Requested a quote for installing an insulated st stl flue liner for the boiler and a quote for cleaning the wood fireplace flue. They gave me a quote for the liner w/o the insulation. I requested 2x to re-quote with insulation around the liner. Got no response.
For the fireplace flue, they said it had missing pcs of flue liner, and the rear bricks of the firebox were failing. It needed repair. So I asked about installing a high-efficiency gas fireplace insert instead, and converting it from a log-burning FP to a gas fireplace. I asked if this wouldn't be more cost-effective. Got no response.
So, finally, I called. Asked about the flue liner insulation. He said he would re-quote -- but had no explanation as to why it wasn't included originally or why he did not respond to my emails or texts.
Then I asked about the fireplace flue: isn't it more cost efficient to install a sealed gas fireplace insert rather than repair the chimney for burning wood logs. Amazingly -- he had no idea what a hi-efficiency gas fireplace insert was!!! I tried to explain that it burns gas, and draws air from the outside using one 3" flue liner (in the chimney) and exhausts the hot gasses to the outside from a 2nd 3" flue liner (in the chimney). He had no clue what this was!!! He only seemed to know about direct vent gas inserts (which exhaust into the home and do not require a chimney for exhaust. (I am familiar with these, and do not want: Heavy water condensation is exhausted into the home and particulate matter is exhausted into the home. Not good.)
So, believe it or not, this company seems to be very ignorant of a common fireplace device: modern hi-efficiency gas inserts. If they are this ignorant, I would not trust them to do any fireplace or chimney work. This is very basic fireplace 101. read more