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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AfterGelco Chimney Liner & Rebuild in Roanoke: What to Know First
We provide independent Gelco chimney liner and rebuild service in Roanoke, with most jobs completed in a single visit and upfront pricing agreed before we start. Gelco stainless steel liners and components are solid when installed correctly, but we’ve replaced enough Gelco Model SS flexible liners that failed at the collar weld after seven to ten Roanoke winters to know where to look first. A full Gelco liner replacement in a two-story Roanoke home typically runs $2,800 to $4,200, and we never recommend work without camera evidence you can see yourself.
This page is for Gelco owners in Roanoke, Cave Spring, Salem, and the surrounding valley who’ve been told they need a liner replacement or rebuild and want a second opinion from someone who knows the product line cold. Call (540) 787-3302 - a live person answers, 24 hours a day.
How Gelco Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
- Gelco Model SS flexible liners - The collar-to-body weld is the weak point. We’ve pulled dozens in Roanoke where freeze-thaw cycling in unlined exterior chases caused that seam to open after eight to twelve years. Water gets in, the weld corrodes from the outside in, and the homeowner smells smoke in the attic before they see any draft problem. We cut back to sound metal, install a Gelco-compatible or DuraFlex replacement with a reinforced upper termination, and seal the chase top to stop the water source.
- Gelco rigid stainless 316Ti liners - These hold up well until someone burns wet oak or runs a boiler at too low a flue temp. The result is acidic condensate pooling at the offset, pitting the lower section from the inside. In Grandin Road homes with 1980s masonry, we see this where the original thimble was too small for proper slope. We replace the damaged lower section, reconfigure the connection for positive drainage, and document the pitch with photos.
- Gelco ProFab pre-fab chimney systems - The chase pan is galvanized, not stainless, and in Roanoke’s climate it rusts through at the center cone in fifteen to twenty years. Water drips onto the firestop, stains the ceiling, and the homeowner thinks it’s a roof leak. We fabricate a stainless replacement pan or source a Gelco-compatible unit, inspect the entire ProFab stack while we’re at it, and flag any collar gaps before they become problems.
- Gelco liner top plates and rain caps - The mesh on older Gelco caps is 5/8-inch, which clogs with creosote faster than the 3/4-inch mesh DuraFlex uses. We’ve found caps on Wasena neighborhood homes completely glazed over after two seasons of shoulder-season burning. We clean or replace with a better-breathing cap, and we check the storm collar seal every time - that’s where the water gets in that kills the liner below.
- Gelco smooth-wall liners in oil-to-gas conversions - When a Roanoke homeowner switches from oil to gas, the existing Gelco liner is often oversized for the new appliance. The flue runs too cool, condensate forms, and the liner joints weep. We measure the appliance output and existing flue, then either install a correctly sized Gelco liner or recommend a HeatShield cerfractory seal if the sizing is close and the masonry is sound. No guesswork - we run the NFPA calculation and show you the numbers.
Our Gelco Chimney Liner & Rebuild Process
- 1
Call and schedule. A live person answers, day or night. We ask what you’re burning, what you’re seeing, and when the last inspection was. If you know it’s a Gelco system, tell us - we prep accordingly.
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Level-2 camera inspection. Our tech runs a camera the full length of the flue, photographs every joint, every offset, every sign of distress. You see the same images we see, and we explain what we’re looking at in plain English.
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Parts decision. If Gelco OEM is available and appropriate, we use it. If lead times are long or the original part has a known weakness, we’ll recommend a quality aftermarket equivalent from DuraFlex or HeatShield and tell you exactly why. As an independent Gelco service provider, we have no obligation to push one brand over another.
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The repair. Background-checked, uniformed technicians complete most Gelco liner replacements and partial rebuilds in a single visit. We protect your floors, work from the roof and hearth as needed, and don’t leave until the firebox is cleaner than we found it.
