The most common question I am asked is - Which is better, the stainless steel flexible chimney liner or the stainless steel smooth wall flexible liner? The answer is both. Each chimney liner has the potential to be the best liner depending on the unique application in each home.
All flexible chimney liners have to be manufactured with corrugations. The corrugations are what make the liner able to flex and bend. The smooth wall chimney liner may look similar to our standard flexible chimney liners on the outside but inside the liner is a smooth double lining of steel. The smooth inner lining takes away the turbulence that the traditional corrugated liner produces. The smooth interior of the liner reads on average a 20% heavier draft rating compared to the traditional flexible liner. This would make the smooth wall liner a good choice if you have to down size the liner 1/2 inch due to tight clearances in the flue.
The smooth wall chimney liner is more flexible of a liner as well. When a chimney has an offset in the flue, the smooth wall liner will be able to maneuver around the offset with ease. The smooth wall liner is much heavier than the standard flexible liner which does make it more difficult to handle on a roof. The smooth wall liner is unable to be ovalized or shaped. Typically a liner is shaped when passing through a throat damper in a fireplace or when the flue size will not accommodate the appropriate size round liner. When this situation arises we turn to the stainless steel flexible chimney liner.
The standard stainless steel flexible chimney liner has been the industry standard for years and will remain the industry standard for years to come. This light weight durable liner makes for an easy installation and can be used with all fuel types and proven to stand the test of time. The flexible chimney liner can be ovalized to pass through fireplace dampers and therefore relieving the homeowner of the hassles of cutting the damper out of the fireplace. The flexible stainless steel liner can also be shaped into a square, rectangle or oval to maximize the area inside the flue. This can relieve the homeowner of having to remove clay chimney flues which can be labor intensive and can become a nightmare.
Both the standard stainless steel flexible chimney liner and the smooth wall flexible chimney liner are backed with a life time warranty at Rockford Chimney Supply. Both liners were rigorously tested in the UL labs (underwriter’s laboratories) under UL 1777. Each liner has its benefits, the homeowner just has to look at their chimney to determine which one is the best fit. If you are still unsure which liner is a better choice for you, please feel free to contact us with any questions. We look forward to hearing from you!
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Phone: 866-708-2446
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