Chimney Liners

Chimney Liners: A Simple Fix for a Variety of Fireplace and Chimney Scenarios in Blackhawk Island

Yearly chimney and fireplace inspections do more than keep your Blackhawk Island fireplace burning well. They also identify potential safety or structural hazards … 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 carries smoke up and out. The damage is typically from rapid temperature changes the tiles endure. When fires are started, a blast of heat warms cold tiles very quickly. Over time, the interaction takes a toll.

Cracks in the tiles, even minor ones, can leak smoke and gases into the chimney cavity and, potentially, the Blackhawk Island home. The situation can’t be ignored.

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 Blackhawk Island, has installed hundreds of liners in the local area.

Coupled to the upper opening 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 released outside. 

Chimney liner installation is typically 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 on condition that the fireplace and chimney be inspected annually. It’s a genuine “out of sight, out of mind” fix to a number of other fireplace issues that can arise - potentially requiring far more pricey repairs.

How do you notice when a chimney liner might be needed? A giveaway 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 leak into the chimney cavity. They slowly eat away the chimney’s masonry. Efflorescence appears outside as bricks and mortar deteriorate.

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

Chimneys might appear simple. Truth is, they contain vital systems that depend on a reliable surrounding structure to work properly. A slight malfunction can put life and home in peril. A chimney liner can take care of the issues – and line up your Blackhawk Island home for better days ahead.