Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
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AfterFamco Chimney Liner & Rebuild in Ellicott City: What to Know First
We provide independent Famco chimney liner and rebuild service in Ellicott City, with most liner replacements and partial rebuilds completed in a single visit after a Level-2 camera inspection. Our no-hassle upfront pricing means the number on your estimate matches the number on your invoice. We’re not the cheapest option in Howard County, and we don’t try to be.
This page is for homeowners who already know they have a Famco liner, cap, or venting component and need straight answers about whether it can be repaired, what it will cost, and who in Ellicott City actually stocks the right parts. If your fireplace is smoking into the room, your liner has visible gaps on camera, or a previous sweep told you the chimney needs rebuilding, call us at (410) 305-7884. A live person answers, 24 hours a day.
How Famco Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
- Famco 304 stainless rigid liners in pre-1990 Ellicott City colonials. These were spec’d for oil-to-gas conversions common in the 1980s, and the 304 alloy doesn’t hold up to modern high-efficiency condensing appliances. We see pinhole corrosion at the flue collar in homes near the Patapsco River valley, where humidity stays higher. Our fix: pull the rigid section and replace with a DuraFlex 316Ti flexible liner, properly sized to the appliance BTU rating, not the old flue dimension.
- Famco top-mount dampers with integrated caps on masonry chimneys. The cast-aluminum frame cracks after 15-20 winters of freeze-thaw in Ellicott City’s clay-heavy soil zone, which shifts the crown and stresses the mount. Water gets in, rusts the damper mechanism, and you’re looking at a rebuild of the top three feet. Our fix: remove the damaged assembly, rebuild the crown with proper slope and drip edge, then install a Gelco cap with a separate Lyemance or Lock-Top damper so each component can be serviced independently.
- Famco B-Vent connectors used as “liners” in furnace chimneys. This was common in 1990s Ellicott City townhomes, especially in the Chatham area. B-Vent is not a chimney liner; it’s a vent connector. When the furnace was upgraded to 80%+ efficiency, the reduced flue gas temperature caused condensation inside the old terra cotta flue, spalling the clay and collapsing the B-Vent. Our fix: full liner replacement with an Olympia Chimney stainless system, sized per NFPA 211, with a new connector rated for the appliance category.
- Famco chimney pots and decorative shrouds on historic Ellicott City homes. These look fine from the street but trap moisture against the flue wall. We’ve pulled pots off 1890s homes near Main Street and found the liner behind it turned to powder. Our fix: document the damage with camera photos you can see, rebuild the flue with HeatShield cerfractory foam if the clay is salvageable, or line with DuraFlex if it’s not. We save the pot if you want it back on, but we seal the base correctly this time.
- Famco pellet vent extensions run too long in horizontal configurations. Famco’s own installation manual caps horizontal runs at six feet, but we’ve found Ellicott City installations from the 2000s with ten-foot runs through garage walls to hit a clear side yard. The ash builds up, the liner overheats, and the seam fails. Our fix: reroute to vertical termination where possible, or replace with a properly supported DuraFlex pellet liner with the correct rise-to-run ratio. We show you the manual page, not just our opinion.
Our Famco Chimney Liner & Rebuild Process
- 1
Call and schedule. A live person answers, day or night. We ask what you’re burning, what you’re seeing, and whether you have any prior inspection reports. We don’t dispatch blind.
- 2
Level-2 camera inspection. Russell Haines or one of our background-checked, uniformed technicians arrives with a chimney camera, not a flashlight and a mirror. You get photos of every flue section and a plain-English verdict on whether the Famco component is the problem or a symptom of something else.
- 3
Parts decision. If Famco OEM is still available and appropriate for the repair, we’ll use it. If it’s discontinued or was the wrong spec to begin with, we explain the trade-off and source from DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, or Olympia Chimney. No builder-grade substitutes, no markup games.
- 4
The repair. Most liner replacements and partial rebuilds finish in one visit. We protect your floors, run a final draft and smoke test, and clean up like we were never there.
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Documentation and guarantee. You get the photos, the written report, and the 90-Day Done Right Promise. If it’s not right, we make it right. In writing, no arguing.
What Famco Chimney Liner & Rebuild Costs in Ellicott City
| Job Type | Typical Range | What Moves the Price |
|---|---|---|
| Famco liner repair (HeatShield cerfractory foam) | $1,800 - $2,800 | Flue height, number of clay tile gaps, access (steep roof, tight chase) |
| Famco stainless liner replacement (flexible) | $2,400 - $4,200 | Diameter, length, insulation wrap required, connector type |
| Partial rebuild (top 3-5 feet + new cap) | $3,200 - $5,500 | Crown size, scaffolding needs, cap/damper selection |
| Full chimney rebuild with new liner | $8,500 - $14,000 | Height, brick matching, liner diameter, permit requirements |
These are Ellicott City ranges for real jobs we’ve done, not national averages. The only way to know your exact number is to put a camera in the flue and see what we’re dealing with. Estimates are free. Call (410) 305-7884.
Why Ellicott City Homeowners Call Hearthstone Chimney Co. for Famco Work
We’ve been sweeping and rebuilding chimneys in Howard County for over 42 years. Russell Haines learned the trade at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and has spent the better part of two decades running jobs in Ellicott City, including regular calls to homes near the historic Patapsco Female Institute ruins. The flue doesn’t lie - we just translate what it’s telling you.
Our technicians are background-checked, uniformed, and trained on Famco’s product line plus the professional-grade alternatives we carry: DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, and Olympia Chimney. When Famco parts are discontinued or were incorrectly specified from the start, we don’t pretend otherwise. We show you the camera footage, explain the options, and quote one number that doesn’t change.
The 90-Day Done Right Promise is backed in writing. If it’s not right, we come back. No paperwork to dig up, no argument about whose fault it was. That’s the Keystone Standard: Krafted right, Every time, Your home first, Standing behind it.
FAQs
Famco’s original warranty on most liners expired after 10-15 years from manufacture, and it required installation by an authorized dealer using OEM parts. As an independent Famco service provider, our repairs don’t void a warranty that’s already expired, and we document every part source so any remaining coverage can be verified. If you’re unsure about your warranty status, we can help you read the original documentation. Call (410) 305-7884 and we’ll sort it out.
Some Famco rigid liner sections and collars are discontinued, but we maintain relationships with regional distributors who still stock common sizes. When OEM isn’t available, we use DuraFlex or Olympia Chimney components that meet or exceed the original spec. We never install a part we can’t stand behind. For a parts check on your specific model, call us with the series number from your original paperwork or the stamp on the liner itself.
The camera tells the story. Isolated gaps or cracked clay tiles behind a sound Famco liner often qualify for HeatShield cerfractory foam repair. Multiple breaches, corrosion holes, or a liner that’s pulling away from the appliance collar mean replacement. We show you the footage and explain which category you’re in before quoting either option. Estimates are free - call (410) 305-7884.
Most flexible liner replacements in Ellicott City finish in one day, assuming standard roof access and no hidden structural damage. Full rebuilds with scaffolding and brick matching take two to four days, depending on weather and permit timing. We give you a clear schedule at estimate time, and we show up when we say we will.
In Ellicott City’s freeze-thaw climate, a cracked liner or spalling crown gets worse every winter. Water enters the breach, freezes, expands, and opens the gap further. We’ve seen partial rebuilds turn into full rebuilds because the homeowner waited two years. That said, not every finding is urgent. If the camera shows minor deterioration and your appliance is venting safely, we’ll tell you so plainly. No scare tactics. Call (410) 305-7884 for an honest assessment.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner, Hearthstone Chimney Co. at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Ellicott City and nearby areas.