Chimney Liners

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

Yearly chimney and fireplace inspections do more than keep your Holy Cross fireplace operating well. They also catch potential safety or structural hazards … before they become dangerous.

A not uncommon revelation during inspections of masonry chimneys is the identification of cracked or damaged clay flue tiles. These tiles line the interior vertical channel that carries smoke up and out. The damage is usually 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 minor ones, can allow smoke and gases into the chimney cavity and, potentially, the Holy Cross home. The issue can’t be ignored.

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 Holy Cross, has installed 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 transfers 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, usually requiring that the fireplace and chimney are inspected annually. It’s a genuine “out of sight, out of mind” solution 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 needed? A giveaway is seeing 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 leak into the chimney cavity. They slowly eat away the chimney’s masonry. Efflorescence appears outside as bricks and mortar break down.

If you notice efflorescence, the smart move is to contact Butler Chimneys without hesitation. Once a chimney structure breaks down to a certain point, remedies get far more complex (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 address the issues – and line up your Holy Cross home for better days ahead.