MILFORD COOLING & AIR CONDITIONER SERVICE

Many municipalities require an inspection prior to the sale of a home. Chimney repairs are often one of the results from the inspections. When it comes to the chimney, there can be an unexpected expense you will need to take care of to close the sale. At the least, many have to install a chimney cap. The worse case scenario can be the need for a total chimney reline because the original liner is cracked.

The cost of chimney repair on a one story house can start at around $1500 and run up into the $2000 range. But wait, there is good news.

For the cost of the materials and shipping, you can install it yourself for between $500 and $700. Even with no experience many can install them in under four hours. There are of course exceptions but in many instances, chimneys can be done by homeowners.

So, why do the chimney people get so much money. Although there are numerous reasons, chimney building and repair is a highly specialized trade. Using newer technology and longer lasting materials, it is now possible for homeowners to do the DIY chimney repair and save.

If you are handy, if you can work off a ladder and have a helper available, then you may be able to install it yourself.

How To Install A Chimney Liner

If you prefer videos, there is an instructional video on chimney repair. It is available from the company that sells the materials. It is the same video used to train professionals.

What You Need

Gloves (there are sharp edges on some of the materials)

Hack saw

Metal cutting shears (If you are borrowing, try to get right and left handed cutters)

Ladder

One to two helpers depending on the height

A rope several feet longer than the chimney

Mill file (to file off sharp burrs)

A tub of refractory cement

Small trowel or putty knife

Paper towels to clean putty knife

First you will turn off the furnace and disconnect the flue liner from the chimney.

It is always a good idea to inspect and clean the chimney before putting the new liner in. The tools can be purchased or even rented in most localities.

Once cleaned out you are good to begin your chimney repair.

Preparing For Liner Installation

With glove on, remove the liner from the packing materials and straighten it out.

Usually the driveway works good for this. One word of caution, park your car in front of the drive so that someone does not drive onto your new liner. It is remarkably tough but not so tough that a car can drive over it with out damaging it.

On the end that will be the bottom, attach the bottom Tee connector. This it tightened with a pipe clamp screw that is a fixed part of the tee. Tighten it a bit more than sung but be careful not to over tighten. This is necessary for the next step.

Measure the length the liner will need to be. This will be accomplished with your helper. One person on the inside and at the bottom of the chimney will hold the tape. Measuring from where the bottom of the liner will be on completion, hold the tape while the measurement is taken.

With that measurement and your new liner laying flat, you will be able to measure and ensure that it is the right length. You will not cut it yet. This will happen when the bottom is installed and the liner is hooked up to the heater.

The Installation

Start introducing the bottom end of the liner assembly into the chimney. Use care to keep the liner centered in the chimney opening. This is to keep from causing damage to the insulation or liner. This is assuming that there are no loose brick or block at the top of the chimney. If so, they will also need to be repaired before proceeding.

Some times a rope will be needed to pull the liner into the chimney. Either attach the rope to the bottom end or you will have to purchase a cone to tie the pipe to. How will you know if this applies to you?

Two situations almost always will require this added step. Really high chimneys and corbelled chimneys. This is a chimney that goes straight up until the attic where it goes on an angle to exit the center of the roof line. The helper will pull as you feed the pipe from the top.

Once the chimney liner is being fed down from top, the helper will need to make sure it threads through the stainless steel pipe clamp that makes up the snoot. This is the part that goes through the thimble or where the thimble would be. It may help to gently bend the clamp to help it receive the pipe through is easier.

Once the bottom is in place (it will align with the opening where the furnace will attach to it), the top can be cut. Depending on how the crown will sit on the top, allow four inches extra to fit inside the crown.

Only after the bottom installation is completed should this next step be taken. With a pair of aviation cutters or tin snips cut the top to the appropriate length. It is important that there are no sharp or jagged edges.

The Crowning Moment: Topping it Off

Once the bottom of the chimney repair is completed, it is time to climb back to the top.