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Post-repair testing. We run a draft test, check every joint with a mirror and light, and verify the cap and storm collar are secure. You get photos of the completed work and a written condition report.
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The guarantee. Everything is covered by our 90-Day Done Right Promise - in writing, no arguing. If it’s not right, we come back and make it right.
What Gelco Chimney Liner & Rebuild Costs in Roanoke
| Service | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Gelco liner top plate and cap replacement | $380 - $620 |
| Partial Gelco liner replacement (lower section) | $1,400 - $2,200 |
| Full Gelco flexible liner replacement, single flue | $2,800 - $4,200 |
| Full Gelco rigid liner replacement with offset rebuild | $3,600 - $5,400 |
| Partial chimney rebuild with new Gelco liner | $4,800 - $7,500 |
| Full chimney rebuild above roofline with Gelco liner | $8,500 - $14,000 |
What moves the price: height of the stack, number of flues, accessibility (steep pitch, tight lot lines in Old Southwest), whether the chase needs reframing, and if we’re working around a gas insert that needs temporary removal. We give you one number before we start, and that’s the number on the invoice. Call (540) 787-3302 for a free estimate - we bring the camera to the estimate, so you see what we see.
Why Roanoke Homeowners Call Hearthstone Chimney Co. for Gelco Work
We’ve been answering the phone with a live person for over 42 years, and Russell Haines has been working chimneys in the Roanoke Valley long enough to remember when Gelco was the new name in stainless liners. That repetition teaches you things no classroom covers - like which Gelco collar welds fail first in a south-facing chase, or how Roanoke’s freeze-thaw cycle in March finds every gap in a storm collar.
Our 90-Day Done Right Promise is in writing, no arguing. Our techs are background-checked and uniformed, and they carry DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco-compatible parts on the truck so the job isn’t held up waiting for a box from Ohio. Photos you can see, a plain-English verdict, and a square deal with no surprises on the bill. Done right - and we stand behind it.
FAQs
No, using an independent service provider like Hearthstone Chimney Co. does not void your Gelco liner’s warranty, provided the repair follows manufacturer specifications and uses compatible parts. Gelco’s warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship for the stated term; it does not require dealer-only service. We document every repair with photos and part numbers so warranty claims remain straightforward if needed. Call (540) 787-3302 if you’d like us to review your warranty status before we start.
Yes, most Gelco components remain available, though some older ProFab and early Model SS parts have been superseded by updated designs. When Gelco OEM is back-ordered or discontinued, we source quality aftermarket equivalents from DuraFlex or fabricate custom solutions that meet or exceed the original spec. We never leave a job half-finished waiting on parts - we’ll tell you before we start if a substitution is likely, and why.
A Gelco liner needs replacement when camera inspection shows through-penetration corrosion, separated joints that can’t be resealed, or deformation that reduces flue area below code minimum. Surface pitting or minor collar weeping can often be repaired with a local patch or HeatShield cerfractory seal. We show you the camera footage, explain which category you’re in, and if the repair can safely wait a season, we say so plainly. No camera evidence, no recommendation - that’s our rule.
Most single-flue Gelco liner replacements are completed in one day, start to finish. Two-flue systems, tight chase access in older Roanoke homes, or jobs requiring partial masonry rebuild may extend to a second day. We tell you the timeline before we start, and we don’t book more jobs than we can finish properly. We’ll be there when we say.
A damaged Gelco liner can allow exhaust gases, including carbon monoxide, to leak into wall cavities or living space. In Roanoke’s heating season, that risk runs six months a year. Creosote can also escape through liner gaps and ignite in the chase - we’ve seen it. The honest truth: some gaps are small and the risk is managed with reduced use until repair. Others need immediate attention. The camera inspection tells us which is which, and we’ll show you exactly what we found. Call (540) 787-3302 for a free estimate.
A clean chimney doesn’t announce itself. Neither does a problem - until it does.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner, Hearthstone Chimney Co. at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Roanoke and nearby areas.