Chimney Liners

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

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

A fairly common 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 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 small ones, can leak smoke and gases into the chimney cavity and, potentially, the Slabtown house. The situation can’t be ignored.

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 Slabtown, has installed hundreds of liners in the local area.

Connected 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 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, usually requiring that the fireplace and chimney be inspected annually. It’s a genuine “out of sight, out of mind” fix to a multitude of other fireplace issues that can arise - potentially necessitating far more pricey repairs.

How do you identify when a chimney liner might be required? A symptom is noticing 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 leak into the chimney cavity. They slowly eat away the chimney’s masonry. Efflorescence appears outside as bricks and mortar break down.

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

Chimneys might appear simple. Truth is, they contain 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 Slabtown home for better days ahead.