My Poor Chimney

I guess this is what a 175 year old chimney looks like that was never lined with anything.

I need to do something about it.
It would be nice to keep it, and repair it, but chances are most of it would have to be rebuilt.

I cannot do any steel liner, as it would still have to be rebuilt.

There are many options, but I do not feel like spending too much if I can have a
cast in place liner installed.
There are too types that I know of.

First is a bladder that they put down the chimney and then expand it.
They then pour special concrete down and then deflate the bladder and remove.
Liner is now solid.

Second is an Arhenschimney http://www.ahrenschimney.com/
It is same type, just installed differently.
This has a "bell" that is centered in your chimney with a cable and started at the bottom.
Special concrete is poured down and the bell gets pulled up creating a sized liner.
Then a special coating is sprayed on.
Says has a 50+ year lifespan.
I think this style helps repoint the inside rather than having to rebuild.

Does anyone know of a price?
I am waiting to hear back from the company and have yet to find a local installer.
I think it is somewhere close to a stainless steel liner in the 3 to 5k range?
Much less than a brick rebuild.

Here is pics of the inside of my chimney. No mortar!
The outside is actually not too bad. Mortar is still all there with only
a few spots that need repointing.
I was told by a cousin who is a mason that he will not touch it and cannot repoint outside.
Said rebuilding as far down as possible.
That still leaves me needing a liner.

Any thoughts or opinions?

hose down, wash down the inside of the stack thoroughly; line w/ tile; pour 6:1 vermicrete fluid mix around tile; rebuild in entirety above roofline.

My oil burner chimney was done about 10 years ago with the first method you describe, called Supaflu. They claim the cement they pump in seals up all the cracks and improves structural integrity, but I just have to take their word for that. It was a fast process; I don't think the installer was here for more than about 5 hours total. Cost was a lot less than I was quoted for a stainless steel liner, and of course SS would do nothing structurally. As I recall, it was about $1100 for my 30' chimney, less than I expected.

http://www.supaflu.com/

How would you set the joints of the tile and make them line up?
Do you have to break thru the chimney on outside for each joint or could you use a long pole and tap them to get them lined up?

rberq-
that sounds very reasonable! Any problems ten years later?

That price I am sure would be probably double today? Still very cheap.

GoodProphets wrote:rberq-
that sounds very reasonable! Any problems ten years later?

No problems, but I should have rebuilt above the roof like Berlin suggested.

drop tiles in from top. use block w/ rope through it, weighted at bottom and shims to hold tile while you drop it down. butter ends of tile before setting it. let the shims extend out of bottom of each new tile set to center it on previous tile. Another method; drill holes in each tile (1/4" or so) run clothes line string through them, glue/epoxy brick ties in all four sides of tile sticking out of the end to center them; brick ties will just fall down w/ first fire; string will just pull out (or can be cut and dropped inside flue of stack if it sticks, clothes line string is cheap). whichever method; make sure loose mortar is washed from inside of stack. Also, importantly, first mark square tiles both ends before using: "LL" on longest side, "L" on long side "sq" on sides opposite one another that are square (use square to determine these things) ; tiles are NEVER cut perfectly square from factory. if you put "LL" and "L" sides opposite on every tile dropped the stack will stay pretty much plumb.