This liner has been cracked and must be replaced before it is safe to burn.

can become damaged in many ways. If a chimney fire occurs in your flue system the extreme heat may crack the flue tiles. The chimney flue is not intended to actually contain fire, only the products of fire which would be the gases that vent up through the chimney. If something causes a fire to start up in the flue system, say a bit of nesting is in the chimney and it catches fire, the heat can crack the flue tiles.

A shifting foundation may also cause flue tiles to crack. If the home is settling or the foundation shifts significantly it can cause a crack in the flue tiles. When there are cracks in the flue tiles the heat in the

flue system is able to reach combustible parts of the chimney. This is the reason that chimney relining must occur; it prevents fires in the flue system which can spread to the rest of the home. Chimney repair after a chimney fire is not cheap.

Your clay chimney liner has mortar joints in between each tile. If the liner is missing mortar joints the chimney cannot be burned until a liner is put in for similar reasons to those of cracked flue tiles. The missing mortar joints expose more of the chimney than should be exposed, making it more likely for any combustibles to combust.

The only real way to tell if your flue system has experienced any of these conditions, whether it be cracking or missing mortar joints, you must have your chimney swept and a video inspection of the flue system run. It is extraoridinarily difficult for a sweep to check out each individual flue tile for cracks or missing mortar joints by merely shining a flashlight in up the chimney. Using advanced chimney inspection tools, such as video cameras which are planted into small rods with lights, enables sweeps and homeowners alike to see what is going on in the flue system. Similarly, pictures can be taken using such equipment which can be used to make insurance claims if a chimney fire has occurred.

Another reason you may need to reline your chimney is if the chimney’s current chimney flue liner is too large for whatever it is venting. If you are experiencing draft issues or smoking problems, relining your chimney may be the way to go. An improperly sized flue may cause your chimney to not be able to draw properly. If you install a new stove or an insert it is generally required by the manufacturer and by NFPA 211 to have a chimney liner. If you are experiencing a draft issue or have a smoking problem you may be in a situation requiring a chimney liner.

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These birds get into chimneys and build nests which are very flammable. Chimney caps prevent this occurrence.

Chimney Swifts use their glue like saliva to construct nests right off of the side wall of your flue system. This warm, sheltered area is the perfect nesting spot for their young. Using their saliva they make nests of of sticks, twigs, and other debris that is absolutely flammable and may cause a chimney fire.

With all this being said, it is important to select a chimney sweeping company who is reputable and will not illegally remove the Swifts, which can cause you unbelievable trouble. If you may have a Chimney Swift problem, be sure to inquire about their practices in these situations. Remember that Chimney Swift removal blatantly violates the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Stainless steel chimney caps are vital for any chimney.

Once the birds have flown away, it is prudent to have a chimney cap installed on your chimney to prevent this situation from occurring again. Chimney Swifts can be particularly annoying during the morning hours, and their removal can cost a homeowner or chimney company up to $10,000 per bird or egg. After they have flown away it is also necessary to have the chimney swept before you burn a fire. If you do not, the debris and nesting material lodged in the flue system can catch fire and cause a chimney fire to occur.

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Flexible Stainless Steel Chimney Liner

Why should you even bother to install a liner? They aren’t cheap, but their benefits definitely outweigh their cost. The liner will protect your flue system, damaged or not, from the transfer of heat in your system to nearby combustibles.

Liners also keep your masonry safe from byproducts of combustion that can be extremely corrosive and damaging to your flue system. The gases produced by combustion will actually eat away at or deteriorate the mortar located in between the flue tiles in your chimney.

Flexible Stainless Steel Chimney Liners

If your existing flue system has been deemed unsafe to burn due to cracked flue tiles, missing mortar joints, etc., then looking into a flexible stainless steel chimney liner may be beneficial. Although rigid stainless steel liners exist, chances are that you may not be able to use this type of liner for your chimney. If your chimney has even the slightest bend to it, then a rigid liner just will not go down into the chimney. Also, you must be sure to use a flexible liner if you are installing for a new woodstove insert because more often than not you are required to bend the liner a little bit to fit it to the stove correctly. Consult a professional when deciding what type of liner will work best for you.

After you purchase your liner in the correct size and material for your particular flue system, carefully remove the liner and lay it out flat on a flat surface. Be cautious, the edges of the liner can be very sharp and potentially cut you. Start by attaching the bottom termination connector. Then tighten the hose clamp, being very careful not to over-tighten it on the liner. After measuring the exact length of the chimney (from the bottom to the very top of the crown,) add twelve to eighteen inches and cut the liner using tin snips. You need to properly install the bottom termination connector.

