Modern safety standards regulate chimneys in many ways, such as the inclusion of the chimney liner in any home. Masonry chimneys were once built without anything lining the inside. While the bricks and mortar used in their construction often held up for several decades, eventual wear and tear made it so that chimneys were at an extremely high risk of catching fire. Beginning in the 1940s, building regulations began to include the mandated addition of a chimney liner in any new construction.
Chances are high that your chimney already has a liner in place. Your liner may be made of metal (steel or aluminum, primarily), or it could be made of clay tile. One other effective method of lining a chimney is with a cast-in-place method, in which cement is poured around an inflated tube, which is removed after the cement hardens. But it’s possible that your existing liner is not effective enough and must be replaced.
How Can You Tell Your Chimney Needs Relining?
One reason to install a new chimney liner is if you are installing a new, modern stove for use with an older chimney. The size of the chimney flue can affect the stove’s performance, so your technician might recommend adding in a new liner.
Another reason to reline the chimney is if your older liner has become cracked or if the safety is compromised in any way. Clay tile liners are likely to develop cracks which could allow fire to spread to the home quickly. Of course, this would be difficult to recognize without a close examination of the chimney.
That’s why it’s so important to schedule routine chimney inspections and chimney cleaning every year. Cleaning helps to rid the flue of any residue that could help spark a fire. Inspections help you feel confident that your chimney is safe and sound for use in the coming colder weather.
Contact 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. for chimney services in the Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN area. Call Us Today! 612.922.9600 or 1-888-PIXLEYS