Had a real scare with a hidden flue liner tear last week

I was cleaning a standard brick chimney in a 1920s house over in the old north side. The homeowner mentioned a slight draft smell, but nothing major. I ran my brush down, everything felt normal until I got about 12 feet down. The brush just... caught. Not on creosote, but it felt like it snagged on something sharp. Pulled it back up and saw a tiny metal shaving on the bristles. Got my inspection camera in there and sure enough, there was a 6-inch vertical tear in the old stainless steel liner, totally hidden behind a mortar bulge. The draft was pulling fumes right into the brickwork. I had to tell the owner they couldn't use their fireplace at all until it was fixed, which they were not happy about. Ended up helping them source a local guy who does liner repairs for a fair price. Ever had a brush catch on something that wasn't just gunk? How do you guys check for liner damage when you can't see it?

3 comments

3 Comments

leowells16d ago

That 1920s brickwork hiding a tear is a nightmare. Honestly, a six inch rip in stainless steel behind a mortar bulge is the kind of thing you only find by pure luck. I've had brushes catch on broken tile edges before, but never metal shavings from the liner itself.

kaigibson16d ago

Actually had a similar find last month on a 1910s job. That old work hides things, but you start looking for patterns. A bulge that size usually means something gave way behind it. Found a split liner once just by tapping the area and hearing a hollow ring next to solid sound. The metal shavings are a wild clue though.

reese_hayes7116d ago

So you're saying the house is basically falling apart but in a sneaky way... Metal shavings from the liner sounds like the building is trying to give you a clue before it just gives up. Finding that tear was pure luck, but now you get to be the one to tell the owner their wall is secretly shredded. Bet that was a fun conversation.