Chimney Liners

Chimney Liners: A Simple Remedy for a Variety of Fireplace and Chimney Problems in Saint Francis

Annual chimney and fireplace inspections do more than keep your Saint Francis fireplace operating well. They also catch 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 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 Saint Francis home. The situation can’t be overlooked.

Fortunately, 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 Saint Francis, has put in hundreds of liners in the local area.

Connected 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 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, normally on condition that the fireplace and chimney are inspected annually. It’s a genuine “out of sight, out of mind” remedy to a number of other fireplace issues that can arise - potentially necessitating far more pricey repairs.

How do you detect when a chimney liner might be required? A giveaway is finding 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 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 smart move is to contact Butler Chimneys without hesitation. Once a chimney structure breaks down to a certain level, remedies get far more complex (and costly).

Chimneys might look simple. Truth is, they contain vital systems that depend on a sound surrounding structure to operate properly. A slight break can put life and home in peril. A chimney liner can take care of the issues – and line up your Saint Francis home for better days ahead.