing a difference from the street. Relining goes in through the existing openings, so the masonry, the crown and the look of the building stay as they are. That makes it the first option to consider before anyone talks about taking a chimney down.

WHY OLD CHIMNEYS FAIL

Older chimneys were often built with clay tile, or with no liner at all. A century of heat cycling and freeze-thaw cracks the tile and erodes the mortar. Many old buildings have also switched from coal or wood to gas or oil, whose flue gases condense into acid that eats mortar joints and masonry from the inside.

WHY REBUILDING IS THE WRONG FIRST ANSWER

Tearing out and rebuilding a historic chimney means opening walls, breaking out original material, days of work and dust through the building, and the largest bill on the list. Once the original masonry is gone, it is gone. When the outside of the chimney is still sound, the problem is the flue, and the flue can be repaired on its own.

FOR A HISTORIC BOILER OR FURNACE FLUE

Many historic buildings heat with a gas or oil boiler or furnace, and FuranFlex was made for those flues. It goes in soft, follows the offsets and bends that old chimneys are full of, and cures hard into one seamless liner bonded to the chimney. It retains nearly the full area of the flue and stabilizes the existing masonry from the inside out.

The technology is proven over 25 years in Europe and Asia, including historic landmark buildings. Most jobs are one day on site, and FuranFlex FF1 carries a 25-year warranty.

FOR A HISTORIC WOOD-BURNING FIREPLACE

An original wood-burning fireplace gets a stainless steel liner, fed down the existing flue. It is built for the heat of a wood fire, installs in a day, and leaves the fireplace and the chimney exterior as they were.

BEFORE THE WORK STARTS

If the building sits in a historic district, check with your local preservation office before any work begins. Relining happens inside the flue, so the chimney looks the same afterward, and that is usually the easiest kind of project to discuss with them. We work with owners and general contractors on renovation and historic work in the Gallatin Valley and in Jackson.

BOOK A FLUE ASSESSMENT

We inspect the flue with a camera, measure it, photograph what we find, and give you a written recommendation and a firm price. After the assessment is complete, you will be provided a multi-page industry standard report. Call or text (406) 629-2936. Serving Bozeman, Belgrade, Big Sky and the Greater Gallatin Valley, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.