Chimney Liners

Chimney Liners: A Simple Remedy for a Variety of Fireplace and Chimney Scenarios in West Allis

Annual chimney and fireplace inspections do more than keep your West Allis fireplace operating 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 typically 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 small ones, can allow smoke and gases into the chimney cavity and, potentially, the West Allis home. The issue 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 West Allis, 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 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, typically requiring that the fireplace and chimney are inspected annually. It’s a true “out of sight, out of mind” answer to a variety of other fireplace issues that can arise - potentially requiring far more costly repairs.

How do you know when a chimney liner might be required? 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 escape 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 right away. Once a chimney structure deteriorates to a certain point, remedies get far more complicated (and costly).

Chimneys might appear simple. Truth is, they hold vital systems that depend on a sound 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 West Allis home for better days ahead.