Yearly chimney and fireplace inspections do more than keep your Allenton fireplace operating well. They also spot potential safety or structural risks … 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 whisks smoke up and out. The damage is usually from sudden 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 little ones, can leak smoke and gases into the chimney cavity and, potentially, the Allenton house. The issue can’t be overlooked.
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 Allenton, 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 transfers smoke and gases all the way to the chimney cap, where they are vented outdoors.
Chimney liner installation is usually 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 necessitating far more expensive repairs.
How do you know when a chimney liner might be required? A giveaway is noticing 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 deteriorate.
If you detect efflorescence, the smart move is to contact Butler Chimneys without hesitation. Once a chimney structure deteriorates to a certain point, remedies get far more complicated (and costly).
Chimneys might look simple. Truth is, they hold 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 Allenton home for better days ahead.