The Shoe Horn

SNEWS, November 2004, pg. 34
Article and photos by Aaron Zambrana
A to Z Chimney Sweeping
Antelope, CA

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I wish I could take credit for this trick, but I can’t. This little nugget was handed down to me from Mr. Scott Swanson (ChimChimney, Sacramento, CA), a worth competitor of mine and a great friend. Ever since he shared this tip with me, I’ve put it to good use. In fact, I refuse to reline a chimney without this step. I call it “The Shoe Horn.”

When relining a masonry chimney using a flexible liner with a ceramic blanket insulation and armor mesh, one of the biggest frustrations can be getting the #@!%$^^& liner down the chimney! Been there? Done that? Mortar snots inside the chimney’s chase, offsets, or simply a tight fit are all enough to give “fits” to a poor slob who just wants to go home.

So here is the ticket: after removing the flue tiles, and before dropping the liner down the chimney, drop sheets of aluminum or light gauge galvanized steel down the inner sides of the chimney’s chase and secure them in position with duct tape around the top of the outside of the chase. Use the sheets of metal to line the inner sides of chase that will give the liner the most trouble during its descent – for example, the narrowest sides if the chase is rectangular.

With the two strips of sheet metal dangling down along the insides of the chimney and secured at the top with duct tape, you are now ready to slide the flexible liner down the chimney. One word of caution: HOLD ON! Sometimes the liner slips down so easily, it will fall down if you don’t keep a firm grip. Yes, it works that well.

Once your liner is where you want it to be, remove the metal strips.

So, if you have ever had trouble getting a liner down a chimney, run down to your local Home Depot and buy a couple of rolls of aluminum sheet metal to help you with your plight. You can find the stuff in the roofing section and they come in various lengths and widths.

I don’t reline chimneys without the Shoe Horn trick. Regardless of how easy I think the liner may drop, I place the sheet metal down the chimney to avoid any potential “snags” in my plans to get home for dinner.

View the actual PDF article here