Recently I bought a house that had a ventless gas log insert in the hearth, but had obviously been used as a wood burning fireplace previously, showing lots of charring. A chimney inspection revealed that the house had been built without a smoke chamber back in 1953 (!). I was told it could never be a wood burning fireplace because of the obvious lack of draw.
I'd like a WBFP but cannot afford to rebuild the entire chimney. Is there some sort of flue liner or stove pipe/insert that could make this work? Thank you for your advice.
Best Answer
Yes chimney liners are available depending on the local codes. Stainless steel and aluminum flex are common. You may need to contact the logset manufacturer to find out what is approved. If the mortar is in good shape you will not get better draft with a liner. Sometimes because it's not cool enough outside or your chimney is too short you don't get good draft until the chimney warms up. That's when a liner comes in handy. If sized properly it will warm up fast and draw within minutes. Talk to someone about doing the work for you as chimneys are not a do it yourself kind of job. You are dealing with carbon monoxide.