Chimney Liner Repair and Replacement
A chimney liner is a clay, ceramic, or metal pipe installed inside a chimney that’s intended to contain combustion products, direct them outside, and protect your chimney’s walls from heat and corrosion. We get lots of questions about whether or not chimneys need to be lined, especially because it hasn’t always been required. Though the answer depends on how the chimney is used and what residential building codes mandate, we believe that chimneys fitted with a flue liner offer the best and safest performance. The Chimney Safety Institute of America agrees with us, asserting that considering the dangers of old, unlined, or damaged chimneys, it’s best to have your chimney professionally inspected to be sure it meets modern safety standards. The appliance that vents into your chimney will determine the requirements of the chimney lining system you need. Whether you need to have your chimney relined or lined for the first time, the good news is that there are plenty of cost-effective ways to make old chimneys safe for use.
Why Does My Chimney Need to Be Lined?
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 211 requires that chimney liners be replaced if they are cracked, broken, or missing. This is crucial because cracked clay liners and deteriorating mortar joints can allow flue gases and carbon monoxide to enter your house. Because carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless, it is hard to detect, but it can be deadly.
Cracks in your chimney liner may also potentially lead to a house fire, as there is combustible material surrounding your chimney. A professionally-installed chimney liner, however, will protect your chimney from heat and corrosion.
The CSIA and a host of other fire safety organizations instated their recommendations that chimneys be lined after the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) tested masonry chimneys for durability in the 1940s and again in the 1980s. These tests were run because of mounting concerns about chimney performance and safety. In the end, researchers determined that building a chimney without a liner is a “little less than criminal.” The lining of your chimney has to be left to a chimney professional because an improperly-sized liner may restrict draft to the point where wood smoke would enter your home. This may endanger those inside your home, especially if you use open flame gas logs or coals; these produce carbon monoxide that you cannot see or smell like you can with wood smoke.
Leave Your Chimney Lining to Us
Hudson Chimney owner Mark Hudson has been in the chimney sweep business for over 30 years and has seen times and standards change. He can advise you about what liner—if a new one is necessary at all—will work best in your chimney, depending on its age, function, condition, and the heating appliance attached to it. Hudson Chimney offers stainless steel liners for single or multi-flue chimneys. We also design and install custom liners in all sizes, shapes, and designs and we can bring old chimneys up to today’s code standards.
Hudson Chimney recommends that you have your chimney professionally inspected to be sure it is equipped with a liner and that it meets modern safety standards. If you have questions or would like to schedule a chimney inspection, dryer vent cleaning, or another of our hearth-related services, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 904-282-4159.
Water can cause serious damage to your chimney system and home, so if you suspect you have a leaking chimney, call Hudson Chimney right away to investigate the problem and make the needed repairs. It’s a good idea to work with professionals who provide complete chimney and fireplace services.
