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Collapsing metalbestos insulated chimney (C) Daniel Friedman Chimney Safety When Changing Fuels or Heating Appliances on a Masonry Flue

  • POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about care of heating appliance chimneys when converting from oil to gas, gas to oil, coal or wood stove to oil or gas fuel

Chimney safety requirements when changing fuels: oil to gas conversions.

Changing the fuel burned for heating appliances, for example from oil to gas, can present serious chimney safety hazards that need to be addressed by cleaning, inspection, and possibly repair or re-lining of the chimney flue.

Our page top photo shows that the outdoor oil tank has been disconnected (red arrow) and a portable LP gas tank and regulator (green arrows) have been installed to provide heat to this Pennsylvania cabin. At an amateur-looking installation like this one, we guess that no one has considered whether the chimney is safe to use in these conditions.

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Changing Fuels or Heating Appliances on a Masonry Flue

Collapsing metalbestos insulated chimney (C) Daniel FriedmanChanging fuel, for example from oil to gas, during an oil-to-gas heat conversion (or from wood or coal to oil or gas fuel) can present serious chimney safety hazards that need to be addressed by cleaning, inspection, and possibly repair or re-lining of the chimney flue.

Masonry chimneys without flue tiles must be lined before a new appliance can be installed.

[Click to enlarge any image]

More Information & Warnings About Oil to Gas Heat Conversions

See OIL TANK ABANDONMENT or LEAK REGS - 1993 where we report on the concern for oil spills at discontinued heating oil storage tanks. Quoting New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs Division of Codes and Standards,

It has recently come to the Department's attention that them have been several accidental discharges of fuel oil resulting from oil tanks that have been placed out of service. These incidents commonly occur when home-owners convert from oil to natural gas for their heating needs.

The problems have centered around tanks that have not been removed and have been "forgotten about" and subsequently leaked due to corrosion.

In other cases the tank has been removed but the fill pipe has been left in place. Fuel oil deliveries made to an incorrect address in these cases have resulted in fuel oil being pumped into the basement of the home.

International Fuel Gas Code (2015) Chapter 5 Chimneys and Vents

501.15.2 Flue passageways.

The flue gas passageway shall be free of obstructions and combustible deposits and shall be cleaned if previously used for venting a solid or liquid fuel-burning appliance or fireplace. The flue liner, chimney inner wall or vent inner wall shall be continuous and shall be free of cracks, gaps, perforations or other damage or deterioration that would allow the escape of combustion products, including gases, moisture and creosote.

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Question:

(June 2, 2014) Mike P. said:
When did NYS start requiring metal chimney liners to be installed even if you have a clay lining in a oil to gas conversion?

Reply:

Mike

The issue is not the clay lining it's the change of fuel and fire hazards. You may be able to have the chimney cleaned, inspected, and certified as properly sized and safe to use - have you tried contacting a guild certified chimney sweep? What did your building department actually say?


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