How To Repair Chimney Flue

If you notice your home is non heating properly, or your heating bill has recently increased, you may demand to examine your furnace and flue. Your furnace's exhaust stack, also known every bit the flue, vents fumes and carbon monoxide safely abroad from your domicile's interior as yous heat your abode. Over fourth dimension, the galvanized metallic will rust and corrode. If you notice rust forming, this could exist a sign that you need to replace your furnace flue. If left untreated, you tin adventure leaking smoke and dangerous gases into your home.

Replacing a flue is a complicated procedure that should just be attempted by an experienced handy worker. A mistake during the replacement procedure could consequence in toxic gases inbound in your domicile'south interior. Modernize recommends using a licensed professional for the most critical and large-calibration dwelling comeback projects. However, if you are confident in your skill set, here is how to replace your furnace flue.

furnace repair

Table of Contents

How to Tell If Your Flue Needs to Be Replaced
Earlier You Begin Your Flue Replacement:
Removing the Old Flue
Cut a New Piece to Length
Push button the Pipe into Place
Caulk Over the Connection
If You Demand A Contractor

How to Tell If Your Flue Needs to Be Replaced

Rust and leaks are the about obvious sign of flue repairs, but information technology's important to note that not all corrosion is immediately visible from the basis. Your exhaust stack extends above your roofline, and there may be impairment that yous tin can't detect.

Flues benefit from an annual cleaning and inspection. During this yearly cleaning, a professional can alarm you lot to problems. Yous should also inspect your flue prior to moving into a new dwelling, or installing a new furnace. You lot tin also perform a visual inspection yourself. (It'due south important to follow best practices and safety measures when climbing on your roof.) In addition to normal wear and corrosion, flues tin can be impacted by conditions, bird's nests, and droppings.

Examine the entire length of the vent. Pay specially shut attention to the seals around the rain cap (the rounded part on the tiptop of the vent) and the storm neckband (a circular bulging piece that fits only above the roof). Await for damaged pipes, peachy, and rust.

Before Yous Begin Your Flue Replacement:

Before you begin replacing your flue, turn off your furnace and then it stops producing gases and toxic fumes.

Materials You Volition Need:

Piece of work gloves
Ladder
Record measure out
Pliers
Snips
A cordless drill
Galvanized sheet-metal ductwork
Galvanized steel elbows
Sheet-metal screws
Loftier-temperature silicon or flue glue
Caulk gun
Pipe crimping device

Heating Pipes

Removing the Old Flue

Unscrew each connection and pull the damaged piece out. Utilize a soft textile to gently clean around the edges of the flue.

Cut a New Piece to Length

Employ a tape mensurate to get the length of the former piece. Then use your snips to cutting a matching length of flue piping. Crimp ane terminate of the pipage using the pipage crimper to smooth it down.

Push button the Pipage into Place

Next, take the length of cutting pipe and push information technology into identify then that it lines upwards with the connections. Button the connections from the existing exhaust pipe over the piping. Side by side, have your drill and secure the pipe into identify at the connection points using iii to four sheet metal screws.

Caulk Over the Connection

Using high-heat silicone caulk, completely seal the articulation by squeezing the caulk out in a cracking bead and so smoothing information technology over. This will go along gases from escaping when you run your furnace, and then it's important to completely seal the joint so that no frazzle is let out. Look until the caulk has stale fully before turning on your furnace once again.

If You Need A Contractor

After your projection, if y'all observe that your furnace all the same isn't working well, have a professional examine your flue and furnace. Additionally, if y'all brainstorm this DIY, and realize you lot need assistance, don't hesitate to phone call an HVAC professional. An experienced contractor can aid with your flue replacement and see if the corrosion has led to other issues.