Chimney Liners

Chimney Liners: A Simple Remedy for a Host of Fireplace and Chimney Problems in Hamilton

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

A not uncommon revelation during inspections of masonry chimneys is the detection of cracked or damaged clay flue tiles. These tiles line the interior vertical channel that carries 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 minor ones, can leak smoke and gases into the chimney cavity and, potentially, the Hamilton house. The situation can’t be ignored.

Luckily, 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 Hamilton, has installed hundreds of liners in the local area.

Attached to the upper mouth 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 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 be inspected annually. It’s a true “out of sight, out of mind” answer to a number of other fireplace issues that can arise - potentially requiring far more costly repairs.

How do you know when a chimney liner might be needed? A clue is spotting 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 deteriorate.

If you spot efflorescence, the advisable move is to contact Butler Chimneys right away. Once a chimney structure breaks down to a certain point, solutions get far more complicated (and costly).

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