What is a Chimney Liner

Using your chimney and fireplace can certainly help keep you warm during the winter months.  However, using them can also lead to disaster in the form of a house fire.  That is why it is very important for you to maintain and operate your chimney and fireplace properly.

One good way to ensure your chimney stays in good condition is to get a liner.  A chimney liner will perform a variety of functions designed to help protect your chimney.

Whenever you burn a fire in your fireplace, it will obviously generate a lot of heat.  The structure surrounding the fireplace made from brick or wood can easily succumb to this heat.  It may catch fire if temperatures rise too much, but a chimney liner will help keep this from happening since it helps insulate from the heat.

A chimney liner will also help protect the inside of the chimney itself.  Whenever you burn a fire, a lot of acidic gasses will be produced.  These gasses can easily degrade brick and mortar if they come into contact with them.  A liner will help keep the gasses from causing any damage until they escape into the environment.

An unlined chimney will degrade very quickly.  Minor problems will not be much of a hassle to repair.  However, repairs would become much more expensive as the problem gets worse.

A chimney liner is also responsible for transporting other harmful gasses out of the fireplace and into the environment.  Unlined chimneys may have a problem doing this properly.  Therefore, these harmful byproducts of wood burning can accumulate in your home and lead to health problems.

It is important to note there are various types of chimney liners.  They include metal, concrete, and clay liners.  Each one offers a few advantages and disadvantages when compared to its counterparts.

For example, concrete liners are very durable.  You likely will not have any problems with them cracking like clay liners.  However, concrete designs cannot be taken out since they are ultimately permanent.  Metal liners also offer durability.  They are usually made from aluminum or stainless steel.  Clay liners are very popular.  This is mainly due to the fact they are the least expensive solution.  As mentioned though, they can crack over time and need to be repaired or replaced. 

Chimneys on newer model homes are usually installed properly.  If you have an older home though, it is possible you do not have a liner inside your chimney.  You may want to consider having one installed in order to prevent problems in the future.