In order to work efficiently and safely, your chimney system needs several components, including a liner. Modern building codes require installing a chimney liner in newly constructed chimneys, but if you live in an older home, your chimney could be unlined. Without a liner, you could experience several dangerous problems. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) reports that the National Bureau of Standards tested masonry chimneys in the 1940’s and again in the 1980’s and found that unlined chimneys were so unsafe that one of the researchers said that building a chimney without a liner was “a little less than criminal.” American Chimney & Masonry offers chimney relining services that include stainless steel liners and HeatShield restoration. We would like to tell you more about the problems that can occur due to an unlined chimney.
Greater risk of a house fire
One of the jobs of a chimney liner is to protect the combustible parts of your home that surround the chimney from the extremely hot temperatures produced during fires. Without a liner in place, heat can move through the chimney so quickly that the National Bureau of Standards claims that any adjacent woodwork could catch fire within three and a half hours. To reduce this risk, you need a chimney liner to keep that heat from spreading to the combustible parts of your house.
Greater risk of damaged masonry work
A chimney liner also keeps the corrosive gases from combustion from eating away at the bricks and mortar of your chimney. If these gases come into contact with the masonry materials, the life of the chimney can be significantly shortened. This can also lead to cracks and gaps that can allow carbon monoxide to enter your home. To protect the bricks and mortar as well as your health, it is essential to have a chimney liner installed in your chimney.
Reduction of efficiency
If you have converted your old masonry fireplace with a new fireplace insert, you need to be sure the flue matches the size of your insert. Most masonry chimneys are much larger than these newer inserts, and this size difference can cause draft issues and other problems that can reduce the efficiency of your chimney. American Chimney & Masonry can check out your flue, and if we find that the flue is too large for your heating appliance, we can install a new stainless steel liner to create a correctly sized flue that will help your appliance to work as efficiently as possible.
These problems can be easily prevented with the installation of a chimney liner. Contact us at American Chimney & Masonry to learn more about Chimney Inspections and our chimney relining options.
Portland Chimney Repair – Service Area
Located right here in Portland, Oregon, our chimney sweep technicians provide the best in chimney services, fireplace installation and chimney inspections in the Portland-Metro area. From NE Portland down to SE Portland, Tualatin and Oregon City in the south, from Pleasant Valley in the east to Beaverton and Sherwood in the west – when it comes to your chimney, fireplace and vents, we hope you’ll call American Chimney & Masonry! We are the most trusted Portland Chimney Repair company!
