Types of Chimney Liners
When you think about your fireplace or stove, you probably don’t consider its chimney. It’s even less likely that you are thinking about the inside of your chimney, but you should. Why? Because there are several types of chimney liners depending on the age of your home and the type of heating unit attached to it.
Purpose of a Chimney Liner
In general, there are two primary functions of a chimney liner that it serves.
Insulation of Your Home
A chimney liner is a vital barrier that protects the structure of your house from the high heat generated in your fireplace or stove.
Without a chimney liner, your roof or attic could catch fire if it absorbs enough heat to ignite. As part of that insulating function, it vents hot smoke and embers up and out of your home. If there is damage anywhere in your chimney liner, it becomes a fire risk.
Protects Against Gas
If your chimney liner becomes damaged, it can not only let heat through, but it can also let highly toxic gases such as carbon monoxide permeate your house. It only takes minutes for carbon monoxide to overpower you. There is no smell or taste to carbon monoxide, so unless you have a carbon monoxide detector, you won’t realize you’re being poisoned until you begin to pass out.
What Type of Chimney Liners Exist?
The three primary chimney liners are clay tile, cast-in-place type, and metal flue liners. Your kind depends on the age of your home and when the liner was repaired or replaced last.
Cast-In-Place Liners
Cast-in-place chimney liners are installed precisely as their name suggests. These liners are made from a concrete-like material poured in and left to harden, and pouring the material in makes an excellent liner free of cracks or leaks. The solid lining gives insulation and even improves your chimney’s structural integrity!
It creates a seamless and insulated chimney liner and can also resist higher temperatures than other types of liners. The liners are designed to withstand up to 2100 degrees Fahrenheit, and cast-in-place liners are an excellent option for protecting against chimney fires. The insulation and resistance against higher temperatures can help ensure combustive gasses and creosote are consumed more fully during use.
It’s essential to remember a cast-in-place liner is a permanent liner. When damage happens to the liner, it will be necessary to replace the entire liner.
Clay Tile Liners
Clay tiles have been the most common chimney liner over the last century. They are affordable, and clay tiles hold up in well-maintained fireplaces. Clay tile chimney liners are frequently in older homes; in fact, almost any home built in the 20th century will have clay tile liners if there is a chimney. Even with proper cleanings and chimney inspections, clay tiles only last up to half a century, and if your home is over fifty years old, you get the idea. Once the tile liner has broken, it creates a susceptibility that could lead to a house fire. It is simpler and safer to replace clay tile liners with stainless steel liners when the clay cracks.
Metal Flue Liners
In the 21st century, metal flue liners are another option for adding or replacing a chimney liner because it offers strong resistance to corrosion from the byproducts of combustion, thereby safeguarding your house and lowering the risk of damage and the likelihood of needing your chimney repaired.
Chimney Liner Installations
One significant benefit of metal flue liners is that they can fit almost any chimney; metal flue liners can be either rigid or flexible, permitting them to be installed in virtually any contemporary home.
The installation method itself is also more manageable and less expensive.
Let us Replace Your Old, Damaged Chimney Liner
Don’t let worn down and outdated chimney liners put your house at risk. Call us today or fill out our simple contact form; a member of our experienced staff will be in touch to discuss repairing your damaged chimney liner. We serve the following areas Huntington Beach CA, Long Beach CA, Torrance CA, Anaheim CA; Santa Ana CA; Fullerton CA, Buena Park CA, Laguna Beach CA, Dana Point CA; or anywhere across the greater SoCal area.