.

Install an insert and run a 6” liner.
When I go to sleep I have to know I’ll wake up.
Not sure how one goes about working in the chimney beyond arms length.
 
I was told our fireplace isn’t safe for the upcoming season due to the liner cracking. Fortunately we don’t have the tile original to the house and can have a new liner installed. When I was looking at this, tiles are a pain to repair because of the lack of space, and is no longer preferred by chimney companies.

Where are you located? Happy to recommend my guy in MetroWest if that helps at all.
 
I don't think a 6" liner will draw enough air to keep from filling the room with smoke. How about a high heat sealant like furnace cement. Whatever you use , remember that a wood fire reaches a temperature above what is required to melt glass. That means it's at or above somewhere around 1500 degrees.
 
apropro to maybe something here: I was searching how to adhere firebricks to my fire pit, and I learned of something called "refractory cement"
I hope this can help you in some way OP.
P
 
open up the crack so you can force refractory cement into it....inspect it often.


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I used this stuff to patch a clay liner inside a wood stove and it held up fine.
 
We had an insulated 6" liner put in one of our fireplace chimneys for the (Vermont Castings) wood stove. FWIW.
 
Install an insert and run a 6” liner.
When I go to sleep I have to know I’ll wake up.
Not sure how one goes about working in the chimney beyond arms length.
This - fireplaces are for a glass of wine and sex. They remove heat from the house.

Get an insert that is rated to run an open door with a spark screen (for those wine tasting sessions 😁)
 
Like someone said refactory cement , if you can reach it. If not there are companies that can seal it from the top down. I used a company I think they were out of Newburyport. For a chimney in Marblehead. They used some sort of mortar mix but they had a machine that spun as they lowered it. And through the cement against the interior walls. They used a camera to identify where the cracks were.
 
I had one of the terracotta blocks at the base of the chimney break. The mason sawcut open the chimney to the flue and after getting access pulled out the broken piece and then the entire liner dropped. We put a bottle jack in the chimney and jacked the liner back up and slipped in a new block took a while and I helped him. Chimney is fine now and it was built in 1957 so not sure of the size.
 
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If you don't mind the possibility of burning your house down, patch it. Make sure exits are clear and you have cO detectors working.
Flue is not something to take lightly. Fireplaces generally suck ass anyway.
 
Talk to Michael Spangler he is the son to one of the highest regarded masons that did the majority of his work on MV and nantucket , he should be able to steer you to someone reputable and fair .
 
... there are companies that can seal it from the top down. I used a company I think they were out of Newburyport. For a chimney in Marblehead. They used some sort of mortar mix but they had a machine that spun as they lowered it. And through the cement against the interior walls.
Sounds like the machine that primes rimfire cases.
 
What do you want to do with that fireplace and the room it is in? Do you intend to have open fireplace wood fires? At this point In would consider a gas insert, or a gas stove sitting on the hearth and vented via an aluminum liner through the flu. How large is this fireplace?
 
I had my chimneys cleaned and inspected yesterday.

I have a multi-level ranch build in 1962.

It has a fireplace on the main level and a fireplace in the basement.

The fireplace in the basement has a cracked flue tile at the bottom near the throat.

The guy told me that because my fireplace isn't up to code, meaning that the flue is 8"x8" and code calls for 8"x12" flue due to the size of the fireplace that it cannot be fixed.

Said he can't even put in a liner because the code issue.

Is there a way to seal the crack in the flue tile to make the fireplace usable?

or are my only choices a tear down/rebuild or an insert?
Those fireplace chimney guys are all the same!!They told me the same thing 16 years ago. Hundreds of cords of wood later fireplace is fine. They also told me not to use my fireplace because of a code issue or my heating system then said they could put a liner in for me for $5G. I said this actually works on old people you’ll take advantage of doesn’t it?!!you can leave now.
 
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