Annual chimney and fireplace inspections do more than keep your Ebenezer fireplace operating well. They also find potential safety or structural risks … before they become dangerous.
A not uncommon revelation during inspections of masonry chimneys is the discovery of cracked or damaged clay flue tiles. These tiles line the interior vertical channel that projects 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 minor ones, can leak smoke and gases into the chimney cavity and, potentially, the Ebenezer home. The issue 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 Ebenezer, has put in hundreds of liners in the local area.
Coupled 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 vented outdoors.
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, typically requiring that the fireplace and chimney be inspected annually. It’s a genuine “out of sight, out of mind” answer to a variety of other fireplace issues that can arise - potentially requiring far more expensive repairs.
How do you notice when a chimney liner might be needed? A giveaway is finding efflorescence – a buildup of white, chalky powder – on a chimney’s exterior.
This indicator 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 break down.
If you see efflorescence, the advisable move is to contact Butler Chimneys without hesitation. Once a chimney structure deteriorates to a certain point, solutions get far more complicated (and costly).
Chimneys might look simple. Truth is, they hold vital systems that depend on a reliable surrounding structure to operate properly. A slight malfunction can put life and home in peril. A chimney liner can fix the issues – and line up your Ebenezer home for better days ahead.