Chimney Relining in St. Louis, MO
Relining means fitting a new liner inside the existing chimney so combustion gases have a sealed, correctly sized path out of the house. It is the fix when the clay tiles have cracked, when the flue was never lined at all, or when a new appliance needs a different sized flue than the one the chimney was built with.
The liner is the part of a chimney nobody sees and almost nobody thinks about, and it is the part doing the actual safety work. Everything else — the brick, the crown, the cap — protects the liner. On a great many St. Louis homes the liner is either cracked clay tile or nothing at all, and the chimney looks perfectly sound from the street while the flue behind it has stopped containing anything.
How this gets priced
Starts with the $69 inspection
Driven by flue height, whether the run is straight or offset, the liner diameter the appliance actually requires, whether the old clay tile has to come out first, and whether insulation is needed to meet clearance. None of that can be judged from the ground, which is why the camera inspection comes first and the $69 comes off the work.
How do I know I need relining?
If any of these describe your situation, it is worth having someone look. Most are cheap to fix early and expensive to fix late.
- A Level 2 inspection or a home inspector found cracked or shifted clay tiles
- Pieces of clay tile are turning up in the firebox or the smoke shelf
- The house was built before 1940 and the flue was never lined
- You are fitting a gas insert or converting to gas and the existing flue is too large
- There has been a chimney fire, which cracks tile liners even when the brick looks untouched
- Smoke or smells are reaching a room that has no fireplace in it
- A carbon monoxide alarm has gone off while an appliance was running
Why it matters
A cracked liner is the failure that gives no warning. Creosote and heat can reach the brick and the timber framing behind it through a gap you cannot see, and combustion gases can enter the house through the same crack. Carbon monoxide has no colour and no smell, which is why this is found with a camera and a meter rather than by noticing something is wrong.
Call (314) 887-7250What’s included
Exactly what happens when we come out, step by step.
- 1
Camera inspection before anything is quoted
A liner is quoted from what a camera sees inside the flue, not from what the chimney looks like outside. You get the footage. If the tiles are sound and relining is not needed, we will tell you that — this is an expensive job to be sold unnecessarily.
- 2
Sizing to the appliance, not to the chimney
The correct liner diameter is set by what the flue is venting. An oversized flue is the usual cause of poor draft and condensation after a gas insert goes in, and it is why dropping a liner into an old oversized chimney is so often the whole fix.
- 3
Clearing the old flue
Where cracked clay tile has to come out, it comes out. Where a stainless liner can be run inside the existing tile, it is — that decision is made from the camera footage and the tile condition, and we explain which one your chimney needs and why.
- 4
Insulated stainless liner, sealed top and bottom
A liner that is not sealed at both ends and insulated where clearance requires it is not a finished job. The top plate, the storm collar and the connection at the appliance are where relining work actually fails.
- 5
Draft test and photographs
We test the draft with the appliance running and take a carbon monoxide reading before we leave, and you get photographs of the finished liner top and bottom.
Chimney Relining: common questions
How much does chimney relining cost in St. Louis?
It depends on the height of the flue, the liner diameter the appliance requires, whether the old clay tile has to be removed, and whether the run is straight. We inspect with a camera, show you the footage, and give one fixed price in writing before any work starts — and the $69 inspection comes off it.
How do I know whether my chimney needs relining or just repair?
Repair addresses the masonry — the crown, the mortar joints, the cap. Relining addresses the flue inside it. They are different jobs and a chimney can need one without the other. The camera inspection settles which, and it is the only way to settle it: a chimney with perfect brickwork can have a badly cracked liner behind it.
Do I need a liner if I am installing a gas insert?
Usually yes, and it is the step most often skipped. A gas insert vents a much smaller volume than the chimney was built for, so the oversized flue cools the gases, condensation forms, and draft suffers. A correctly sized liner is what makes the insert work properly rather than merely look installed.
My house is from the 1920s and has never been relined. Is that a problem?
It is very common across St. Louis City and the inner suburbs, and whether it is a problem depends on what the flue is venting and what condition it is in. Many of these flues are unlined brick, which was normal when they were built and is no longer considered safe for a modern appliance. A camera inspection tells you where yours stands.
How long does relining take?
Most stainless liner installations are a single day. Jobs where cracked clay tile has to be removed first, or where the flue is offset rather than straight, can run longer, and we tell you which yours is before we start rather than on the day.
Does a new liner need a different cap?
The liner terminates in a top plate and storm collar, and the cap fits to that rather than to the old masonry crown. If your existing cap was sized to the clay tile it will not fit the new liner, and we include the correct one instead of leaving the top open.
Chimney Relining across the St. Louis metro
We cover the full metro from University City. Chimney problems differ by neighborhood because the housing stock differs — here is what we see where.
Relining in St. Louis
Predominantly 1890–1930 brick
Relining in University City
Largely 1920s–1940s brick, Tudor and Colonial
Relining in Clayton
1920s–1940s masonry, plus newer infill
Relining in Kirkwood
Victorian through 1950s, wide mix
Relining in Webster Groves
Victorian, Craftsman and 1920s bungalows
Relining in Chesterfield
Mostly 1980s–2000s construction
Also serving Ladue, Ballwin, Creve Coeur, Maplewood, Brentwood, Florissant, St. Charles, Des Peres, Fenton, St. Peters, Arnold, High Ridge, Festus.
Related services
Chimney Inspection
A full chimney inspection with Total Chimney Services costs $69 anywhere in the St. Louis metro, and the entire $69 is credited back to you if you book a repair with us.
Chimney Repair
Chimney repair covers everything from a cracked crown or leaking flashing to a damaged flue liner. We start with a $69 inspection so you get photographs and one fixed price for exactly what your chimney needs — and the $69 comes off that price.
Gas Fireplace Inspection
A gas fireplace inspection checks the venting, gas connections, burner combustion and safety controls, and includes a carbon monoxide reading with the unit running. Ours is $69, credited back in full if you book a repair.
Need chimney relining in St. Louis?
Start with a $69 inspection and a photo report. Credited back in full when you book the work. Call (314) 887-7250.
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