Why We Do Chimney Relining!

Your chimney is a large, intricate system of parts that allow your fire’s byproducts to vent. One of the largest and most important parts of your chimney system is unseen by the homeowner. However, it is immensely important—the chimney liner. The liner is easily damaged if the fireplace and chimney system isn’t properly maintained. Consequently, when this happens it can be harmful to your family’s health and raise fire risk substantially!

Your Liner and What it Does

1. The liner protects your home from the heat of the chimney. The building materials that make up walls, ceilings, and more can be affected and weakened by the intense heat that exists in the chimney. The liner keeps the heat in the chimney and prevents transfer to the house.
2. It keeps harmful gases like carbon monoxide in the chimney, instead of seeping out of the porous masonry into your home.
3. Also, the liner protects your chimney’s masonry from the harmful by products from the fire. Soot and creosote can be highly corrosive to masonry over time. This requires frequent chimney sweeps and sometimes extensive repairs.
4. The liner provides a correctly-sized flue. This is especially important when you use a factory-build, or pre-fab fireplace. If the flue isn’t the correct size the fireplace loses efficiency. In addition, it may not vent properly, and your house can fill with the harmful gases and smoke. All of these which should have already been vented up the chimney.

How to Detect a Liner Problem

The easiest way to detect a problem with your chimney’s liner? Schedule CSIA inspections annually, as recommended. You can also detect a problem by paying close attention to your chimney’s performance. Look for excessive smoke backing into your home, excessive heat on the surface of your chimney, and pieces of the liner in the bottom of your chimney.

Relining the Chimney

It’s always best to start at the source. The CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® (CCS). A certified chimney sweep can reline your chimney in no time. Also, they can even tell you if you need a new liner when you change fuel or install a new appliance. It’s important to choose a chimney sweep to maintain your chimney system. This is so you don’t have to shop around when problems come up. For instance, if your chimney sweep stops by for your routine chimney sweep, he might notice your liner has some damage. A homeowner looking to do the work themselves might spend money on a costly stainless steel liner. An amateur might miss it completely, but a Black Moose chimney expert can assess the existing clay liner and determine if it can be resurfaced. Saving you time and money!

At Black Moose we repair and resurface clay liners with HeatShield®. This is a cerfractory sealant designed to withstand all the heat and abuse of a stainless steel liner for a fraction of the price. You can learn more about HeatShield® by clicking here or calling a Black Moose expert at 603.525.7905.

If you have doubts about your chimney liner, it’s never a bad time to call a professional. A Black Moose chimney sweep is standing by!