Famco Flue Liner Replacement Nationwide

Famco Flue Liner Replacement: The Smithtown Owner’s Guide

We stock and install Famco-compatible flue liner replacement in Smithtown, with most jobs running $1,800 to $3,400 installed depending on chimney height and diameter. Famco’s 316Ti stainless steel and aluminized liner series are what we see most on Long Island, and we carry the common diameters on our trucks. Most Smithtown homeowners discover the problem mid-burning season, when a smoky fireplace or a failed Level-2 inspection stops everything cold.

Call (631) 814-2057

Which Famco Models This Applies To

Famco builds flue liners in two primary grades: the 316Ti stainless series for wood-burning and the lighter aluminized steel line for gas appliances. The 316Ti carries a higher temperature rating and resists the acidic creosote that builds up in Smithtown’s older colonials, especially the ones with exterior chimneys that never fully dry out after our wet springs.

To identify your liner, look for the stamped band near the top termination, usually within six inches of the collar. Famco stamps the diameter, material grade, and manufacturing batch there. If the stamp is corroded off, which happens after fifteen or so years of salt air coming off the Sound, we measure the inner diameter with a chimney ruler and check the thimble connection style. Famco uses a proprietary rolled-edge collar on their 316Ti series that mates differently than DuraFlex or Olympia Chimney equivalents.

On OEM versus aftermarket: Famco’s own replacement sections are still manufactured, but lead times run four to six weeks in peak season. We also source compatible 316Ti segments from our regular suppliers that meet the same UL 1777 listing and carry the same temperature specs. The aftermarket option saves roughly $200 to $400 on a typical Smithtown installation, and we warranty both identically under our 90-Day Done Right Promise.

Signs Your Famco Flue Liner Replacement Is Failing

• Smoke backing up into the room. A separated liner joint or corrosion hole breaks the draft seal. The smoke follows the path of least resistance, which is often your living room, especially in taller chimneys common near Caleb Smith State Park Preserve where the stack effect is weaker.
• White or orange staining on the exterior masonry. Condensation carrying combustion acids has breached the liner and is leaching through the mortar joints. In Smithtown’s freeze-thaw climate, this accelerates spalling brick damage every winter you wait.
• Chunks of metal or clay in the firebox. The liner has delaminated or collapsed. Aluminized steel liners fail this way after roughly twelve to fifteen years of heavy use; 316Ti lasts longer but still corrodes at the condensation line where the flue passes through the attic.
• A strong tar or chemical odor when the fireplace is not in use. Creosote is soaking through gaps in the liner and into the surrounding masonry. This is a chimney fire waiting for ignition, and it means the liner’s integrity is compromised beyond patching.
• Your inspection report flags “liner not continuous” or “gaps visible on camera.” Even small separations at joints allow creosote to accumulate in the cavity between liner and brick. Our camera finds these regularly in Smithtown homes built in the 1970s and 1980s, when Famco liners were first gaining market share on Long Island.

Replacement Cost & What’s Included

For a typical single-flue Smithtown chimney, Famco flue liner replacement runs $1,800 to $3,400 installed. The low end covers a straight run up to twenty feet with standard 6-inch or 8-inch diameter and a simple top termination. The high end accounts for taller chimneys, offset flues that need elbows, or the extra labor to remove a damaged existing liner that has wedged itself against the brick.

Every quote we write itemizes parts and labor separately. You will see the liner sections, insulation wrap, top plate, and connector fittings listed with their individual costs. We do not bury markup in a single vague number. The estimate you sign is the invoice you pay, and our 90-Day Done Right Promise covers the installation in writing with no arguing.

Hearthstone Chimney Co. is an independent service provider, not affiliated with Famco. We source their products and compatible equivalents through our regular wholesale channels.

DIY or Call Us?

There is exactly one thing a homeowner can safely check: look down the flue from the top, if you can do so without climbing, and note whether you see daylight reflecting off intact metal or dark gaps and rough edges. That is the limit of useful DIY assessment.

Everything else requires professional execution. Dropping a new liner down a chimney without damaging the insulation wrap or kinking the stainless steel takes two experienced technicians and the right pull rope setup. The top termination must be sealed to prevent water intrusion, which is what killed your last liner. And the connection at the appliance thimble must be secured with proper fasteners, not improvised clamps, or you risk carbon monoxide leakage into wall cavities.

We have pulled more than one homeowner’s botched liner job in Smithtown. The savings evaporate when you pay twice. Call (631) 814-2057 and we will give you a straight price before we book.

FAQs