The Necessity of a Chimney Liner in Chicago

by | Jun 6, 2014 | Construction and Maintenance

When homes have chimneys that are in use for their heating systems, home owners need to take certain steps in order to know that they are going to be working properly, and not be fire hazards. Smoke from fireplaces and furnaces is carried through the flue, which is a passage inside the chimney. There is also a liner, which keeps combustible items from the fireplace, furnace, and other appliances contained as they go through the chimney. This liner can be part of a masonry fireplace, or it can be added separately when a fireplace is built or during any renovations.

It is necessary to have a chimney liner Chicago homes that have fire places. In fact, this liner is one of, if not the most important part of a chimney. Early chimneys built before the 1940’s were not built with the liners that most people use today. Instead, the “liner” was made from the bricks and mortar inside the flue. In the 1940’s, chimneys built for new homes were made with liners made from terra cotta and built right in the flue. Parging, a type of mortar, was placed between the terra cotta tiles to create a seal between the inside of the flue and the chimney. Visit website for more information.

For older homes that don’t have liners in the chimneys, the liners can be added, and various materials and steps are taken for this type of job. For instance, a special type of mortar mix can be used. A rubber bladder is inflated and placed in the center of the flue, the mortar is mixed and pumped in around it, and when it is set, the bladder is removed. This leaves a solid liner.

Many home owners have a metal chimney liner in their Chicago homes. These are placed inside the flue, and they are made from stainless steel and aluminum. They can be rigid or flexible, with the flexible styles being the easiest to install if the flue is offset. Rigid liners are the least expensive, but can only be used in straight flues. Home owners can visit Sitename about the various services offered, and to schedule appointments for free estimates.

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