Famco Flue Liner Replacement Nationwide

Famco Flue Liner Replacement: The Bethlehem Owner’s Guide

We stock and install Famco-compatible flue liner replacement in Bethlehem, with most jobs running $1,800 to $3,400 installed depending on length, diameter, and whether the existing liner pulls clean or needs cutting out. In our experience, Bethlehem homeowners with Famco systems usually discover the problem mid-season - a smoky fireplace, water in the cleanout, or a neighbor mentioning their chimney looks wrong - and they want it fixed before the next cold snap. Our trucks carry the common Famco diameters, so we’re not ordering parts while your fireplace sits cold.

Call (610) 595-5754

Which Famco Models This Applies To

Famco built flue liners across several series, and the part you need depends on when your system was installed. The Famco 316Ti flexible liners, common in Bethlehem homes from the late 1990s through the mid-2000s, came in 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-inch diameters with .006-inch and .012-inch wall thicknesses. The thicker .012 wall was standard for wood-burning applications, while the lighter .006 was sold for certain gas conversions - a distinction that matters because a thin-wall liner in a wood fireplace will fail early.

To identify yours, check the collar plate at the top of the chimney or the manufacturer’s tag in the cleanout. If the tag is gone, we measure the inner diameter and check the alloy with a magnet test - 316Ti is non-magnetic, which separates it from cheaper 430-grade substitutes some homeowners find installed by prior owners.

We are not affiliated with Famco. We source replacement liners from Famco-compatible manufacturers including Olympia Chimney and Gelco, whose 316Ti and 304 alloys meet or exceed the original specifications. In most Bethlehem jobs, a quality aftermarket liner is the smarter spend - same alloy, same UL listing, better availability.

Signs Your Famco Flue Liner Replacement Is Failing

• Smoke backing up into the room. A breach in the Famco liner lets exhaust escape through gaps in the flue wall instead of rising to the cap. In Bethlehem’s older homes, especially up around the historic Hill-to-Hill district, we’ve seen liner collapse block the flue entirely - the smoke has nowhere else to go.
• Water staining on the chimney breast or ceiling. When the Famco liner separates at a joint or corrodes through, combustion moisture and exterior rain migrate through the gap into the masonry. Pennsylvania’s freeze-thaw cycles turn small leaks into spalling brick within a season or two.
• White efflorescence on the exterior brick. That chalky residue is minerals left behind as moisture moves through the chimney. It means the liner is no longer containing the moisture stream, and the masonry is acting as a wick.
• Strong odor even when the fireplace is cold. A compromised Famco liner allows creosote to soak into the surrounding brick. On humid summer days in Bethlehem, that embedded creosote releases its smell into the house - a problem no air freshener fixes.
• Visible rust flakes in the firebox or cleanout. If your Famco liner was a lower-grade alloy or was installed without proper insulation, condensation accelerates corrosion from the inside. Those flakes are the liner shedding wall thickness it cannot spare.

Replacement Cost & What’s Included

For a standard Bethlehem installation, Famco-compatible flue liner replacement runs $1,800 to $3,400. The lower end covers a straight 25-foot run of 6-inch diameter with easy roof access and a liner that pulls out without cutting. The upper end reflects longer runs, larger diameters, offset chimneys that need an insulated flex to navigate, or liners so deteriorated we section them out piece by piece.

Every quote includes the liner, top plate, bottom connector, insulation wrap where code requires it, and a new cap. We also include our Level-2 camera inspection before and after - photos you can see, a plain-English verdict - so you understand what failed and confirm the new liner is seated correctly. No surprises on the bill: the number on the estimate is the number on the invoice.

The work carries our 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If it’s not right, we make it right - no paperwork, no arguing.

DIY or Call Us?

There is no safe DIY path for flue liner replacement. The work involves working at height on a pitched roof, handling sharp stainless edges, and properly sizing combustion air - errors here create carbon monoxide risks or chimney fire conditions, not just a botched job.

What you can safely check: look in your cleanout for rust debris, shine a flashlight up the flue for daylight showing through gaps, and note any of the symptoms above. Document what you find. Then call us at (610) 595-5754. We’ll confirm the diagnosis with a camera inspection, show you exactly what we see, and give you upfront pricing before any work begins. Most Famco liner replacements we complete in a single visit.

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