Flue Solutions » FuranFlex » Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT HAZARDS ARE ENCOUNTERED IN CASE OF A CHIMNEY WITHOUT APPROPRIATE LINING?

In a chimney without lining the various hazardous gases in the smoke gas may enter the living space, which may even cause death. The water vapour condensed on the wall of the chimney constitutes a liquid (containing sulphuric acid, nitric acid or hydrochloric acid), which spoils the mortar, concrete, aluminium and in many cases even the steel creating slots on the chimney wall. The acidic steam of the smoke gas make the chimney structure corrode, which, besides the consequential death trap, is unpleasant for the sweating that is to appear on the wall of the chimney also spoils the atmosphere of the living space causing visual and material damage as well as drastically dropping the lifetime of the chimney.

WHAT DOES FLUE-GAS POISONING MEAN?

The colourless and odourless carbon monoxide let in the living spaces through the slots of the chimney may not be sensed by the residents and, as a result, they may lose consciousness or even being conscious, may lose their ability to move. Even a very low concentrate (0.02 V/V%) may cause headache, sickness and in long terms even brain damage, sight disorder, while any higher carbon monoxide content (0.04-0.08 V/V%) may lead to death trap after 2-3 hours and the concentrate of 1.28 V/V% would be fatal in 1-3 minutes.

DOES FURANFLEX® ELIMINATE THE APPEARANCE OF CHIMNEY DISORDERS?

Yes, it does, for it perfectly resists to the acids generated in the chimneys.

IS FURANFLEX® MORE EXPENSIVE THAN STAINLESS STEEL?

It is always the end results, which need to be compared, i.e. not the price of the two chimney liners. FuranFlex® can be installed in one day, does not need any wall deconstruction and can be installed in chimneys with any dimension and shape. Except for some few meters long straight chimneys, it is far cheaper than any other solutions. Guarantee provided for stainless steel tubes is generally 10 years, while FuranFlex® liner tubes are provided with 25 years guarantee at nearly the same price at the same time.

HOW MUCH OF DIRT IS EXPECTED WITH THE INSTALLATION OF FURANFLEX®?

The process begins with a site overview. At the installation, if necessary, the chimney to be lined needs to be cleaned a given appropriate preparation. This process is necessary to be followed at all chimneys. However, there is no need for any wall demolition at the installation of FuranFlex® liners in chimneys other than with straight design. The utmost work that may be necessary on the wall is a few centimetres of carving at the point the flue gas of the boiler used for heating is piped in as well as at the bottom of the chimney.

HOW LONG DOES LINING THE CHIMNEY TAKE?

Lining a chimney with the FuranFlex® technology may be completed in a morning. Obviously, it will depend on the possible difficulties that may crop up during the preparations as well as on the external temperature.

CAN OLD CHIMNEYS BE LINED WITH FURANFLEX® LINER?

There is no such thing as old chimney; there are only good or bad ones. Having been lined with FuranFlex® liner, chimneys become renewed and useful again. The hardened FuranFlex® will have the hardness of steel, which reinforces the original chimney. The technical state of the chimney always needs to be reviewed prior to installing FuranFlex® liner.

CAN ANY CHIMNEY BE LINED WITH FURANFLEX® TECHNOLOGY?

One of the several advantages of FuranFlex® is that it is available in any diameter and length from 60 to 1250 mm. With only a few exceptions, it can be applied to chimneys with any shape.

CAN FURANFLEX® BE APPLIED AT HEATING WITH BOTH GAS AND WOOD?

Yes, it can. For gas and oil heating generating larger amount of condensate, FuranFlex® chimney liner is recommended, while for wood heating with flue gas of higher temperature and more carbon black, it is the FuranFlex® RWV brand of liner is to be installed.

ON WHAT BASIS SHOULD ONE OR ANOTHER CHIMNEY LINING COMPANIES BE SELECTED?

First of all, it is advised to ask for the expert opinion of Kompozitor Kft, or that of any companies which have experience on installing FuranFlex® liners. In case of citizens living out of the capital, it is recommended to inquire a local contractor of installation. It is always advised to collect more than one quotations and to check the size and competence of the company in person or online.

TO WHAT CASES DOES THE FURANFLEX® GUARANTEE APPLY?

The biggest enemy of chimney liners is corrosion. The subject guarantee applies to corrosion-resistance i.e. to the primary source of operational disorder with chimney liners. Kompozitor Kft. only ensures the guarantee in the cases, where the installation was carried out by a company or individual contractor with due training on the FuranFlex® technology – and bearing the relevant certificate –. To verify the guarantee, it is important to keep the filled bill of guarantee with laser serial number as delivered by the contractor of the installation. For the list of certified FuranFlex® contractors check “contact” in the main menu.

IS THERE ANY DEPOSIT OF THE FLUE GAS EXHAUSTED THROUGH THE LINER TUBE GENERATED? IF SO, IN WHAT METHOD SHOULD THE CHIMNEY BE CLEANED?

In case of heating with gas and oil, the chimney does not need to be cleaned, but it only needs to be an annual check. At heating with wood, there may be tar deposit generated, which can be cleaned in a conventional tool regular in the chimney sweeping industry or with the tool called Chimney Cleaning Brush developed by Kompozitor Kft.

WHAT IS A COLLECTING CHIMNEY?

It is such a chimney, to which more than 1 burning equipment will be connected. In Hungary, wide-spread are the concrete chimneys with the brand name Termofor, the internal diameter of which keeps increasing by 25 mm by the storeys of a building block. These chimneys are not appropriate from the flue gas ducting point of view. Having been renewed by FuranFlex® liner, the defects are eliminated and even burring equipment with the combustion chambers can be connected to them.

WHERE AND WHEN WAS THE FURANFLEX® TECHNOLOGY INVENTED?

FuranFlex® is an invention developed and patented by Kompozitor Kft. (Hungary). The patent was officially registered in 1994.

WHAT DOES THE “FURANFLEX®” NAME REFER TO?

FuranFlex® is a protected brand name. The word “furan” refers to a kind of resin made of a furan compound, which is also one of the components of the FuranFlex® material. It is pronounced as furan-flex (which translates to Hungarian as exceptionally flexible, so it can even be installed in flexible pipes with the strangest curves and branching).

IS IT ALLOWED FOR ANYBODY TO PURCHASE FURANFLEX® LINERS?

No, it is not. FuranFlex® chimney liners can only be purchased by chimney constructors having completed the due training delivered by Kompozitor Kft. It is those contractors, where chimney lining installations can directly be ordered from. It is also them who take responsibility for the quality of the installation.

IN WHAT COUNTRIES IS THE FURANFLEX® CHIMNEY LINER APPLIED?

It is applied in almost every country of Europe and it is also applied in the USA. FuranFlex® has been given the application permit n every country based on authority inspections and its production is further inspected on the production site of Kompozitor Kft. by institutions of various countries every year.

View more on the FuranFlex website