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.
Olympia Chimney Flue Liner Replacement: The New City Owner’s Guide
Olympia Chimney flue liner replacement in New City typically runs $2,800-$4,500 installed, depending on chimney height and whether the existing liner is stainless or aluminum. We stock Olympia Chimney-compatible liners in common diameters and carry the full range of collars, top plates, and connection fittings on our trucks. Most replacements are completed in a single day.
Homeowners usually discover the problem during a Level-2 inspection, or when they notice pieces of crumbling liner in the firebox, water staining around the thimble, or a persistent smoky smell even when the fireplace isn’t running. In older homes near New City’s historic districts, we’ve found liners installed in the 1980s and 90s that have simply reached end of life, especially where acidic flue gases from oil conversions accelerated corrosion.
Which Olympia Chimney Models This Applies To
Olympia Chimney manufactures several liner series, and the replacement protocol differs by what you have. The OL series (round flexible stainless, .006″ wall) and OLY series (heavy-duty .012″ wall for oil and wood) are the most common in Rockland County homes. The OLR rigid line appears less frequently but requires exact matching of section lengths, since rigid liners don’t compress or extend like flex.
To identify your liner, check the top plate or collar for an embossed Olympia part number, or measure the inner diameter at the thimble connection. Most New City installations are 6″ or 8″ round, though we’ve encountered 7″ and oval conversions in pre-1970s masonry. The label matters because Olympia’s collar spacing and top termination geometry are proprietary, and mixing brands at the connection points creates draft problems we see every season.
We install OEM Olympia liners where the full system is being replaced, but for partial failures we also source compatible aftermarket from DuraFlex and Gelco when the connection geometry permits. Russell Haines makes that call during the camera inspection, and we’ll show you exactly why on the screen before you decide.
Signs Your Olympia Chimney Flue Liner Replacement Is Failing
- Flakes or powder in the firebox. Stainless liners corrode from the inside out, often where flue gases condense in the cooler upper sections. What you’re seeing is the liner wall degrading, and once flaking starts, the remaining thickness deteriorates faster.
- Water stains on interior walls near the chimney chase. A breached liner allows exhaust gases to cool prematurely in the masonry cavity, causing condensation that migrates through brick. In New City’s freeze-thaw climate, this also accelerates exterior spalling.
- Smoky odors when the system isn’t running. This usually means the liner has separated at a joint or corroded through, allowing downdrafts to pull creosote odor into living spaces. It’s often mistaken for a damper problem until the camera goes up.
- Visible gaps or sagging at the thimble. Olympia flex liners can settle over decades if the top plate wasn’t properly tensioned during original install. A sagging low spot collects condensation and creosote, speeding corrosion.
- Your oil or gas technician red-tags the venting. This is the definitive sign. When a combustion appliance test shows spillage or inadequate draft, and the liner is original to a 1980s or 90s install, replacement is almost always the fix.
Replacement Cost & What’s Included
| Component | Price Range (New City) |
|---|---|
| Olympia-compatible flex liner (6″-8″, standard height) | $1,400-$2,200 |
| Top plate, collar, and termination fitting | $280-$450 |
| Labor: removal, installation, connection | $1,000-$1,600 |
| Insulation wrap (required for some clearances) | $180-$320 |
| Typical total installed | $2,800-$4,500 |
What drives the range: chimney height above roofline (two-story colonials in New City average 25-35 feet of liner), whether the existing liner can be extracted without dismantling the top course of brick, and whether the appliance connection needs reworking. We quote the full number before booking, and that’s the number on the invoice. Our 90-Day Done Right Promise covers the installation in writing, no arguing.
Every replacement includes a post-install camera inspection with photos you keep, and we register the warranty with Olympia Chimney on your behalf.
DIY or Call Us?
There’s a safe middle ground here, and then there’s where DIY ends.
What you can check: verify your model series from any remaining label, measure the flue diameter with a tape measure at the thimble, and look for obvious damage from the firebox side with a flashlight. Document what you find. That information saves us time and saves you money on the diagnostic.
What you should not attempt: pulling a failed liner, dropping a new one, or making the appliance connection. The old liner may be wedged with creosote buildup or corrosion-welded at joints. The new liner must be sized to the appliance’s BTU output and vented correctly, or you risk carbon monoxide spillage or a chimney fire. We’ve retrieved DIY attempts from chimneys in New City and Nanuet where the homeowner got the liner halfway down and realized the offset was wrong. If it’s not right, we don’t leave until it is, but we’d rather be the ones who do it right the first time.
Call (845) 599-0930 and we’ll walk through what you’re seeing. Estimates are free, and we stock the common sizes.
FAQs
A properly installed stainless liner typically lasts 15-25 years, though oil flue applications in our climate often see shorter life due to sulfuric acid condensation. Homes with well-dried hardwood and proper burning temperatures get the longer end of that range. Call (845) 599-0930 for an exact assessment of your liner’s condition.
Small breaches in an otherwise sound liner can sometimes be addressed with HeatShield cerfractory resurfacing, but only if the remaining liner wall passes a thickness gauge test. Olympia flex liners with multiple joint failures or generalized corrosion are not candidates, replacement is the sound repair. We show you the camera footage and explain which category you’re in before you spend anything.
Most Olympia Chimney liner replacements are completed in one day, typically 4-6 hours for a standard single-flue chimney. Two-story homes with complex roof access or rigid liner systems may extend into a second day. We tell you the expected duration when we quote, and our technicians arrive with everything on the truck.
We stock 6″ and 8″ Olympia-compatible flex liners, top plates, and connection hardware on our trucks for same-day installation in New City and surrounding Rockland County. Less common sizes or rigid systems may require a 24-48 hour order, but we’ll know exactly what’s needed after the initial inspection. Call (845) 599-0930 to schedule.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner, Hearthstone Chimney Co. at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving New City and nearby areas.





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