Chimney Liner Repair: Is HeatShield® Right for You?

How Do I Know What Chimney Liner I Need?

Unfortunately, over time, hidden dangers can develop that will compromise the safety and efficiency of your chimney. During an inspection, a chimney professional will check your chimney for deteriorated mortar between clay flue liners and for cracked or spalled flue liners. These defects can be caused by numerous things, including a mixture of heat, moisture, and corrosive chemicals that act together to erode mortar, leaving gaps or voids between flue tiles. Flue tiles can also crack due to a previous chimney fire, lightning strike, seismic event, poor workmanship, or the natural settling of your home. These defects – no matter how small – can begin the process of eroding your chimney and pose a threat to your family’s health.

Before making any recommendations about relining a chimney, one of our certified inspectors will conduct a thorough chimney inspection, checking it for any fire and/or health risks. We will then make the appropriate liner recommendation for your specific situation and needs. Questions? Give us a call or reach out online today.

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How Does HeatShield® Chimney Relining Work?

HeatShield® is a chimney liner repair system that eliminates the hazards and draft problems caused by gaps, cracks, and spalling in otherwise sound masonry chimneys. Whether your masonry chimney is used to vent a fireplace, woodstove, or furnace, most have stacked sections of clay tiles that form a liner called the flue. The flue liner should be tightly sealed to protect the integrity and efficiency of your chimney.

When a fire is lit, the combustion process creates noxious gases that can contain creosote/soot, carbon monoxide, and corrosive chemicals. The purpose of your chimney is to safely vent these hazardous flue gases from your home.

That’s where HeatShield® comes in, sealing things up and ensuring your system can safely transport fumes, smoke, and gases out of your home for the long haul.

• Technicians begin with a thorough flue inspection to identify cracks, gaps, or damage.

• A custom foam plug is inserted into the chimney to help evenly apply the HeatShield® Cerfractory® sealant.

• The plug is pulled through the flue, coating the interior and filling in any gaps or voids to create a smooth, sealed surface.

• Depending on the level of damage, the liner is either resurfaced or reinforced with a CeCure® Sleeve.

• Once the application is complete, the chimney is tested to confirm proper draft and safe venting.

• The finished liner restores structural integrity, improves performance, and eliminates the need for a full chimney rebuild.

What Happens if I Put Off Chimney Relining?

You should never put off the replacement or repair of your chimney’s lining. Here’s why:

• Gaps and cracks in a chimney lining can cause serious health risks by allowing poisonous gases (like carbon monoxide) to leak into your home.
• A damaged chimney liner is a fire hazard because it can encourage creosote buildup, causing it to build up in the area outside the flue liner. If the creosote were to catch fire in this area of your chimney, serious damage could occur because the fire would not be contained within the flue.
• In order for chimneys to work efficiently and for gases to flow through them correctly, they have to be free of gaps and cracks. Imperfections allow excess air into your chimney, slow the updraft, and make it harder for smoke and gases to escape. Hence, the fireplace, wood stove, or furnace will perform poorly and cause a loss in heat efficiency.

Schedule Today With Ace Chimney in Wilmington Today

Call Ace Chimney Sweeps, Inc. today or schedule a chimney inspection online and find out what condition your flue is in!

Does your smoke chamber need repairs or parging? That’s one of our specialities at Ace Chimney.