Chimney Liners

Chimney Liners: A Simple Solution for a Variety of Fireplace and Chimney Problems in Fox Point

Yearly chimney and fireplace inspections do more than keep your Fox Point fireplace operating well. They also identify potential safety or structural risks … before they become dangerous.

A fairly common revelation during inspections of masonry chimneys is the discovery of cracked or damaged clay flue tiles. These tiles line the interior vertical channel that carries smoke up and out. The damage is typically from rapid temperature changes the tiles endure. When fires are started, a blast of heat warms cold tiles very quickly. Over time, the interaction takes a toll.

Cracks in the tiles, even minor ones, can leak smoke and gases into the chimney cavity and, potentially, the Fox Point home. The situation can’t be overlooked.

Fortunately, a cost-effective option exists to replacing or reconstructing damaged flue tiles: a stainless steel chimney liner. Butler Chimneys, the top chimney sweep company in Fox Point, has put in hundreds of liners in the local area.

Attached to the upper opening of a fireplace, a chimney flue liner is essentially a round tube running the length of the chimney. It moves smoke and gases all the way to the chimney cap, where they are released outside. 

Chimney liner installation is typically a one-day project for Butler Chimneys. Flue tiles inside the chimney are broken out. The stainless liner for chimneys is lowered from the cap, and attached to the fireplace piping.

A new flue liner has a lifetime warranty, normally on condition that the fireplace and chimney are inspected annually. It’s a true “out of sight, out of mind” remedy to a variety of other fireplace issues that can arise - potentially requiring far more pricey repairs.

How do you notice when a chimney liner might be required? A symptom is noticing efflorescence – a buildup of white, chalky powder – on a chimney’s exterior.

This symptom usually forms when an appliance(s) – such as a furnace or water heater – vents into the chimney. If flue tiles are cracked or damaged, moisture and gases from the appliance(s) can leak into the chimney cavity. They slowly eat away the chimney’s masonry. Efflorescence appears outside as bricks and mortar break down.

If you notice efflorescence, the advisable move is to contact Butler Chimneys right away. Once a chimney structure breaks down to a certain level, solutions get far more complicated (and costly).

Chimneys might appear simple. Truth is, they hold vital systems that depend on a reliable surrounding structure to function properly. A slight malfunction can put life and home in peril. A chimney liner can fix the issues – and line up your Fox Point home for better days ahead.