We Repair and Replace Chimney Liners

Your chimney is important. It may be the largest system in your home. It changes the air pressure, can allow or stop drafts, adds heat and ambiance to your favorite spaces, and can even affect your breathable air. Your chimney is important to you, and it’s important to us too. Chimney professionals know the ins and outs of chimney science. We know things that homeowners don’t know, and we use that knowledge to prevent devastating fires and accidents. We want to help your chimney be the safest and most efficient system possible, and we do this by offering services and repairs that are absolutely essential. Liner replacement and repair is one service that is essential for chimney life and safety.

Your Chimney Liner

One of the most common problems with old chimneys has to do with the chimney liner. Liners may be clay, ceramic, or metal, and older liners may become damaged without you ever knowing. Although hidden from view, the liner is one of the most important parts of the chimney system. Like human skin, it covers a lot of area and is extremely durable because it is an important barrier. The liner should keep your fire, heat, and gases inside the chimney. Without a liner, toxic gases such as carbon monoxide can escape and poison your family. Carbon monoxide can cause permanent organ injury and even death. A cracked or damaged liner can also allow high temperatures to affect beams and other structural materials in your house. You might notice that your masonry is extremely hot to the touch, which is a liner problem. You may also notice pieces of ceramic or clay tile in the fireplace. This is also a sign of a damaged liner. Once a problem is recognized, it needs to be addressed before you use your fireplace again. Discontinue use and have the liner repaired by a professional. 

Reasons to Replace a Liner

If the damage to your liner is extensive, it may need a full relining. Other reasons your liner may need to be completely replaced include: 

-There is no liner in the chimney

-The liner is an old and badly damaged clay tile liner

-You are switching fuels and the current liner is not safe for use with your new fuel

-The flue needs to be resized to match the capacity of a new fire appliance. 

At Hudson Chimney we can help you determine whether your liner needs a quick repair or a full replacement. We install stainless steel liners which are long-lasting and safe for all fuel types, and we also design and install custom liners in all sizes, shapes, and designs. Bring your old chimney up to new standards. Your chimney will work better and safer when you trust Hudson Chimney. 

If you know you have a liner problem, contact Hudson Chimney to price your new liner or repair. Call us at 904-282-4159 today.

Relining Your Chimney with HeatShield

If you have an older masonry chimney, you most likely have a clay tile liner. While these liners are durable and long-lasting, the clay tiles do crack and break off over the years. Repairing clay tile liners can be costly and time-consuming, but, fortunately, there is another alternative. Hudson Chimney is proud to offer the HeatShield system to repair and reline clay tile liners. We have been certified by the company that manufactures HeatShield, so you can trust our skills, experience, and training to use this product properly and successfully. We are often asked about this relining system, so we would like to tell you more about HeatShield and how it can restore your chimney liner.

Relining Your Chimney with Heatshield - Jacksonville FL - Hudson Chimney

What exactly is HeatShield?

A specially created “Cerfractory” sealant, HeatShield was developed 20 years ago in Europe to restore your chimney to its original level of safety and efficiency. When your clay tile liner is damaged with cracks and gaps, it can be dangerous as these voids allow toxic gases like carbon monoxide to leak back into your home. An environmentally friendly product made from recycled and naturally occurring materials, HeatShield is a less expensive way of relining a chimney, compared to rebuilding your chimney or removing clay tiles to install a new liner.

How does HeatShield repair my clay tile chimney liner?

If Hudson Chimney determines that your liner simply needs repairing, we can use one of two HeatShield methods: the Joint Repair System, if only defective mortar joints are found, or the Resurfacing System, if you have both damaged mortar joints and other minor defects in the tile liner. With the Joint Repair System, we take a special foam applicator blade that has been customized to fit your chimney and place it down your chimney to position it below each gap or void. We then add the HeatShield Cerfractory Flue Sealant mixture to fill in every void. Once the voids have been filled, we will pull the blade upward, which will smooth the repaired voids. The Resurfacing System is very similar, except we will use a customized foam applicator plug. This plug will be placed at the bottom of your flue and attached to a winch at the top of the flue. A primer is applied first, and then we will add the HeatShield mixture. As the plug is pulled up by the winch, the mixture will be smoothed to the right thickness. For both systems, the work will be checked by viewing the footage from the video camera at the bottom of the blade or plug. This ensures the repairs have been done properly.

