On Tuesday, I had a chimney sweep inspect the chimney and he completely condemned it. I have 4 flues, all clogged with bird nests, and the chimney hasn't been used for 4 years. Before that, it was used heavily with a boiler, with the remark that there was a lot of tar in the chimney.
The house is from 1827, so it's a really old piece when it was built.
The sweep thought that we should tear it down as much as we can and rebuild. "The chimney as it is today is completely unusable."
Today, two guys from a company that deals with chimneys came and said the complete opposite... that it would be possible to relining etc. They didn't even think I should remove the chimney above the ridge because the stone was so nice.
It's worth mentioning that it was the sweep himself who recommended I consult with this company...
What to do?? I realize that the company won't gain from condemning the chimney but wants a job to fix it... so... the sweep feels more objective.
The house is from 1827, so it's a really old piece when it was built.
The sweep thought that we should tear it down as much as we can and rebuild. "The chimney as it is today is completely unusable."
Today, two guys from a company that deals with chimneys came and said the complete opposite... that it would be possible to relining etc. They didn't even think I should remove the chimney above the ridge because the stone was so nice.
It's worth mentioning that it was the sweep himself who recommended I consult with this company...
What to do?? I realize that the company won't gain from condemning the chimney but wants a job to fix it... so... the sweep feels more objective.
Yes, both can be/are right.
If there is a bird's nest in the chimney, it must be cleared before you can light a fire - the chimney sweep is right about that.
If the plaster on the chimney (in the attic and downwards) is defective/poor, it can be improved.
If the joints above the ridge are poor, they can be cleaned and re-jointed.
And yes, slip casting can work. In another thread here on the forum, someone has carefully described how to do it yourself if you feel like it.
I would probably choose a stainless flexible liner if it were my house, but that's up to each person.
Regardless of the action, the chimney sweep must approve the work before the chimney is put into use.
If there is a bird's nest in the chimney, it must be cleared before you can light a fire - the chimney sweep is right about that.
If the plaster on the chimney (in the attic and downwards) is defective/poor, it can be improved.
If the joints above the ridge are poor, they can be cleaned and re-jointed.
And yes, slip casting can work. In another thread here on the forum, someone has carefully described how to do it yourself if you feel like it.
I would probably choose a stainless flexible liner if it were my house, but that's up to each person.
Regardless of the action, the chimney sweep must approve the work before the chimney is put into use.
Yes, that's how it is, the chimney sweep must approve everything, but it can still be that it's a bad chimney that's been artificially revived, so to speak. I won't pay a lot of money to let someone do the relining since, as you say, you can do it yourself. However, it's quite a hassle anyway, so I don't want to do something that will need to be torn down later.
Both the chimney sweep and the company deemed installing a liner as a bad option (for me) because it would result in such a small flue channel.
Both the chimney sweep and the company deemed installing a liner as a bad option (for me) because it would result in such a small flue channel.