Upside down flexible flue liner - advice please!

suisidevw

Hi all,

My brother has just had a flexible flue liner installed in a house that he's renovating. A builder that we know very well helped him install the flue and it turns out that it's been installed upside down - obviously now a major regret.

Getting the 6" liner down the chimney was a very tight squeeze due to 2 sharp corners and he doubts that it would be possible to reverse the process without either getting the liner stuck or destroying it in the process.

What he'd like to know is:

What are the implications of it being installed upside down?

Is there any solution to the issue without having to remove/destroy the liner?

Will building control inspect it and be able to tell that it is upside down?

Obviously if the installer was Hetas reg'd we could go back to him but as he is a family friend and helped as a favour, it's not easy to complain!

Thanks in advance for any advice/experience you may have.

muckybutt

Who has told you its upside down ?

As far as I am aware there is no upside or downside to flexible liners.

Kitte

muckybutt wrote: »

Who has told you its upside down ?

As far as I am aware there is no upside or downside to flexible liners.

It certainly is possible to install upside down. It is designed in such a way to stop creosote dripping back down the chimney when fitted the correct way, most flexi liners have lots of big red arrows on the outer skin to show you the direction of the air throughput.

I cannot answer the original question properly, though, but I would have it reinstalled. If the guy is a friend I'd be very surprised if he wouldn't offer to do it for free.

w50nky

As above the liner should be fitted so water etc runs down inside the liner and does not find its way through to the outer skin and eventually the chimney. (If you imagine tiling your roof starting at the top and working down it may give you an idea why it is fitted in one direction only).
The building inspector will very likely not check the liner is fitted the right way around as the register plate will no doubt prevent access to the liner and it is not obvious by sight unless you can see the arrows (if there are any). You can feel by running your hand up and down the inside of the liner but it is unlikely he will even bother.
The stove will work fine and you may not have any trouble if there is little ingress of water or you produce no creosote.
Personally I would have it removed and refitted but it`s your call.

suisidevw

Thanks for your responses, if anyone else has any further advice then please let me know and I can pass it on. He's heard it may shorten the life of the liner however he only intends on being at the property for a couple of years.

Thanks

hethmar

As you have already been advised. Liners can be installed upside down by diyers and inexperienced builders Im afraid, even though they are clearly marked! If the building inspector spots it then you wont get it signed off and yes, it will shorten its life, how much is a piece of string Im afraid.

welda

Sound advice from each reply, an error has been made, short of cooncil job worth noticing (which he wont) I'd get at least 3 year worth of use from liner and, THEN think about renewal?

SS is tough stuff, from subsea template components under the sea, to kitchen components, I have worked, and welded this stuff for many years, I wouldn't worry too much within timescale I mention above.

Cheers.............

muckybutt

You learn something new every day !, I didnt know there was a right and wrong way up, so I stand corrected.

suisidevw

My brother says thanks again for the responses! I personally have advised him to have the liner swept by an independant sweep within a couple of months of lighting hte fire to see the 'situation' and then obviously before the next season.

Thanks again

werdnareklaw

Just a thought, does it have a cowl on the top? This should lessen the chance of rainwater running down and seeping through the liner.