HeatShield® Cerfractory Flue Repair
Your chimney may look good on the outside but have hidden dangers on the inside. If your chimney has a clay flue liner that is damaged but is in otherwise good shape, Ace Chimney Sweeps usually recommend that you make use of HeatShield® Cerfractory Flue Sealant, which is an effective, economical solution for restoring your existing liner . Restoring your liner in this way can save you the expense of rebuilding or relining with a stainless steel chimney liner.
Before making any recommendations about relining a chimney, one of our certified inspectors will conduct a thorough inspection of your chimney liner, checking it for fire and health risks. We will then make the appropriate liner recommendation for your specific situation and needs.
How Does HeatShield 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.
Before you can understand how HeatShield® works, you have to first understand how a chimney works. 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. But 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 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.
Why You Shouldn’t Wait To Repair Your Chimney’s Lining
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 release creosote and cause 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, they have to be free of gaps and cracks so that gases will flow through them correctly. Gaps and cracks 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.
Call Ace Chimney Sweeps, Inc. today or schedule a chimney inspection online and find out what condition your flue is in!
Stainless steel liners may be the answer to your chimney relining needs. We’ll be happy to advise you on your options for this important chimney repair and what will work best for your chimney.
