Chimney Liners

Chimney Liners: A Simple Remedy for a Host of Fireplace and Chimney Problems in Jefferson County

Yearly chimney and fireplace inspections do more than keep your Jefferson County fireplace operating well. They also catch potential safety or structural risks … before they become dangerous.

A fairly common revelation during inspections of masonry chimneys is the identification of cracked or damaged clay flue tiles. These tiles line the interior vertical channel that projects smoke up and out. The damage is usually from sudden temperature changes the tiles endure. When fires are lit, a blast of heat warms cold tiles very quickly. Over time, the interaction takes a toll.

Cracks in the tiles, even little ones, can allow smoke and gases into the chimney cavity and, potentially, the Jefferson County house. The problem can’t be overlooked.

Luckily, a cost-effective solution exists to replacing or reconstructing damaged flue tiles: a stainless steel chimney liner. Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Jefferson County, has put in hundreds of liners in the local area.

Connected to the upper mouth of a fireplace, a chimney flue liner is essentially a round tube running the length of the chimney. It moves smoke and gases all the way to the chimney cap, where they are released outside. 

Chimney liner installation is normally a one-day project for Butler Chimneys. Flue tiles inside the chimney are broken out. The stainless liner for chimneys is lowered from the cap, and attached to the fireplace piping.

A new flue liner has a lifetime warranty, typically on condition that the fireplace and chimney be inspected annually. It’s a true “out of sight, out of mind” remedy to a variety of other fireplace issues that can arise - potentially necessitating far more costly repairs.

How do you detect when a chimney liner might be needed? A symptom is seeing efflorescence – a buildup of white, chalky powder – on a chimney’s exterior.

This symptom usually appears when an appliance(s) – such as a furnace or water heater – vents into the chimney. If flue tiles are cracked or damaged, moisture and gases from the appliance(s) can escape into the chimney cavity. They slowly eat away the chimney’s masonry. Efflorescence appears outside as bricks and mortar break down.

If you detect efflorescence, the smart move is to contact Butler Chimneys without hesitation. Once a chimney structure deteriorates to a certain level, remedies get far more complex (and costly).

Chimneys might look simple. Truth is, they hold vital systems that depend on a sound surrounding structure to operate properly. A slight break can put life and home in peril. A chimney liner can address the issues – and line up your Jefferson County home for better days ahead.