How can HeatShield replace my liner?

If your clay tile liner is damaged beyond repair, Hudson Chimney can use the CeCure Sleeve Relining System. This process begins with a coat of HeatShield, which is applied with the same type of plug used in the Resurfacing System. Next, the CeCure Sleeve, which is a ceramic insulation sleeve that has been reinforced with stainless steel fabric, will be lowered into your chimney and attached mechanically to the top of the chimney. We then pull the plug down the chimney to press it into the first coat of HeatShield. Finally, another coat of HeatShield will be applied over the CeCure Sleeve. This procedure will also be video recorded and viewed afterwards to be sure the sleeve is in the proper place.

If your clay tile liner needs repairing or replacing, HeatShield can be the perfect solution. Contact us at Hudson Chimney to schedule an inspection of your clay tile liner today.

All About HeatShield Chimney Liner Restoring

If you live in an older home with a masonry chimney, it most likely has a clay tile flue liner. Clay tiles have been used to line chimney flues since the beginning of the 20th century, and there are good reasons why. These tiles can withstand extremely high temperatures, and they hold up well against the corrosive byproducts of combustion that pass through the flue on their way out of the chimney. Once installed, clay liners will stay in good shape up to 50 years. However, when the clay tiles become cracked and chipped over time, it can be costly to repair them or to replace the liner as it is a very difficult and time-consuming task. When the HeatShield Chimney Repair and Resurfacing System was developed around 20 years ago in Europe, repairing and relining a clay tile liner became so much easier and less costly. At Hudson Chimney, our technicians are experienced with using HeatShield, and our customers who have had their clay flue liners repaired or replaced with this product have all been very satisfied. We would like to tell you more about HeatShield and what it can do for your clay tile-lined chimney.

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What exactly is HeatShield?

A specially formulated “Cerfractory” sealant material, HeatShield can restore the integrity of your chimney’s flue to vent out toxic gases from your home. Eliminating the dangers in your flue caused by cracks, gaps, and spalling, HeatShield will make your chimney as safe and as efficient as it originally was when first built. Depending on the condition of your clay tile liner, the Joint Repair system or the Resurfacing System will be used.

What does the Joint Repair system do?

If our chimney inspectors at Hudson Chimney only find defective mortar joints in your clay tile liner, we will use the Joint Repair system. First we will make a custom-made foam applicator blade to fit your chimney. Once this tool has been inserted into your chimney and positioned below each gap or void, we will then add the HeatShield Cerfractory Flue Sealant mixture. Each void and gap will be filled, and when we pull out the foam applicator blade, it will smooth the filled gaps and voids as it comes out of your chimney. Then we scan the repair with a special video camera to be sure the repairs have been done correctly.

What does the Resurfacing System do?

If your chimney liner has a cracked or spalled flue but is still sound, we will use the Resurfacing System. Again, we will make a custom-fit foam applicator plug that will be placed at the bottom of the flue and attached to a winch atop the chimney. We then prime and clean your old liner with a “tie coat” material, which is applied to the flue walls by pulling the plug upwards with the winch. After this coat dries, we then apply the HeatShield mixture with the foam plug in the same way we applied the primer. This method is called “slip casting” or “slip cast extrusion.” After this is applied, we will look at the scanned video to be sure your entire chimney is sealed and smoke-tight.

Have more questions about HeatShield? Contact Hudson Chimney to talk to our staff to see if HeatShield is right for your clay tile chimney liner.

Don’t Procrastinate Chimney Maintenance and Repairs

Believe it or not, spring is on its way, and fireplace season will be slowing down. To be sure your chimney is safe after a long and cold winter, scheduling your annual chimney sweeping and inspection now is essential, especially if your chimney is in need of important repairs. At Hudson Chimney, one of our busiest times of the year is the spring, and if you procrastinate for too long, you may have to wait for several weeks before you can arrange an appointment for our certified technicians to visit your home to clean, examine, and repair your chimney. According to fire safety organizations such as the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), it is recommended you schedule a chimney sweeping and inspection once every year. We would like to share with you the important chimney maintenance steps our chimney technicians will take to find essential repairs needed to make your fireplace and chimney system safe.

