Chimney Liners

Chimney Liners: A Simple Fix for a Host of Fireplace and Chimney Scenarios in Monterey

Yearly chimney and fireplace inspections do more than keep your Monterey fireplace operating well. They also catch 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 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 Monterey 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 Monterey, 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 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 are inspected annually. It’s a true “out of sight, out of mind” fix to a variety of other fireplace issues that can arise - potentially necessitating far more expensive repairs.

How do you identify when a chimney liner might be required? A symptom 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 escape 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 advisable move is to contact Butler Chimneys right away. Once a chimney structure breaks down to a certain point, solutions get far more complicated (and costly).

Chimneys might look simple. Truth is, they hold vital systems that depend on a reliable surrounding structure to operate properly. A slight break can put life and home in peril. A chimney liner can take care of the issues – and line up your Monterey home for better days ahead.