Old Smokey's Fireplace & Chimney's Blog

Reline Your Flue with HeatShield For Extra Protection This Holiday!

A well designed and constructed chimney can withstand the harshest conditions. From the bitter cold of winter, to the inferno of a roaring fire, your chimney should be able to handle wild temperature swings along with anything else that mother nature can throw at it. However, even the most well-built chimney will start to show weakness due to constant exposure to corrosive material such as creosote, and exposure to the elements. One of the places in your chimney that is susceptible to deterioration and breaking down is your chimney flue. Once your chimney flue starts to deteriorate and break down, it may only be a matter of time before it becomes a fire hazard. If damaged, you may think that your only option is to totally replace your chimney flue. However, we here at Old Smokey’s have another option available to you. If the damage to your flue isn’t too extensive, we may be able to save it with a product called HeatShield®. HeatShield® is a product that is designed to reline your chimney flue, filling in any cracks, chips or gouges, giving it a nice smooth surface. This allows your flue to operate like new again, and allow smoke, heat, and exhaust to exit your chimney quickly and easily. If your chimney flue needs minor repairs, HeatShield® could be a great option the could save you a lot of time, money, and energy.

Importance of flue health

It’s important to your chimney’s ability to operate safely that every component of your chimney is working well. This is true for your chimney flue as well. Have a crumbling, broken chimney flue can not only impede your chimney’s ability to work the way it is supposed to, but it can also be a tremendous safety hazard.

Cracks in flue tiles are also common. Cracks are usually caused by your home settling or by wild temperature swings. Although small cracks may seem harmless, they are still a cause for concern. This is because once a crack is formed, it can grow bigger until large pieces of your flue become detached. You flue tile can also start to chip. This is called spalling. This is an issue because smoke and gases can bump into these gouges causing it to bounce around and churn inside your chimney. This can lead to smoke backflow into your home. Cracking and spalling can be serious issues, because anything passing through your chimney can leak through these cracks and into your home, including toxic carbon monoxide gas. Detached flue tiles and gouges also allow heat to transfer more readily from your flue to your chimney, and if your chimney is too hot, it can ignite your home’s framework, causing a house fire.

HeatShield can help!

At Old Smokey’s we use a product called HeatShield® to fill in any gaps, cracks, or chips in your chimney flue. HeatShield® works by spreading a thin layer of refractrant on the inside of your flue. This refractrant fills in cracks and gaps in your flue and giving it a nice, smooth inside. HeatShield® is a wonderful option too because it’s cheaper, less messy and less time consuming than installing a brand new chimney liner. However, if it’s determined that your flue needs to totally be replaced, we here at Old Smokey’s can help you out with that as well

If you are having issues with your flue, it needs to be inspected and repaired right away. Waiting could put your home at risk and turn a simple repair into a bigger issue. Call us at 800-876-6539 or schedule an appointment online to set up an inspection today. We look forward to hearing from you and from all of us here at Old Smokey’s have a wonderful holiday season.

Why Getting Your Chimney Relined Is Important!

Your chimney is designed to carry smoke and gases created by your fireplace outside of your home. It needs to do this without getting overheated. It’s not uncommon to have a fire in your fireplace for more than a couple hours. However, did you know that without some sort of insulation, your chimney wall can become hot enough to catch adjacent woodwork on fire in just 3 ½ hours? The safety of your family and home depend on having a fully functioning chimney system. One that properly blocks heat from the combustible parts of your home. That’s why we here at Old Smokey’s Fireplace and Chimney want to talk to you about the importance of chimney liners!

What is a chimney liner?

A chimney liner is a barrier between the flue and the walls of your chimney. This barrier is meant to protect the chimney walls from getting too hot and catching your house on fire. The chimney liner also protects the bricks and mortar in your chimney walls from deterioration. This is usually created by exposure to condensation or corrosive flue gases. When your masonry starts to deteriorate it can cause a number of problems. These can include structural integrity issues, greater heat exposure to your home, or leaking of toxic gases; this includes carbon monoxide seeping into your home. Consider all the things chimney liners do to protect you and your home. It’s no wonder that almost all fire codes require that chimneys have a liner!

How do I know if I have a chimney liner?

Any newly built chimney is likely to have a chimney liner installed during construction. This is not always the case for older homes, especially homes built before the 1940’s. However, even if your house was built after the 1940’s, that doesn’t mean your liner is working properly. Clay liners can become worn and the mortar joints can weaken over time. So, even if you are confident that your chimney liner is present, it is important that you have it inspected annually. Not only that, but a Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) certified technician here at Old Smokey’s Fireplace and Chimney! An experienced chimney professional should be able to tell you if you need a chimney relining or repair.

What are my options for fixing my chimney liner?

Do you have a clay liner that is fine structurally but needs some a few small repairs? If so, we can use a product called HeatShield® to seal any areas that may need to be fixed up. If the problem is more serious, you may need to have your chimney relined with a stainless steel or an aluminum liner. Stainless steel liners tend to be more expensive, but they usually come with a lifetime warranty. In contrast, aluminum liners are usually used with gas appliances.

Are you wondering if you should get your chimney relined? Then contact us at Old Smokey’s Fireplace and Chimney and have one of our CSIA certified technicians today to schedule an inspection!