Chimney Liners

Chimney Liners: A Simple Fix for a Host of Fireplace and Chimney Scenarios in Wauwatosa

Annual chimney and fireplace inspections do more than keep your Wauwatosa 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 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 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 allow smoke and gases into the chimney cavity and, potentially, the Wauwatosa home. The problem can’t be overlooked.

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 Wauwatosa, 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 moves smoke and gases all the way to the chimney cap, where they are released outside. 

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

How do you know when a chimney liner might be required? A symptom 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 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 smart move is to contact Butler Chimneys without hesitation. Once a chimney structure breaks down to a certain level, solutions 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 break can put life and home in peril. A chimney liner can fix the issues – and line up your Wauwatosa home for better days ahead.