DIY Home Improvement Forum banner

Chimney Liner vs New Furnace

8K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  pjpjpjpj 
#1 ·
Similiar question to (compression) on new install. I have a house built in 1905. The gas furnace (Armstrong, model G531400) is old but I'm not sure how old. It vents into the brick chimney. The gas company won't turn on the gas until a liner is in. They pick January to tell me this. Anyway, I'm concerned about spending money for the liner and then having to replace the furnace down the road. The gas water heater also vents into the chimney. It's a two story house with a partial attick. So maybe 25' or so of pipe would be needed. Would it be wiser to replace the furnace with a direct vent and put an electric hot water heater in? I don't think I would need a liner then. I know it would be a lot of money but so is installing a liner now and then replacing the furnace in two years. A water heater is only a few hundred and I have a place for the old gas heater.
 
#2 ·
Hi jeff connors

I believe in your case, as long as the chimney is physically sound. Linning is going to be your best bet. Running a new flue to the outside of the house up the exterior wall always looks tacky. A liner is hid, and is a very reliable means of flue repair. Hope this helps, but let the rest of the guys put in their say before you decide.

Good luck
Rusty
 
#5 ·
If you have an inconspicuous place for a small PVC vent and intake, and the furnace location is reasonably close and accessible to that spot, why not replace with a new hi-eff furnace and water heater (or electric water heater) and be done with it? The up-front cost of the equipment is more but you will save on gas bills like crazy in the long run.

Also, if the vent is not sized correctly on a new std-eff furnace (for the efficiency of the new unit), or if it is not forced-draft, you could be improperly venting your furnace if the chimney stack is too tall or too large. Typically the flue gases rise out the chimney simply by the buoyancy of the heat (heat rises). If the flue is improperly sized, the vent gases could cool too much while still in the chimney and not properly escape the house. This can also cause condensing (of the moisture in the gas and outside air) in the chimney, and flue gas condensate is extremely corrosive and can eat away your chimney.

Just my $.02....
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top