Chimney Liners

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

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

A fairly common revelation during inspections of masonry chimneys is the identification of cracked or damaged clay flue tiles. These tiles line the interior vertical channel that guides smoke up and out. The damage is typically 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 allow smoke and gases into the chimney cavity and, potentially, the Grafton house. The situation can’t be ignored.

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 Grafton, has put in hundreds of liners in the local area.

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

How do you identify when a chimney liner might be required? A clue is finding 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 deteriorate.

If you notice efflorescence, the advisable move is to contact Butler Chimneys right away. Once a chimney structure breaks down to a certain level, remedies get far more complex (and costly).

Chimneys might appear simple. Truth is, they hold vital systems that depend on a reliable surrounding structure to function properly. A slight malfunction can put life and home in peril. A chimney liner can fix the issues – and line up your Grafton home for better days ahead.