Chimney Liners

Chimney Liners: A Simple Fix for a Variety of Fireplace and Chimney Issues in Saint Michaels

Annual chimney and fireplace inspections do more than keep your Saint Michaels fireplace burning well. They also identify 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 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 small ones, can leak smoke and gases into the chimney cavity and, potentially, the Saint Michaels home. The problem 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 Saint Michaels, has installed hundreds of liners in the local area.

Connected 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 released 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 true “out of sight, out of mind” solution to a multitude of other fireplace issues that can arise - potentially requiring far more pricey repairs.

How do you identify when a chimney liner might be required? 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 leak into the chimney cavity. They slowly eat away the chimney’s masonry. Efflorescence appears outside as bricks and mortar break down.

If you spot efflorescence, the smart move is to contact Butler Chimneys without hesitation. Once a chimney structure breaks down to a certain level, solutions get far more complicated (and costly).

Chimneys might appear simple. Truth is, they hold 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 Saint Michaels home for better days ahead.