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 Severna Park: What to Know First
We provide independent Famco chimney liner and rebuild service in Severna Park, with most liner replacements and partial rebuilds completed in a single visit after our Level-2 camera inspection. A typical Famco stainless steel liner installation runs between $2,800 and $4,500 depending on flue height and diameter, and we do not recommend work you cannot see for yourself in the photo report. This page is for homeowners in Severna Park, Arnold, and the Broadneck Peninsula who have a Famco liner or factory-built chimney showing signs of failure and want a straight answer on whether it can be repaired or needs replacement. Call us at (443) 464-2560 - a live person answers, 24 hours a day.
How Famco Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
- Famco 316Ti flexible liner collars crack at the top plate weld. We see this in Severna Park homes built in the 1990s where the original Famco flex liner was top-terminated with a standard storm collar. The 316Ti alloy holds up fine in the flue, but the collar sees every freeze-thaw cycle off the Chesapeake. Water wicks behind the cracked weld, rusts the top plate from underneath, and the homeowner first notices a brown stain on the firebox ceiling. We pull the collar, inspect the plate, and either weld-repair with a Famco-compatible 316Ti patch or replace with an Olympia Chimney top assembly that mates cleanly to the existing flex.
- Famco rigid 304 stainless elbows pit at the inner seam. The rigid Famco line with the snap-lock elbow system was common in Severna Park split-levels with offset flues. Creosote concentrates at the elbow seam, and the 304 grade does not tolerate the salt air from the Bay as well as 316Ti. We find pinhole corrosion that a standard sweep misses. Our fix: camera-map the offset, cut in a DuraFlex 316Ti replacement elbow with a sealed weld, and re-inspect with the camera before we button it up.
- Famco Heat-Fab Saf-T Liner ovalizes in tight masonry flues. The ovalization happens during installation in older Severna Park chimneys with 7-by-7-inch terra cotta liners that have shifted in the clay soils near the Magothy. The ovalized section creates a creosote trap. We do not force a round liner into an ovalized flue. We either reline with a correctly sized Gelco oval-to-round adapter or, if the surrounding brick is compromised, perform a partial rebuild with a new wythe and proper clearance.
- Famco factory-built chimney chase covers rust through at the drip edge. This is not technically a liner failure, but Severna Park homeowners call us thinking it is. The Famco chase cover on a prefab wood-burning fireplace sits directly above the chase pan, and when the drip edge corrodes, water runs down the outside of the factory-built flue, saturating the framing. We replace with a Copperfield galvanized or stainless chase cover with a proper 2-inch drip kick, and we inspect the inner flue with our camera before we sign off. Half the time the flue is fine; we will tell you if it is not.
- Famco flex liner pull-away at the thimble connection. In Severna Park’s older neighborhoods off Ritchie Highway, we find Famco flex liners that were secured with a simple hose-clamp thimble seal twenty years ago. Thermal cycling loosens the clamp, the liner drops an inch or two, and combustion spillage begins. We reseat with a HeatShield thimble seal and mechanical lock, or if the thimble itself is cracked, we cut in a new Gelco stainless thimble with a proper support plate. The camera confirms the seal before we leave.
Our Famco Chimney Liner & Rebuild Process
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Call and schedule. A live person answers, day or night. We book your Level-2 inspection for a time that works, usually within a few days.
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Camera inspection and photo report. Our technician runs a full camera scan of your Famco flue system, top to bottom. You get the photos, we get the facts. No guesswork.
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Parts decision: OEM Famco versus quality aftermarket. Famco OEM parts are available but not always the best fit for your specific failure, especially on discontinued series. We stock DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco components that meet or exceed Famco specifications, and we explain the trade-off before you decide. As an independent Famco service provider, we are not bound to factory parts when a better solution exists.
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The repair or rebuild. Our background-checked, uniformed technician completes most Famco liner replacements and partial rebuilds in one visit. We protect your floors, work clean, and test every joint.
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Post-repair camera verification and draft test. We run the camera again to confirm the new liner or rebuild is sound, then perform a smoke-pencil draft test to prove proper draw.
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Written guarantee and cleanup. You get the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing, a photo report of the completed work, and a final invoice that matches the upfront estimate. No surprises.
What Famco Chimney Liner & Rebuild Costs in Severna Park
| Service | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Famco flex liner replacement (single flue, standard height) | $2,800 - $3,900 |
| Famco rigid liner replacement with offset correction | $3,400 - $4,800 |
| Partial chimney rebuild with new Famco-compatible liner | $4,200 - $6,500 |
| Full chimney rebuild (severely compromised structure) | $8,500 - $14,000 |
| Famco liner repair (collar, thimble, or elbow only) | $650 - $1,400 |
| Level-2 camera inspection with photo report | $249 - $325 |
What moves the price: flue height above the roofline, diameter and whether it is ovalized, accessibility of the chimney chase, and whether the existing Famco liner can be extracted without dismantling brickwork. We give you the full number before we start, and that is the number on the invoice. Call (443) 464-2560 for a free estimate - we will come look, camera in hand, and tell you exactly what you are dealing with.
Why Severna Park Homeowners Call Hearthstone Chimney Co. for Famco Work
We have been working chimneys in Severna Park for over two decades, including the older wood-burning fireplaces along the B&A Trail corridor that see heavy use every winter. Russell Haines and our crew know the difference between a Famco flex liner that needs a collar and one that needs complete replacement, and we do not confuse the two to pad the bill. Our 90-Day Done Right Promise means if it is not right, we come back - in writing, no arguing. We answer the phone with a live person every hour of every day. Our technicians are background-checked, uniformed, and carry the professional-grade materials to finish most Famco jobs in a single visit. And when Famco OEM is not the best answer, we have DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco standing by.
FAQs
Most original Famco warranties on residential liners expired after 10 to 15 years, so the majority of Severna Park homes with Famco systems are already outside warranty coverage. If your system is still under warranty, using an independent service provider like us does not void it, though Famco may require OEM parts for warranty claims. We will check your installation date and advise whether OEM or aftermarket makes sense. Call (443) 464-2560 and we will sort it out.
The camera tells the story. Surface rust or a cracked collar usually means repair. Multiple pit holes, seam separation, or ovalization through more than one flue section usually means replacement. We show you the photos and give you both options when both exist. If the chimney is not safe to use, we will say so. If it is, we will say that too.
Famco still produces liners and components, but certain series from the 1990s and early 2000s are discontinued. We stock Famco-compatible fittings and carry DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco lines that match or exceed Famco specifications. We never substitute without explaining exactly what you are getting and why.
A standard Famco flex liner replacement in a Severna Park colonial with good roof access takes four to six hours. Rigid liner jobs with offsets or partial rebuilds where we need to open the chase may run into a second day. We tell you the timeline when we give the estimate, and we stay until it is done right.
A compromised liner allows combustion gases, including carbon monoxide, to leak into wall cavities or living spaces. In Severna Park’s older homes with balloon framing, that risk is real. Creosote can also reach combustible framing if the liner gap is large enough. We do not scare-sell, but we do show you the camera evidence and explain what can wait versus what cannot. Call (443) 464-2560 for a free inspection and an honest timeline.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner, Hearthstone Chimney Co. at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Severna Park and nearby areas.