Chimney Relining
Chimney Relining — What You Need to Know
Chances are, you probably don’t think about your chimney liner too often. Most homeowners only think about their liners when they start to experience issues or have concerns about their chimney’s safety and function. That’s certainly only natural, but if you’ve had a chimney inspection and recently been told that your chimney needs to be relined, you may be thinking about your chimney liner a lot.
Homeowners often have questions about what exactly the chimney liner does, why it needs to be replaced if damaged, and what the best options for relining are, and as your local resource, we’re here to help answer those questions. Keep reading!
What Does a Chimney Liner Do?
First things first, what does a chimney liner do? All the smoke, gas, and hot, corrosive byproducts of combustion have to go somewhere. The flue liner (made of clay tiles or metal) is responsible for containing all of those byproducts and making sure they go up through the chimney so they can exit the home.
Without a liner, heat, hot ash, sparks, and burning embers could access walls and framing, sparking a house fire. Likewise, these byproducts could damage the masonry of the chimney, and gases and smoke could end up coming back into your home.
What Damages Chimney Liners?
Chimney liner damage is most commonly caused by one or more of the following:
- Chimney Fire
- Creosote
- Chimney Leak
- House Settling
- Severe Weather / Earthquakes
These are some signs of damage:
- Smoky Fireplace
- Poor Draft / Poor Fireplace Performance
- Flakes and pieces of chimney flue tiles falling down into the fireplace
- Rust streaks and water staining in the fireplace
If you’ve noticed any of the above signs, it’s time to schedule a level 2 inspection with a CSIA-certified chimney sweep. We’ll use video scanning equipment to look at the flue liner’s interior and determine just how bad the damage is and what needs to be done.
You may also need to reline your chimney if you’re changing hearth appliance types or fuel types. By scheduling an inspection and having your hearth changes made by a certified professional, you’ll know if a relining is necessary for safety or performance reasons.
Why Does a Chimney Liner Need to Be Replaced if It’s Damaged?
If your chimney liner is damaged, you need to have the chimney relined for several reasons:
- Holes, cracks, and gaps in the flue liner can allow sparks, hot ash and embers, smoke, and heat to transfer through to nearby walls, framing, and masonry. This can lead to further damage, carbon monoxide poisoning, and even a house fire.
- A damaged flue liner will not be able to swiftly escort smoke and byproducts up and out of the flue. As a result, your fireplace will back puff smoke and gas into your home, burn inefficiently, and create more creosote buildup inside of your chimney system. That’s hardly an ideal fireside experience!
What’s the Best Chimney Liner?
Here at ChimneyTEK of Delaware, we’re committed to being the “permanent solution with premium products,” and that’s one reason why we only sell and install the very best chimney liners: stainless steel liners.
Our stainless steel liners, called “Forever Flex” liners, are made to be airtight and watertight, and they’re insulated for extra safety and efficiency. No matter what type of fuel or appliance you use, a Forever Flex stainless steel liner can provide you with a lifetime of service. Learn more here.
Protect Your Home & Chimney by Investing in Chimney Relining With a Local Team of Chimney Professionals You Can Trust
Your chimney liner plays an important role in the safety, functionality, and efficiency of your chimney and fireplace — make sure it’s doing its job well by scheduling an inspection with a CSIA-certified chimney pro from ChimneyTEK of Delaware. We’re proud to provide honest, reliable service to those in Dover and all throughout Kent County, DE, and we’re happy to help you enjoy a safer, more comfortable, more efficient home. Call us Monday through Saturday at 302-729-6112 or request an appointment online today. We’re happy to be of service!
Find out why stainless steel liners are the best liners for the job right here.
Our chimney and masonry repair experts can find and fix the problem that’s causing your chimney leak. Let’s get started before the damage gets any worse!