Chimney Liners

Chimney Liners: A Simple Remedy for a Variety of Fireplace and Chimney Problems in Addison

Yearly chimney and fireplace inspections do more than keep your Addison fireplace operating well. They also spot potential safety or structural hazards … 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 little ones, can allow smoke and gases into the chimney cavity and, potentially, the Addison home. The issue 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 Addison, has installed hundreds of liners in the local area.

Connected to the upper mouth 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 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, normally on condition 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 necessitating far more pricey repairs.

How do you identify when a chimney liner might be needed? A symptom is seeing efflorescence – a buildup of white, chalky powder – on a chimney’s exterior.

This symptom 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 see efflorescence, the smart move is to contact Butler Chimneys immediately. Once a chimney structure breaks down to a certain level, remedies get far more complex (and costly).

Chimneys might look simple. Truth is, they contain vital systems that depend on a reliable 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 Addison home for better days ahead.