Chimney Liners Buyer's Guide
If you own a traditional masonry fireplace or a fireplace insert, chances are you also have a chimney liner. However, if you are considering the purchase of a house with a chimney and have never owned one before, or potentially building one with no prior experience, you'll be asking yourself some questions. What are chimney liners? What are the costs involved? Do they require maintenance? These questions are important, and don't worry, getting to the end of this article will give you everything you need to know about a chimney liner kit and what it means to own one.
What is a Chimney Liner?
To be brief, a chimney liner is a metal or clay conduit that effectively lines the walls of a masonry chimney or older prefabricated chimney pipe. In a masonry chimney, the interior walls are usually made of brick, stone, or block. Modern chimneys are built with a clay liner affixed for the entire length of the interior. The clay liner consists of individual tiles that can be 8 to 24 inches tall. These clay liners can be damaged over time due to water intrusion from the top of the chimney or during the extremely high temperatures experienced during a chimney fire. Removal of the clay chimney liner with special tools will then be needed and a steel liner installed to allow the chimney to continue safe operation.
The Appeal of a Chimney Liner
A chimney liner is used in any instance where a new fireplace insert is being installed into an existing open fireplace. Gas fireplace inserts will use aluminum liners, while wood burning inserts require stainless steel. In addition to fireplace inserts, any open masonry fireplace that has an unlined chimney or a chimney with damaged clay flue tiles must also utilize a liner to correct the issue. The importance of having a chimney liner isn't up for debate. To be as safe as possible while using a wood fireplace or stove, a chimney liner is necessary because of the work that it does to draw the harmful gasses and combustion materials up and out through the chimney.
