A chimney contractor has offered to reline an old chimney, but says it needs a fan added to ensure good draw. He also said as long as the fireplace was getting good draw and we didnt smell smoke in the house, we didnt have to do anything, even though there is clearly missing mortar between the flue tile and especially where the firebox meets the flue.
Q1) How would you know if you need a fan? How common are these, I’ve never heard of them before.
Q2) Can a chimney be safe for use as long as you dont smell smoke in the house, even if there are craccks in the flue mortar?
Thanks!
Replies
From what you report he has said he has not determined that your fireplace doesn't draw well. Is there some kind of fan that circulates air around the firebox and into the house? This would probably mean you had a steel fire box with air being drawn in low and exhausted above the fireplace. Because he is talking about needing a fan to help with the draw of the fireplace he must be talking about a fan in the flue. I can't imagine any fan that could withstand the heat and soot in a fireplace flue. Flue size is directly related to the size of the fire box opening. There is more than one option for relining a flue, (fireplace inserts and stainless steel liners are another option) and I think you should look for another contractor. Make sure you look for licensed and insured and check references (not just recent ones).
Saying your chimney is safe if there is no smoke coming inside is like saying the tires on your car are safe if they still hold air, even though they are bald with cords showing through. The missing mortar in your flue is a serious matter. I would say your flue is probably not safe, and you should not use your fireplace.
I would not consider it safe like that.
When you re-line a chimney, you end up with a smaller cavity to suck the smoke up and out. Fewer sq inches of space fro exhaust gas to travel in. A flue is generally sized according to the appliance it serves originally, so by making the flue smaller, you reduce the amt of gases it can ehaust naturally, A fan then is often necessary to assist.
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