Oil furnace flue conversion relining for Wade Hampton homes switching to gas — sulfate deposit removal, camera inspection, and 316L liner sizing before the new gas appliance is connected. Written scope before work begins.
Wade Hampton homes from the 1950s through 1970s that heated with oil furnaces have dedicated furnace flues sized for oil combustion. Switching to a gas appliance on that same flue creates two separate problems — both must be addressed before the gas appliance is connected.
Decades of oil combustion leave a dense, adherent layer of sulfate-containing residue on the interior clay tile surface. This is different from the light ash and creosote deposits left by wood burning or the minimal residue from natural gas. When a gas appliance is connected to an uncleaned oil flue and gas combustion moisture contacts the sulfate scale, it produces sulfuric acid. That acid attacks the tile walls and — critically — attacks the stainless liner from the outside if the liner is installed over uncleaned deposits. Oil deposit removal is a required pre-installation step, not an optional cleaning service.