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4 Reasons to Upgrade a Chimney Liner

chimney liner installation in bristol ctDo you need to invest in a new chimney liner?

This is a smart question to ask if you are concerned about fireplace safety. A chimney liner plays an important role in protecting your home from a house fire and protecting you and your loved ones from the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. There are 4 reasons why a chimney expert would recommend investing in a new chimney liner:

• You are installing a new heating system.

Fireplace inserts and stoves have different venting requirements than fireplaces. In most cases, it is necessary to have a new chimney liner installed that connects directly to your new heating appliance. It is important to work with a fireplace and chimney expert to ensure that you order the correct sized liner and have it properly installed.

• Your chimney isn’t safe.

Having a new chimney liner installed can eliminate a number of safety risks. A good chimney liner decreases your risk of carbon monoxide poisoning by preventing the toxic gas from seeping through the masonry into your home. It also decreases the risk of a house fire because it creates a thick barrier between the combustible parts of your house and the high temperatures, corrosive acids and hot embers from the fireplace exhaust. If your chimney does not have a liner, or the liner is damaged or doesn’t meet safety standards, it is smart to invest in a new one to protect yourself, your loved ones and your home.  

• The clay tile liner in your chimney is failing.

Clay tile chimney liners are common in wood-burning masonry fireplaces because they are inexpensive to install when the chimney is being built. Over time, clay chimney liners will begin to fail as the tiles crack and broken pieces fall into the fireplace. It is a good idea to have a new chimney liner installed at the first signs that the tile chimney liner is failing so that it does not become a large safety risk. Chimney experts agree that the best solution is to have a metal chimney liner installed since repairing a tile chimney liner is challenging and expensive.

• Your fireplace isn’t working efficiently.

chimney liner repair in new britain ctIf you can’t build steady, hot fires in your fireplace but instead have to put up fussy, low burning fires, it is time to get a new liner. This is a sign that your chimney has a low flue gas temperature. Others signs are water condensation in the chimney, visible staining on the chimney and rapid development of creosote deposits in the flue. (Creosote is a flammable combustion byproduct made from chemicals released from wood when it burns inefficiently.) Having a new liner installed, with better insulation around it, will solve this problem. If you are used to having your chimney cleaned twice a season because of large creosote buildups, you may notice a big difference after you have a new metal liner installed. In most cases, it will improve the efficiency of your fireplace so that you only need one cleaning a year.

Unfortunately, you can’t often tell from the outside whether or not a new liner is needed. The best way to determine if your chimney liner needs to be replaced is to have your chimney inspected by a CSIA-certified chimney sweep.

If you need to set up a chimney inspection, give us a call! Our CSIA-certified chimney experts serve all of Central Connecticut. We use video equipment for all of our inspections so that you can see for yourself if there is a problem with your chimney liner.

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