Olympia Chimney Flue Liner Replacement: The Los Angeles Owner’s Guide
We stock and install Olympia Chimney-compatible flue liner replacement in Los Angeles, with most jobs running $2,800 to $4,600 installed depending on height, diameter, and whether the chase needs opening. Same-day starts are available when we have your diameter in stock, which we usually do for the common 6-inch and 8-inch flexible stainless models. Most Los Angeles owners discover the problem during a routine sweep when our camera finds spalling tile, or when they notice a hot smell in the wall after a winter fire.
Which Olympia Chimney Models This Applies To
Olympia Chimney manufactured several liner series over the years, and the replacement strategy depends on which one you have. The older rigid stainless models, common in 1980s and 1990s Los Angeles builds, carry a part number stamped on the top collar or termination cap. Flexible corrugated liners from Olympia’s later production, often found in hillside homes around Mount Washington and Silver Lake where offset flues are common, need diameter measurement at both the thimble and the flue top. We’ve seen compatibility issues when owners order a “standard” 6-inch liner only to find their Olympia system was built to a 6 5/8-inch spec that requires an adapter.
We carry both OEM Olympia Chimney components and quality aftermarket equivalents from DuraFlex and Gelco. For most Los Angeles replacements, we recommend the aftermarket flexible stainless option - it handles our seismic shifts and thermal cycling better than the original rigid design, and it costs 15 to 20 percent less without sacrificing wall thickness. We verify the match before we order, not after we arrive.
Signs Your Olympia Chimney Flue Liner Replacement Is Failing
- Flakes of clay or tile in the firebox. This means the original terracotta liner is spalling, a common failure in Los Angeles where decades of marine moisture followed by dry Santa Ana heating causes expansion cracking. Those flakes are pieces of your liner’s protective surface coming loose.
- White or yellow staining on exterior chimney brick. This efflorescence signals exhaust gases leaking through liner cracks and condensing in the masonry. In coastal neighborhoods like Venice or San Pedro, salt air accelerates the deterioration once moisture gets behind the liner.
- Smoky smell in upstairs rooms when the fireplace is not in use. A breached liner allows downdrafts to carry soot odor into living spaces. We find this most often in two-story homes built in the 1960s with original Olympia systems that were never designed for today’s airtight construction.
- Hot spots on interior walls adjacent to the chimney chase. This indicates liner failure with heat transfer to framing members, a genuine fire hazard that demands immediate inspection. Do not use the fireplace until a sweep has verified the liner’s integrity.
- Water dripping into the firebox during rain. Cracked liners admit roof runoff directly into the combustion chamber. In Los Angeles, even light winter rains find their way through deteriorated crown seals and then through liner gaps.
Replacement Cost & What’s Included
| Component | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Olympia-compatible flexible stainless liner (6″ or 8″) | $1,400 - $2,400 |
| Insulation wrap and top termination | $380 - $620 |
| Labor: removal, installation, sealing | $900 - $1,500 |
| Chase opening / refractory repair if needed | $120 - $480 |
| Total installed | $2,800 - $4,600 |
The range reflects chimney height, roof access difficulty, and whether we need to rebuild portions of the smoke chamber. We quote the full number before we start, and that is the number on the invoice. Every liner replacement carries our 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing, plus the manufacturer’s warranty on materials. We document the full installation with photos you can see.
DIY or Call Us?
An owner can safely check the firebox for tile debris and look up the flue with a flashlight for obvious gaps or daylight showing through cracks. What you cannot safely do is drop a liner down a two-story chimney, connect it to a top termination while working on a pitched roof, or verify that the smoke chamber transition is properly sealed. The liner hangs under its own weight and requires precise tensioning; a dropped section can damage the chimney structure or injure someone below. We have the rigging, the roof equipment, and the camera verification to confirm the job is actually done right, not just apparently done. Call (844) 803-1545 and we’ll give you a straight answer on what your specific Olympia system needs.
FAQs
A quality stainless flexible liner properly installed should last 15 to 25 years in Los Angeles conditions. Coastal salt air and frequent thermal cycling from our warm days and cool evenings can shorten that toward the lower end, which is why we specify 316Ti stainless or equivalent for homes west of the 405. Call (844) 803-1545 for a free inspection and honest lifespan estimate on your specific system.
Small localized cracks in an otherwise sound liner can sometimes be addressed with a HeatShield cerfractory resurfacing, which we also install. However, if the liner has multiple cracks, spalling, or any separation at the joints, replacement is the only sound option. We will show you the camera footage and explain which category your liner falls into. Call (844) 803-1545 for a free second opinion on any written estimate.
Most Olympia Chimney liner replacements in Los Angeles are completed in a single day, typically four to six hours of on-site work. We arrive with the liner on the truck for standard diameters, so there is no waiting on delivery. Call (844) 803-1545 to schedule; we answer live 24 hours a day.
We stock 6-inch and 8-inch flexible stainless liners compatible with Olympia Chimney systems on every service truck, along with DuraFlex and Gelco equivalents in common sizes. Less common diameters or rigid replacements we can source within 24 to 48 hours. Call (844) 803-1545 with your model number or a measurement, and we’ll confirm availability before we roll.
Hearthstone Chimney Co. is an independent service provider and is not affiliated with Olympia Chimney. We work with professional-grade materials from Olympia Chimney, DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Famco, and Copperfield because they hold up to real Los Angeles conditions.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner & Master Sweep, Hearthstone Chimney Co. at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Los Angeles and nearby areas.