To install the top plate, put a thick bead of silicone caulk around the chimney crown or at the top of the terra-cotta flu tile. The top plate now goes over the liner and gets pressed into the silicone to make a tight seal.

The attached stainless steel hose clamp gets tightened to secure the chimney liner into the top plate. There were four optional pre-drilled holes allowing the cap to be installed using tap-con screws to affix the cap.

Put the cap on and tighten the hose clamp and you are done on the top side.

At the bottom, it will be necessary to cut through the insulation (if you insulated it.)

Then the piece that goes from the liner to the furnace needs to proceed through the thimble or hole between the wall and the chimney.

Secure it with the pipe clamp. This wraps around the back of the back side of the Tee part of the chimney liner. It holds this piece in place. Fill the any holes with refractory cement.

Connect your furnace according to your local codes and if it is the season, turn on the furnace. Your do it yourself chimney repair has just saved you hundreds if not a few thousand dollars.

Your not done yet.

Now, depending on your taste and choice, buy either a bottle of bubbly or sparkling apple juice and celebrate. You just saved at the minimum, $1000 dollars and possibly even more on this do it yourself chimney repair.

About The Author

Jonathan Steele, master of several trades is a masonry contractor, consultant to the trades and public speaker. Having used traditional systems, he now advocates and lectures on stainless steel chimney liners.

You can learn more about stainless steel chimneys and chimney caps at ChimneyLinerDepot

http://www.ChimneyLinerDepot.com is the Do It Yourself Chimney Repair Website

Find other topics spoken about by Jonathan Steele at http://www.Speechmastery.com

Hvac Repair By Season – Find Hvac Contractors Va

HVAC Repair by Season

Unfortunately soliciting the services of an HVAC repairman is more or less inevitable when it comes to homeownership. Whether or not it’s furnace repair you are needing, somebody to figure on your air-con, or faulty ductwork and ventilation, an HVAC repairman is the person for you. The large question is when to form the call? Take a look at these simple suggestions by season thus you can anticipate when your next HVAC service desires would possibly return around.

Spring
Spring is a wonderful time to decision in your HVAC repairman for the annual maintenance check-from your air conditioner. You’ll be beating the push by thinking ahead, and with all systems given a stamp of approval from your technician, you’ll rest easy that your AC will purr like a kitten come back summer.

Summer
This is often a busy time for any HVAC business as AC service calls come back pouring in. If you are having issues together with your air conditioner, strive some simple fix-it tips before you get a expensive service call. Clean debris, mud, and dirt from around and within your AC, and be certain to alter the filter monthly. Also build sure your thermostat is working properly and set to the correct mode and temperature. If none of these seem to resolve the matter, call in a very pro. Don’t essentially expect them to be on the doorstep at intervals the hour, however. This a busy time for HVAC technicians and it could take them a while to suit you into their schedules.

Summer Half II and Fall
Towards the top of the summer months assume regarding scheduling a routine furnace check-up and acquire your ductwork cleaned. Once more, getting a jump on the group when it comes to scheduling a furnace tune-up can prevent a number of headaches once the Mercury drops.

Winter
This is often far and away the worst time to want service as a result of it presumably means that your furnace isn’t working and the home is cold! Before calling in a professional, check your thermostat to create sure it’s operating properly and take a peek at your pilot lightweight to form positive it did not get blown out somehow. Conjointly, build certain all of your floor registers are open and that you change y
1000
our furnace filter each thirty days for optimal performance. If you’ve got got larger problems, decision your HVAC repairman in immediately. Not like air conditioning woes, a failing furnace will result in different major home repairs further, the worst of which includes frozen and busted water pipes. HVAC servicemen are conscious of this, and usually head to nice pains throughout winter to get out to you as quickly as possible.

By: Jon Stall

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

If you need HVAC Contractors VA, check this site hvaccontractorsusa.com/hvac-contractors-va . You will get in touch with pre-screened HVAC Contractors in Virginia.

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