I'm being buffeted by two companies, and three self-proclaimed experts...each of whom is more than likely most interested in simply playing CYA. Can anyone help me find a definitive answer to my problem?

3 years ago, I had a pellet stove/fireplace insert installed in my 3-story 100-year old row home. The installers inspected first and determined that that the appropriate liner could be put in the chimney which long ago served the fireplace. They assured me that an additional liner, if ever needed would fit. This year, I'm replacing the 50-year old oil burning boiler with a new gas boiler and the 25-year old water heater. Long story short....the new appliances are in, the old oil tank is out and the guys who are trying to install the new, supposedly required chimney liner, say "No can do...it won't fit in the same chimney as the pellet stove liner and it isn't legal to put it with it anyway."

They claim that the pellet stove installer should never have put the other liner in and that what he did was "illegal". The stove installer says, it's fine to put another liner in, there is room...depending on what new equipment you are installing and the flue requirements for it.

It's possible I suppose that both are telling the "truth" narrowly...that some sort of second liner would fit, legally. But no liner big enough to handle the hot water heater and boiler will fit.

Can anyone out there help me sort this out? We need to find a solution, but I also need to know who's responsible for this debacle, since odds are it's going to cost some bucks to fix.

BTW....the home is in Baltimore, Md.

Thanks in advance...