Chimney Relining in McMinnville, Oregon | A New Liner When the Original Has Failed

A chimney flue liner serves two purposes. It contains combustion gases (including carbon monoxide) and directs them up and out of the house. And it protects the chimney structure and surrounding building materials from the heat and corrosive byproducts those gases carry. When the liner is compromised, both functions fail. Gases can leak through cracks into living spaces. Heat can transfer through damaged liner sections to combustible framing. Acidic condensation eats into the mortar and brick from the inside out.

Most masonry chimneys built before the 1950s in the McMinnville area were constructed with clay tile liners. Clay tile is durable but rigid. It doesn’t flex, and over decades of thermal cycling (heating up with every fire, cooling down between uses), the tiles crack. Some older chimneys in downtown McMinnville and the surrounding neighborhoods were built with no liner at all, which was acceptable under the building codes of the era but doesn’t meet current Oregon Residential Specialty Code requirements and isn’t safe by modern standards.

Chimneys that have experienced a chimney fire almost always need relining. The extreme temperatures during a chimney fire (over 2,000 degrees in some cases) crack clay tiles, warp metal liners, and compromise the structural integrity of the liner system. Even if the chimney looks fine from the outside after a fire, the liner inside is likely damaged. A video inspection of the flue interior confirms the extent of the damage.

Relining is also required when the chimney is being repurposed for a different appliance. A chimney that was sized for an open wood-burning fireplace has a much larger flue than what a gas insert or a wood stove needs. An oversized flue causes poor draft, condensation problems, and incomplete combustion. Installing a properly sized stainless steel liner matched to the new appliance corrects the venting and allows the system to operate as designed.

The relining process for a masonry chimney involves lowering a flexible or rigid stainless steel liner down through the existing flue from the top. The liner connects to the appliance or fireplace at the bottom and terminates at a new rain cap at the top. Insulation wrap or poured insulation around the liner improves draft performance and protects the liner from condensation in cold weather. For chimneys where the existing clay tiles are badly deteriorated, we may need to remove tile sections to create clearance for the new liner. For chimneys with no existing liner, the stainless steel liner goes directly into the open flue space.

We size the liner based on the appliance it’s serving. A wood-burning fireplace, a wood stove, a gas insert, and a furnace all have different venting diameter requirements. Getting the size wrong causes draft problems, appliance malfunction, or code violations. We match the liner diameter to the appliance manufacturer’s specifications and to Oregon code requirements, and we verify proper draft after installation.

When your chimney needs relining

A chimney inspection that reveals cracked, broken, or missing clay tile liner sections is the most common trigger. If you can see daylight through gaps in the liner during a video inspection, combustion gases are reaching the chimney structure through those gaps.

White staining on the exterior brick (efflorescence) sometimes indicates moisture is migrating through the chimney walls from the inside, which can mean the liner is allowing condensation to contact the masonry. This is especially common with gas appliances vented through oversized flues, where the cooler exhaust temperatures cause heavy condensation on the liner walls.

If you’re installing a new fireplace insert, wood stove, or gas appliance into an existing chimney, relining is almost always part of the project. The appliance manufacturer, your installer, and Oregon code all require a properly sized liner matched to the unit. Even if the existing liner is intact, it’s likely the wrong size for the new appliance. Call +1 503-550-4027 to discuss your setup.