Chimney Liners

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

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

A fairly common revelation during inspections of masonry chimneys is the discovery 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 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 leak smoke and gases into the chimney cavity and, potentially, the Merton house. The problem 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 Merton, has put in 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 carries smoke and gases all the way to the chimney cap, where they are released 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, typically requiring that the fireplace and chimney be inspected annually. It’s a true “out of sight, out of mind” remedy to a multitude of other fireplace issues that can arise - potentially requiring far more expensive repairs.

How do you identify when a chimney liner might be required? A giveaway 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 break down.

If you spot efflorescence, the advisable move is to contact Butler Chimneys right away. 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 sound surrounding structure to operate properly. A slight break can put life and home in peril. A chimney liner can fix the issues – and line up your Merton home for better days ahead.