If I Get A New Furnace, Do I Need To Reline My Chimney?

As our homes go through the aging process, major appliances like the furnace will eventually need replacement. Gas furnaces are very popular in Niagara Falls, Webster, and homes in northwestern New York with their convenience, energy efficiency, and lower heating costs. However, when purchasing a new solid or fossil fuel heating appliance, a reputable dealer should mention that you may need to reline the chimney when replacing an old heating appliance with a new furnace. In addition to being a legal requirement to comply with local building and fire codes, here’s why you really need to reline the chimney before installing a new furnace.

Why Your New Furnace Needs a New Liner

That brand-new gas furnace you plan to buy is highly efficient, but it still needs to expel the carbon monoxide exhaust from your home. The problem is that most older chimneys have liners sized for the old furnace and water heater. Modern furnaces are significantly more efficient than heating appliances over 15 years old. So, they use less energy to produce more heat with less pollution. While this cleaner indoor air is vital for a healthy home, your chimney may be too wide to ventilate the exhaust correctly. The condensation or moisture that will develop in an improperly sized flue will cause significant damage to the chimney. This results in more repairs and increases the risk of exposure to toxic carbon monoxide fumes.

Simply relining the chimney will fix the sizing issue creating the draft necessary for furnace exhaust to be expelled from your home. It will also prolong the lifespan of your chimney and heating appliance, reducing repairs and premature replacement.

Which Liner is Best For Your New Furnace

Now that you understand why it is vital to reline your chimney when you get a new furnace, you must also speak with a certified chimney professional to determine which liner is best for your new furnace. Clay or terra cotta tile, cast-in-place, and stainless steel are the most common chimney liners in the Buffalo and Rochester region.

Clay tile:

Clay tiles are typically installed in a new wood-burning fireplace due to their lower cost. But since clay tiles are porous like brick and mortar, it’s not the best liner for a new furnace. That’s because water vapors and corrosive gas residue will damage the tiles, resulting in more frequent repairs that will eventually outweigh its price advantage. Also, when the tiles crack, it increases the risk of fire and carbon monoxide exposure.

Cast-In-Place:

We often recommend that homeowners install a cast-in-place liner when connecting a new furnace to a chimney with a masonry fireplace. This durable concrete-based compound creates a smooth, durable interior surface. In addition, it instantly fills in holes, cracks, or other masonry damage inside the chimney, increasing its structural integrity.

Stainless Steel:

When getting a new furnace for a manufactured chimney, we recommend relining with a UL-listed stainless-steel liner. These flexible tubes are inserted directly into the duct, making them easier to install than cast-in-place or clay tile.

In addition, they are naturally resistant to water, rust, and pests. Plus, with a life expectancy of up to nearly a century, they can outperform other liners with proper maintenance.

Rochester, NY Chimney Relining Services

Installing a new furnace without properly relining the chimney to meet the manufacturer’s specified venting requirements can be dangerous for your home and family. Also, if your chimney, venting system, and attached heating appliances are not compliant with local building and safety codes, your homeowner’s insurance may deny your claim if a chimney fire damages your property. Felgemacher Masonry & Chimney provides professional chimney inspections, relining, installations, and repairs, throughout northwestern New York. Call (716) 907-4914 in Buffalo, NY, or (585) 308-4914 in Rochester, NY, to schedule a chimney inspection today! You can also contact us online.