CHIMNEY LINERS
Chimney Liners run into a host of problems but all of which can be avoided. This page serves to explain the how and why of liner systems both old and new designs to help you make the right decisions when considering flue relining projects for your home.
Read on to learn more about common problems with chimney liners and why relining a flue with a steel liner is critical for your home’s safety.
1. Unlined Chimneys Can Cause House Fires or Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Unlined brick chimneys do not draft well and allow heat loss to the adjacent home. An early chimney design allowed a fire risk that is now considered unsafe as it is absent chimney safety considerations. Unlined fireplace chimneys will draft poorly because, without a chimney flue liner, exhaust and creosote quickly cools, and the smoke cannot develop a strong draft or flow.
Around 1900, flue tiles in chimney construction became available to home builders. However, their use did not become a mainstream standard in Kansas City construction until after WWII. At the time, these flue tiles were state of the art chimney designs and were heralded as a life saver. Since flue liners help “keep fire in its place” fewer homes suffered loss to fire. Another great side effect was reducing carbon monoxide poisoning (from faulty flues allowing toxic fumes into the home).
2. Cracks and Gaps in Clay Liners Lose Effectiveness
Clay Chimney liners are going on 100 years old in the Kansas City Metro, and as such, they have lost much of their effectiveness in keeping lives and property safe. Gaps in the mortar joints and cracks in the flue tiles usually start about 15 years after construction. If the chimney did not benefit from a cap early on, then small cracks will be seen much sooner due to rain erosion.
Stainless steel liners have a greater tolerance to thermal expansion. Which protects the home from issues with old clay tiles. In the past, if a flue fire occurred in the fireplace chimneys clay liner, then it would destroy the tiles and brickwork, allowing the chimney fire to reach through the chimney wall, leading to a home fire.
3. Faulty Liner Allows Fire Exhaust to Cause Damage to Mortar and Brick Work
A chimney’s liner not only protect your home, but also protects the mortar and brick work of the structure as well. Exhaust from wood and gas fires are very acidic. The lime in mortar and the clay in bricks reacts with the acid and begins to fall apart. The damage from chimney flue exhaust is so active that our chimney sweeps can look at some gas chimney flues from the outside and tell where the flue liners are just by the visible damage showing through the outer brick chimney.