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CHIMNEY SWEEPING

When the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA)-certified sweeps at Hudson Chimney clean your chimney after winter, our main concern is removing all of the creosote deposits that have accumulated on the walls of your chimney. Forming naturally as the by-products of combustion (smoke, gases, tar fog, vapors, etc) exit the cooler walls of your upper chimney, creosote is the highly combustible result of the condensation that occurs. Creosote can be either black or brown, and its appearance can vary. Whether it is sticky and gummy, crispy and brittle, or shiny and hard, creosote, especially in large amounts, is extremely flammable, which makes it the cause of a majority of chimney fires. Getting rid of these creosote buildups after winter’s heavy fireplace usage is essential to the safety of your chimney.

CHIMNEY INSPECTING

Hudson Chimney takes pride in performing detailed post-winter chimney inspections because we want to find any damage that needs repairing to ensure the safety of your fireplace and chimney. Of course, we seriously examine every part of your chimney; however, there are specific repairs we are looking for, including the following:

damaged or deteriorated masonry — Loose bricks and chipped mortar on the exterior of your chimney are sure signs of water penetration damage, and this alerts us to the possibility of water leaking inside your chimney that creates even more damage to its interior. If this masonry damage goes unrepaired, you will end up with costly repair work, including a possible rebuild of your entire chimney.

cracks in the chimney cap — Your chimney cap serves as protection from both water and animal intrusions of your chimney. A deteriorated chimney cap serves no help at all to your chimney. We can repair cracks and other damage to chimney caps as well as install new caps if the existing caps are beyond repairing.

cracks and holes in the chimney flue liner — Water leaks can cause serious damage to the liner of your chimney that can endanger your family’s health. A deteriorating flue liner allows toxic gases like carbon monoxide to leak into your home. Repairing or replacing a damaged chimney flue liner will keep those gases exiting out of your chimney instead of infiltrating the interior air of your home.

Save yourself the hassle of waiting for weeks to maintain your chimney after winter by contacting Hudson Chimney now. We are happy to schedule an appointment for your annual sweeping and inspection as well as perform all necessary repairs.

Scheduling your Chimney Services before the Busy Season

Chimney service companies tend to get busy as the fall and winter approach. If you live in the Middleburg, Florida area you may think that booking an appointment to have your chimney swept and inspected is something that can wait. After all, you live in the sunshine state, right? But you would be wrong. The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that chimneys be swept by a professional on an annual basis. No matter where you live, the fall and winter are when chimney service companies get booked up. If you want to use your chimney safely and efficiently this winter, you will want to have the professionals at Hudson Chimney clean and inspect it.

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Having your chimney cleaned and inspected can help it to run more efficiently, save you money, and keep your home warmer. Most importantly, however, having your chimney cleaned is important to keeping your home safe from house and chimney fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, and other hazards presented by owning a chimney.

The professionals at Hudson Chimney will work to remove creosote from your chimney. Creosote is an extremely flammable substance that forms when hot gasses and smoke cool in your chimney. Not only can creosote cause fires, but it blocks toxic gasses and smoke from leaving your chimney. When creosote is allowed to accumulate, not only does your risk of fire and dangerous fumes increase, but creosote will build into a caked on substance called glazed creosote, which can only be removed by a professional with strong chemicals. Having your chimney cleaned and inspected annually can help prevent glazed creosote from forming.

The experts at Hudson Chimney will also inspect your chimney for water damage which can cost you a lot of money (and even destroy your chimney) if not properly attended to. They will inspect your chimney for the various causes of water leaks and recommend any repairs that need to be made. You can then set up an appointment with Hudson Chimney to install a chimney cover, have a water repellent applied, or anything else that needs to be done to provide you with a leak-free chimney!

Your chimney will also be inspected to make sure that the appliance was properly installed and that your chimney and appliance are compatible. A flue that is too small for the appliance will not allow for proper ventilation, causing hazardous fumes to enter your home. A flue that is too big for the appliance will accumulate creosote quickly. The technicians at Hudson Chimney will also check to make sure that there are no blockages in your chimney that could cause improper ventilation. Having a chimney cap or damper installed will help to prevent animals and debris from entering the chimney.

So if you have not scheduled your chimney service appointment for this year, call Hudson Chimney as soon as possible to book your appointment before the busy season starts!