Famco Flue Liner Replacement Nationwide

Famco Flue Liner Replacement: The Columbia Owner’s Guide

We stock and install Famco-compatible flue liner replacement in Columbia, with most jobs running $1,800-$3,400 installed depending on height, diameter, and whether the existing liner pulls clean or needs cutting out. Our trucks carry Famco 316Ti stainless and 304 alloy liner in common diameters from 3″ to 8″, so we can often measure, match, and install in a single visit. Most Columbia homeowners discover the problem mid-October when they light the season’s first fire and smell hot metal, see wisps of smoke in the attic, or notice the fireplace drafting like a kitchen fan running backward.

Call (443) 899-1174

Which Famco Models This Applies To

Famco built flue liners across several series over the years, and the replacement you need depends on when your house went up and what label is still readable on the collar. The Famco FL-series (common in Columbia homes built 1975-1995) used a lighter-gauge 304 stainless with a single-wall top adapter that cracks at the weld after roughly 15-20 years of Maryland freeze-thaw. The later Famco Pro-Flex and Famco Ultra-Ti lines switched to 316Ti alloy with corrugated flex for better condensation handling, and those collars are stamped “316Ti” on the exposed ring.

To identify yours: shine a light up the flue and read the collar stamp if visible, or measure the inner diameter at the thimble with a tape measure to the nearest quarter-inch. The FL-series takes a standard aftermarket 304 replacement; the Pro-Flex and Ultra-Ti should match back to 316Ti or better to preserve the warranty terms most Columbia insurers expect. We are an independent service provider, not affiliated with Famco, so we source both OEM Famco and compatible 316Ti from Olympia Chimney and Copperfield when the original spec is discontinued. The gotcha: some 1980s Famco installs used a proprietary 6.5″ diameter that standard 6″ or 7″ sleeves won’t seal. We carry the adapter collar for that exact size.

Signs Your Famco Flue Liner Replacement Is Failing

• Hot or discolored wall patches near the chimney chase. A split Famco liner lets combustion gases bleed through masonry gaps. In Columbia’s humidity, that moisture condenses inside wall cavities and leaves tea-colored stains on drywall within a week of heavy burning.
• Smoke rolling out the firebox opening when the door is cracked. The liner’s inner surface should be smooth enough to maintain laminar draft. Once corrosion or creosote buildup roughens a Famco 304 liner, draft drops and smoke follows the path of least resistance, which is straight into your living room.
• Bits of metal or rust flakes in the cleanout. 304 stainless in a Famco FL-series eventually pits from the inside out, especially if previous owners burned unseasoned oak common in Howard County. Those flakes are your liner shedding structural material.
• A roaring or whooshing sound from above the damper. A separated liner joint creates turbulence that sounds like wind in a tunnel. The Famco corrugated sections seal with a slip-fit collar; once that collar corrodes, the sections telescope apart under thermal expansion.
• Carbon monoxide detector alerts during fireplace use. This is the one that matters most. A compromised Famco liner can vent CO into wall spaces instead of up and out. If your detector chirps only when the fire is lit, stop burning and call us.

Replacement Cost & What’s Included

What drives the range: height of the flue, number of offsets, and whether the existing Famco liner is intact enough to pull out in one piece or needs cutting and extraction in sections. Kings Contrivance village homes with their taller chimney stacks and 1970s construction often run toward the higher end. We give you the full number before we start, and that number is the number on the invoice. Every Famco liner replacement carries our 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing, no arguing.

DIY or Call Us?

There is exactly one thing a homeowner can safely check: shine a flashlight up the flue from the firebox and look for daylight gaps, visible rust streaks, or a collar that has dropped below the flue top. Do not attempt to pull or measure a failed liner yourself. Famco liners, even the lighter FL-series, are long, sharp-edged, and under tension once corrosion locks them to the clay tile surround. A section can spring free and slice a hand or drop down the flue without warning. The insulation wrap required by Columbia’s adoption of the NFPA 211 standard also means proper sizing and securement, not just “drop a tube down and hope.” We have the extraction tools, the camera to verify the full length, and the Famco-compatible fittings on the truck. Most jobs we complete in a single visit. Call (443) 899-1174 and we’ll walk through what you’re seeing.

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