Chimney service
Chimney Liner Replacement and Repair
Stainless, cast-in-place or clay tile. The repair that separates combustion gases from your framing, and the one that cannot wait.
A cracked liner is the one fault on this site where the right answer is to stop using the fireplace today.
The liner is what keeps heat and combustion gases inside the flue and away from the timber framing packed around the chimney. Clay tile is what most older houses have, and it cracks — from a flue fire, from freeze-thaw where water has got in, or simply from decades of heat cycling. Once a tile has cracked there is a path for gases and heat to reach the structure. Chimney liner replacement is normally a stainless steel liner run down the full flue, or a cast-in-place mix poured around a form, and it is the most expensive routine job in this trade for a reason.
Where the liner sits
The part this job replaces
The liner runs the full height inside the masonry. That is why relining is priced by the foot and why nobody can see its condition from the ground.
On this pageSigns you need this3 sections+2
Signs you need chimney liner replacement
Chunks of clay tile in the firebox
Pieces of terracotta in the hearth are liner falling apart above. This is the single most reliable sign, and the point at which the fireplace should go out of use.
A crack visible on the camera scan
The definitive answer, and the reason a scan comes before any quote. A crack the width of a hair still breaks the seal that the liner exists to provide.
You have had a chimney fire
Flue fires reach temperatures clay was never built for and crack tiles almost every time, whether or not the fire seemed serious. NFPA 211 requires a Level 2 inspection afterwards, and this is what it is looking for.
Smoke coming into the room or an adjoining one
Smoke appearing upstairs or in a neighbouring room means gases are leaving the flue somewhere they should not. That is a breach, not a draft problem.
Persistent damp or rust in the firebox
Water in the flue cracks tiles through freeze-thaw from the inside. If the chimney has been taking water, the liner is usually part of the damage rather than a bystander.
You have fitted a stove or insert to an old flue
A modern appliance vents at a different temperature and volume than the open fire the flue was built for. Most inserts need a correctly sized stainless liner regardless of the old flue's condition.
How the visit works
The same four steps every time, whatever the repair turns out to be.
- 01
Inspection first, always
A look at the crown, cap, flashing and exterior masonry, then the flue, damper and firebox — with a camera where the job calls for a level 2 scan. Whatever needs work gets shown to you, not just described.
- 02
A written estimate before anything
Scope, price and what is not included, in writing. Nothing starts until you approve it, and an emergency is not a reason to skip this step.
- 03
The work itself
Matched materials and the manufacturer's spec, not whatever is on the van. Drop cloths down, and the room left as it was found.
- 04
Verification and a report
A second scan after the work, and written findings you can keep, hand to an inspector, or send to an insurer.
The jobs this actually includes
Not every job on this list is equally urgent, so they are ordered that way. A cracked liner stops you using the fireplace tonight; waterproofing can wait for a dry week.
The job — most urgent first
What it involves
On site
Stainless steel liner, full length
Safety repairA flexible or rigid stainless liner run the full height and insulated, sized to the appliance rather than to the old flue. The standard answer for most failures, and the one that comes with a warranty.
On site: 1–2 days
Cast-in-place lining
Safety repairA cement-based mix poured around an inflated form, curing to a seamless liner that also adds structural strength to a deteriorating stack. Used where the flue is irregular or the masonry needs the help.
On site: 2–3 days
Clay tile repair or partial relining
Safety repairSealing or replacing individual tiles where the damage is limited and reachable. Genuinely available less often than people hope — one cracked tile is usually a sign of the condition of the rest.
On site: 1–2 days
Resizing for a new appliance
StructuralAn oversized flue on a modern efficient stove runs cool, condenses, and builds creosote fast. Lining down to the correct diameter is what makes the appliance work as designed.
On site: 1–2 days
Insulating an existing liner
PreventiveWrap or pour insulation around a liner on an exterior wall chimney. Keeps flue gases warm enough to draw properly and cuts the condensation that causes most creosote problems.
On site: About a day
Times are for the work itself, not for scheduling. Masonry needs roughly 40°F to cure properly, which is what limits this work in a northern winter rather than whether a crew is free.
Why chimney liner replacement quotes vary so much
- Flue height, and whether the chimney runs straight or offsets around a floor
- Stainless versus cast-in-place — they are different jobs at different prices
- The diameter needed, which is set by the appliance rather than the old flue
- Whether old clay tile has to be broken out to make room
- Whether the masonry itself needs work before a liner can go in
This is the most expensive routine job in the trade, running well into the thousands for a full stainless liner and higher again for cast-in-place. That is not markup, it is a full-height component plus a day or two of skilled work. Anyone quoting a reline without having put a camera down the flue is quoting a length they have not measured.
The people behind every visit
Founded by Ryan Carter in 2019. Every page you read here is reviewed by Ethan Miller, our chimney specialist. A written estimate before any work, and the findings in writing whether or not anything needs doing.
More about who we are →
The VIO Standard
- A written estimate first
- License and insurance checked
- Nothing starts without your OK
Common questions
How do I know if my chimney liner needs replacing?
The everyday sign is pieces of clay tile turning up in the firebox. The definitive one is a camera scan, which is why a quote without one is not a quote. Other prompts to look: after any chimney fire, after a period of water getting into the flue, and before fitting a stove or insert to an older flue. If tile is coming down into the hearth, stop using the fireplace now rather than at the end of the season.
How much does chimney liner replacement cost?
It is the most expensive routine job on this site, into the thousands for a full-height insulated stainless liner and higher for cast-in-place. The drivers are the flue height, the diameter the appliance requires, whether the chimney runs straight or offsets around a floor, and whether old clay tile has to be broken out first. A firm number before a camera scan is a guess at a length nobody has measured.
Can I keep using the fireplace with a cracked liner?
No, and this is the one place on this site where we will not soften it. The liner is what stands between combustion gases and the timber framing built around the chimney. A crack is a path for both heat and carbon monoxide to reach that framing, and neither announces itself. Stop using it, get the scan, and if a company tells you it will be fine until spring, get a second opinion.
Stainless steel or cast-in-place liner?
Stainless suits most jobs: it is faster, cheaper, comes with a manufacturer's warranty, and is sized precisely to the appliance. Cast-in-place is the better answer when the flue is irregular, when it offsets awkwardly, or when the masonry itself is deteriorating — the poured liner bonds to the surrounding brick and adds strength that a steel tube cannot. It costs more and takes longer, and on a failing stack it is sometimes the only option that makes sense.
Does a new liner come with a warranty?
A stainless liner should, and it is worth reading which one. Manufacturers typically offer a lifetime warranty on the liner itself for the original homeowner, conditional on correct installation and on the flue being maintained — which usually means annual sweeping and keeping the paperwork. Cast-in-place systems carry their own warranties on similar terms. Ask for the documentation at the end of the job rather than a year later when you need it.
let's get it on the calendar.
Tell us your ZIP code and what you need. The pro who covers it quotes the job in writing, and nothing starts until you approve the number.