I just received a quote for over $7,000 to repair my chimney from the roof line and install a new liner. The chimney is currently only used for my furnace and water heater. While I plan to get more estimates, I anticipate they will all be around $4,000 or more. Considering the age of my HVAC system—it was installed in 2014 and my house is about 70 years old with no insulation—what would be the tipping point to just switch to a direct vent system that vents through the side of the house instead?
3 Answers
It's pretty concerning that your metal chimney liner and the rest of your furnace and water heater would fail within just a decade. I would definitely suggest getting a couple more opinions. What sort of issues are you actually experiencing? You mentioned a bird nest obstruction and needing repairs due to cracks; that's definitely important to address. If you're finding out it’s going to be expensive to fix the chimney, you might want to lean toward looking into direct vent units instead. They could save you headaches down the line.
Just a thought, I had a similar situation, and I ended up removing my chimney entirely and replacing it with B-vent. It was a lot cheaper since I did the labor myself. However, if you're not comfortable tackling the job, definitely get a few estimates for that kind of work. It could save you a lot in the long run!
If your furnace and water heater are over 10 years old, switching to direct vent systems could save you money in the long run instead of spending $4k+ fixing the chimney. New units tend to be more efficient and safer, plus you'd avoid future masonry issues. Of course, if your current units are still running well, a repair might make sense. Make sure to gather quotes for both options to see what's financially viable for you!