Chimney Liners

Chimney Liners: A Simple Remedy for a Variety of Fireplace and Chimney Scenarios in Aztalan

Yearly chimney and fireplace inspections do more than keep your Aztalan fireplace operating well. They also spot potential safety or structural hazards … before they become dangerous.

A fairly common revelation during inspections of masonry chimneys is the detection of cracked or damaged clay flue tiles. These tiles line the interior vertical channel that whisks smoke up and out. The damage is typically 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 Aztalan house. The problem can’t be overlooked.

Fortunately, a cost-effective option exists to replacing or reconstructing damaged flue tiles: a stainless steel chimney liner. Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Aztalan, has installed hundreds of liners in the local area.

Attached to the upper mouth of a fireplace, a chimney flue liner is essentially a round tube running the length of the chimney. It carries smoke and gases all the way to the chimney cap, where they are vented 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, usually requiring that the fireplace and chimney be inspected annually. It’s a true “out of sight, out of mind” answer to a multitude of other fireplace issues that can arise - potentially requiring far more pricey repairs.

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

This symptom usually forms 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 notice efflorescence, the smart move is to contact Butler Chimneys without hesitation. Once a chimney structure deteriorates to a certain level, solutions get far more complicated (and costly).

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