Chimney Liners

Chimney Liners: A Simple Solution for a Variety of Fireplace and Chimney Problems in Grafton

Annual chimney and fireplace inspections do more than keep your Grafton fireplace burning well. They also spot potential safety or structural risks … before they become dangerous.

A fairly common revelation during inspections of masonry chimneys is the detection 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 small ones, can leak smoke and gases into the chimney cavity and, potentially, the Grafton house. The issue can’t be overlooked.

Luckily, a cost-effective alternative exists to replacing or reconstructing damaged flue tiles: a stainless steel chimney liner. Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Grafton, has put in hundreds of liners in the local area.

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

How do you know when a chimney liner might be needed? A clue is noticing 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 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 immediately. 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 function properly. A slight break can put life and home in peril. A chimney liner can take care of the issues – and line up your Grafton home for better days ahead.