Chimney Liner Insulation

Chimney liner insulation is necessary along the entire length of the liner. To determine the correct width of the insulation, its time for a little grade school geometry: multiply the diameter of the liner by 3.14 (pi) to get the circumference of the circle, and then add on inch to this number because a one inch overlap is necessary to properly insulate the liner. So long as the insulation will fit in the chimney it is not necessary to have this exact number, it just cannot be any less.

Lay the insulation on the ground with the foil side facing the ground and place the stainless steel liner in the middle. After the liner is wrapped, use foil tape over the seam to keep it snug. After it is secured use one long piece of tape the length of the liner as a whole to cover the seam. This continuous piece of tape will secure the insulation the best.

Wire mesh is also necessary when it comes to insulating the liner. If this was not in place then the insulation itself can be damaged when being lowered into the chimney. Make sure your mesh covers the entire length of the liner. Do not forget to encapsulate the bottom connector piece as well. Hose clamps are the best for attaching the mesh, and they are usually included in the liner kit. Use the clamps to attach the mesh to one end of the liner. Pull the mesh on the other end of the liner until it fits tightly and use the hose clamp to secure it. For safety reasons, use the same tin snips as before to cut away any extra.

Click here for a complete chimney liner insulation kit that has everything you need to install a chimney liner.

Nose cone for pulling liners

Working on a roof, no matter what you are doing, takes many safety precautions. Be sure that you take all of these precautions and you have enough people to safely install the liner. You will be, basically, dropping the liner down through the top of the chimney and feeding it the whole way through to the bottom. It may become necessary for a rope to be tied to the bottom of the liner and someone standing inside the home pulling from the bottom. Be sure to keep the liner as centered as possible while dropping it down into the flue system. This will prevent any damage to the insulation or the liner itself.

After your liner is in the correct position, it is time to cut the top of the liner to fit correctly. Be sure to leave four extra inches showing on the outside of the flue system so that the liner is equal to the height of the crown. Hold the bottom connector in place firmly and apply silicone caulk to the top of the first terracotta flue tile or the chimney crown itself. Then, place the top plate over the liner and press it into the caulking. Tighten the connecting clamp or band around the liner to secure the liner to the top plate. Then, install your stainless steel cap by placing it over the collar of the top plate.

If you are connecting your liner to the appliance vertically, simply connect the appliance connector to the liner and bottom termination point. If you are using a vertical connection then you are finished! If you are connecting horizontally, decide upon the point where the pipe will come through the wall to connect to the tee body. Cut a hole through the insulation and mesh to indicate where the tee snout and tee will connect. Secure the snout and body of the tee using a metal band that should be attached and wraps around the tee body’s backside. Insulate the snout of the tee and fill the hole around the snout with brick and mortar.

Be careful to follow any given directions for your particular flue liner, keep the edges of the stainless steel smooth and be cautious of working with anything on the rooftop of any structure. You can buy a chimney liner kit online here.

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Faulty appliances are actually the cause of a slim percentage of chimney fires. Rather, the major causes are either improper installation or a poorly maintained flue system. Deteriorating liners may be allowing smoke or creosote to seep through the liner into the walls of your chimney. Relining your chimney will actually prevent excessive creosote buildup when venting a wood burning fireplace or stove.

When a chimney fire has occurred or a tile is cracked by some other means, there are many different directions a homeowner can take to

Chimney liner kits make installing a metal flue liner in your chimney less complicated.

reline the chimney. Stainless steel liners, whether rigid or flexible, are excellent options. Rigid liners are made of nonmagnetic stainless steel and come in round tubes five to ten inches in diameter and one to four feet long. Flexible stainless steel liners are much thinner and are of ribbed construction. The flexible liners are easier to install but the rigid liners are more efficient due to their smooth walls.

Aluminum liners are designated to line very specific types of gas-fired systems, but not gas fireplace logs. Chimney caps are recommended for any type of liner, whether tile or metal, and proper insulation should be installed.
A cast-in-place liner mixture requires the careful installation of exactly proportioned, inflated, round or oval bladders and casting a masonry material around them. Older or particularly weak chimneys can benefit most from this style of flue lining because, after curing, this masonry material greatly increases the strength of the chimney.
Occasionally a homeowner may come across a situation where a company gives a choice of a full reline or a reline going about six feet up the chimney. A few reasons why you should choose the full reline would be that with the six foot liner, your appliance or fireplace is guaranteed to operate at less than 100% efficiency. Also, the heavy liner will have to be removed for every cleaning which requires more effort and therefore more money.

It is absolutely imperative that you do not burn a fireplace if there is a cracked flue tile. Contact local chimney repair companies or visit amchimney.com for more information and answers to specific questions regarding your unique chimney. Once flames move through the cracked or deteriorating liner, there is no stopping them from lighting the entire rest of the chimney and roof aflame. Allow the experts at amchimney.com to answer all your questions!

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