Famco Flue Liner Replacement Nationwide

Famco Flue Liner Replacement: The Boston Owner’s Guide

We stock and install Famco-compatible flue liner replacement in Boston, with most jobs running $1,800 to $3,400 installed depending on height, diameter, and whether the chase needs reworking. Our trucks carry the common Famco diameters - 6″, 7″, and 8″ in rigid and flexible configurations - so we can often measure, match, and install in a single visit. Homeowners usually discover the problem on the first cold snap in October or November, when smoke backs into the living room or a chimney inspection before burning season turns up cracked terracotta, gaps at the mortar joints, or a liner that’s pulled away from the thimble.

Call (857) 597-5950

Which Famco Models This Applies To

Famco flue liners fall into two main categories: the rigid 316Ti stainless series and the flexible corrugated lines, both designed for masonry chimneys serving wood, pellet, or gas appliances. The critical detail is the collar and thimble connection at the base - Famco uses a proprietary offset that does not always mate cleanly with generic adapter plates, which is why we carry both OEM Famco termination kits and machined aftermarket equivalents that we’ve field-tested for proper draw.

To identify what you have, look for the stamped spec tag on the upper termination cap (usually visible from the roof) or the metal band near the cleanout door. You’ll need the nominal diameter, the total linear feet from thimble to cap, and whether the original was rigid or flexible. In Boston’s triple-deckers and older colonials, we regularly find 6″ rigid Famco liners in 25-foot lengths that were installed in the 1990s and have developed seam separation where the flue passes through the unheated attic space. Aftermarket equivalents from DuraFlex or Olympia Chimney can match Famco specs at lower cost, but only if the adapter geometry is verified - we check this on site before quoting, not after we’ve torn things apart.

Hearthstone Chimney Co. is an independent service provider, not affiliated with Famco. We source parts through standard wholesale channels and stand behind our installation regardless of whose name is on the metal.

Signs Your Famco Flue Liner Replacement Is Failing

• Smoke or odor in the house during use. This means combustion gases are escaping through cracks, gaps at joints, or a liner that’s shifted out of position. In Boston’s freeze-thaw climate, the expansion differential between stainless steel and surrounding brickwork often works connections loose over fifteen to twenty years.
• Visible rust streaks on the exterior masonry. Condensation inside a damaged liner runs down rather than up, carrying acidic moisture that stains the chimney face and erodes mortar from the inside. We see this pattern especially on north-facing chases in Jamaica Plain and Roslindale where sun never hits the brick.
• Debris or tile fragments in the firebox or cleanout. When the original terracotta flue behind a failed Famco liner begins to collapse, pieces fall to the bottom. This is past the point of patching - the liner is no longer protecting the masonry, and the chimney is actively deteriorating.
• Unusual roaring or draft noise. A liner with holes or separation creates turbulent airflow instead of smooth draw. The sound changes because the flue is no longer sealed, and the appliance is starved for proper oxygen flow.
• Failed Level-2 inspection with camera evidence of gaps or holes. This is the definitive sign. We document what we find with photos you can see, and we mark the exact footage where the liner has failed so there’s no ambiguity about what needs addressing.

Replacement Cost & What’s Included

What drives the range: height of the chimney (a three-story Dorchester triple-decker versus a single-story ranch in West Roxbury), whether the existing liner can be extracted or has to be cut out in pieces, and if the chase top or thimble needs rebuilding. We give you the full number before we start - no surprises on the bill. Every Famco flue liner replacement we install carries our 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If it’s not right, we come back. No paperwork, no arguing.

DIY or Call Us?

There’s a short list of things a homeowner can safely check: verify the appliance is the correct type for the flue, confirm the damper opens fully, and look for obvious debris at the cleanout. Beyond that, flue liner replacement involves working at height on a pitched roof, handling sharp stainless edges, and properly insulating the annular space between liner and masonry - all of it governed by NFPA 211 and Boston’s amended building code. An improperly seated liner creates a carbon monoxide pathway into living space. We’ve been called in after DIY attempts where the liner was the right part but the termination was two feet short of code height, or where the insulation wrap was omitted and condensation destroyed the new installation in three seasons. If the chimney’s doing its job, you won’t notice it. You hire us so it stays that way. Call (857) 597-5950 and we’ll walk through what you’re seeing.

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