A chimney liner is a critical part of your chimney system. Most homeowners aren’t aware that the byproducts of oil- and gas-burning appliances are just as bad for your chimney as those from burning solid fuels. All of these byproducts can easily deteriorate a flue. It is the chimney liner that provides the homeowner with extra protection for the flue and, by association, your home as a whole.
What Does Your Flue Do?
Your chimney’s flue needs to be able to carry heat and gases safely up and away from the chimney. A stainless steel chimney liner will make your chimney perform more safely and efficiently, especially if you live in an older home that doesn’t have a liner of any type inside the chimney currently. Gases created by fires can corrode the chimney’s brick and mortar. When the mortar is compromised, it can lead to fires or dangerous carbon monoxide leaking into the home. The stainless liner totally removes the potential for damaged mortar joints from the chimney liner equation. It fits inside the chimney flue and protects the interior bricks and mortar from the soot and creosote that are byproducts of an incomplete combustion process. Stainless steel liners tend to collect less of these byproducts, making them much easier to keep clean.
Chimney Liners as Efficiency Boosters
Chimney liners also improve fireplace efficiency by providing a properly sized chimney flue, thereby allowing dangerous gases to escape from the home when the fireplace is in use. If the flue happens to be too big or too small, it can hinder the flow or air in and out of the system, which can cause problems with your draft. This can lead to smoke billowing into your home rather than up and out of your chimney when fires are burned.
Stainless Steel Liners Have Grown in Popularity
Stainless flue liners resist corrosion, rusting and staining, which has aided in their popularity growth. Stainless steel flue liners are more of a modern phenomenon that has also grown in popularity because of the lifetime warranty that accompanies them. They are available in rigid and flexible forms and are available in varying grades and material thicknesses. Flexible stainless liners can come in handy when dealing with a chimney that isn’t perfectly straight. Most flexible steel liners can be customized to fit any offsets that may exist inside your chimney, making them especially helpful in certain applications.
A stainless steel chimney liner will provide a strong, durable lining in the chimney and can act as a barrier against gases, moisture and already-damaged flues. Having your new stainless liner wrapped in insulation is another way to help keep heat in the chimney and a steady draft flowing up and out.
The certified chimney professionals at Environmental Chimney Service will know which type is best for your particular application. We know that our customers’ lives depend on our recommendations and repairs, and this isn’t a responsibility that we take lightly. Please know that we take our jobs very seriously because we know what’s at stake if we don’t. We adhere to all current local building and fire codes as well as complete current professional certifications and training whenever necessary. Call us today or click here to schedule your appointment online!