Chimney Liners

Chimney Liners: A Simple Fix for a Variety of Fireplace and Chimney Problems in Fort Atkinson

Annual chimney and fireplace inspections do more than keep your Fort Atkinson fireplace operating well. They also find potential safety or structural hazards … before they become dangerous.

A not uncommon 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 rapid 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 small ones, can leak smoke and gases into the chimney cavity and, potentially, the Fort Atkinson house. The problem can’t be ignored.

Luckily, 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 Fort Atkinson, has installed 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 transfers smoke and gases all the way to the chimney cap, where they are released 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, normally on condition that the fireplace and chimney be inspected annually. It’s a true “out of sight, out of mind” answer to a number of other fireplace issues that can arise - potentially necessitating far more costly repairs.

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

This indicator 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 deteriorate.

If you spot efflorescence, the advisable move is to contact Butler Chimneys immediately. Once a chimney structure deteriorates to a certain point, remedies get far more complex (and costly).

Chimneys might appear simple. Truth is, they contain vital systems that depend on a sound surrounding structure to function properly. A slight malfunction can put life and home in peril. A chimney liner can address the issues – and line up your Fort Atkinson home for better days ahead.