Depending on the age of your home, you may have to install a chimney liner. Most houses before the 1940s didn’t install liners at all, so if you currently live in a home from that time period it is a very good idea to have one installed. So what’s so important about a chimney liner? That’s what I’m going to explain today as well as describe a few different types of liners.
Chimney liners not only allow the smooth and more efficient exit of smoke from your wood stove, but it protects the walls of your chimney from taking on too much heat and catching fire. This was one of the reasons many earlier homes were at such high risk for fires that started in the chimneys.
Without a liner, smoke and other gases are met with more resistance and the resulting buildup of creosote, which is incredibly flammable, can be very detrimental to the safety of your chimney. The smooth warm passage of the liner also helps to expel the produced gases much faster than a chimney without a liner.
It is essential with all chimney’s that you have a professional come in to inspect your liner on a regular basis as any damage to it could put your home at risk. There are three different types of chimney liners you can choose from.
Clay Tile Liner
These liners have been used in houses since the 1900s and continue to be a favorite choice because of their exceptional strength and durability. They are capable of withstanding very highly intensive heat from all different sources and can last around 50 years if well maintained. If they are installed when the house is built, the cost is relatively cheap, however, should you wish to install one afterward, it can be a lot more costly due to the labor.
Repairing or replacing a damaged clay tile liner can take long time because professionals have to go in and chip away the previously existing tile by hand without doing any damage to the masonry. Sometimes bricks will need to be removed or shifted depending on the angle of your chimney.
Cast-In Place Liner
These liners are somewhat equal to the clay tile liners in that they are very durable, can withstand very high temperatures and last for a long time. They also take time and effort to install and it should be done by professionals who thoroughly understand the anatomy of a chimney. The advantage of using cast-in place liners is that they are a little bit less costly and can be easily installed overtop of previously damaged clay tile or masonry. Doing so will strengthen the physique of the chimney not damaging the integrity at all.
Metal Flue Liners
These liners are the least expensive of the three options and are incredibly flexible not taking any time to install. They can be rigid or flexible which makes them adaptable to any chimney type. They should be installed with insulation which increases the temperature inside the flue enabling it to expel gases much faster.
Hopefully, this post has helped you to make an informed choice about what kind of chimney liner you wish to install. Remember, it’s perfectly okay to call me for help if you’re not comfortable taking on this type of job on your own. Not many homeowners will take on chimney problems as DIY tasks.