Your chimney serves as a source of enjoyment for your whole family. However, if your chimney isn’t properly lined, you may be putting your family at risk. Your chimney liner serves two main functions. First, it gives smoke, gases, and heat a smooth path from your fireplace to outside your home. Secondly, and most importantly, it protects your home from heat produced in your fireplace. At Old Smokey’s, we can’t stress enough the importance of having a liner installed in your chimney. In fact, if you do not have a liner installed in your chimney, your fireplace is not safe to use. Let us help you determine if your chimney liner is functioning properly and ready for use.
What is a chimney liner?
When you use your fireplace, your masonry naturally conducts heat. Although your masonry is not flammable, it can hold heat and transfer it to your surrounding woodwork. If your woodwork gets hot enough, this can be a serious safety hazard. The National Bureau of Standards tested chimneys with no liner. They discovered a fire lasting over 3 hours with no liner increased risk of a house fire. Because of this, fire codes today require having a protective liner in the chimney. This creates a barrier between the inside of your chimney and your home.
How do I know if I have a chimney liner?
In the 1940s, fire codes became more strict. Therefore, if your home was built after the 1940s, you most likely have a liner installed. If you are unsure whether you have one or not, do not operate your fireplace until you have an inspection. Schedule a Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) certified chimney technician to inspect it and give you guidance.
If your home was built after the 1940s this does not mean that you can just forget about your liner. Chimney liners can crack or become holey, exposing parts of your home to extreme heat. Because of this, you still need to have your liner (along with your entire chimney system) inspected annually to determine if your liner is showing any signs of weakening. If your liner isn’t working properly, it can lead to a number of issues including masonry erosion and carbon monoxide exposure.
We can help!
At Old Smokey’s we offer a number of liner options, however, the most common ones that we install are either made from stainless steel or aluminum. These types of liners are relatively easy to install, insulate well, and are very durable. Our CSIA certified chimney technicians are well trained and have many years of experience installing chimney liners, so you can trust that your chimney liner will function the way it is supposed to.
If you have questions regarding your chimney liner, we here at Old Smokey’s can help you determine the condition of your chimney liner and any steps that need to be taken. Call Old Smokey’s today at 260-424-0009 or schedule an appointment online to have a technician come to your home for an inspection. We look forward to serving you!