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The HeatShield® Relining Method

Up until recently, there were few options for repairing a clay or terracotta chimney liner other than just replacing it with a stainless steel one. The major reason is you couldn’t get inside the flue to even out the gaps, cracks and flaking. But now with HeatShield®, all that has changed and you now have the option to restore your chimney’s clay flue liner instead of going to the expense of rebuilding or relining.

The First Step

Of course the first step is discovering if your chimney liner has any of the problems that allow poisonous CO2 gas and other gases to escape into your home through the breaks and gaps in the liner. This can be determined in a level 2 inspection. This includes running a camera up through the chimney liner so we can closely inspect the liner walls. Through this process we are able to see the details that reveal any hidden dangers.

The great thing about HeatShield® is it restores the integrity of your chimney flue liner to vent the hazardous gases out of your home the way your chimney is supposed to do. Functionality of your fireplace is restored and you can enjoy your fireplace as usual without worrying about the dangers that have not been fixed.

We Think “Safety First”

Our number one reason for offering the HeatShield® option is for safety purposes. However, we know from experience that your chimney system is not working up to its potential when it has internal damage to the flue liner. Those small gaps and cracks allow excess air into your chimney, slow the updraft and make it harder for smoke and gas to rise up and out. That means that the fireplace, wood stove or furnace will perform poorly, resulting in the loss of heat efficiency until the liner is repaired or replaced.

What Leading Organizations Are Saying

According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, (CSIA.org), problems such as gaps, cracks and spalling (flaking) in your chimney’s flue can present serious risks to your home and family, because your chimney can no longer perform its intended function which is to safely contain and vent the products of combustion to the outside of your home.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) states, “If the flue liner in a chimney has softened, cracked or otherwise deteriorated so that it no longer has the ability to contain the products of combustion (i.e., heat, moisture, creosote, and flue gases), it shall be removed and replaced, repaired or relined…” NFPA 211-Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents and Solid Fuel-Burning Appliances (2006).

We also can find written into the building codes and fire standards that chimneys should be “structurally sound, durable, smoke tight and capable of conveying flue gases to the outside completely and safely”. This is not about just new construction but any residential or commercial structure that is fitted with a fireplace, wood stove or furnace appliance of any type.

Where to Start

Start with an inspection first and find out if your liner is even something you need to worry about. Most of the time, chimneys that have been properly maintained are fine unless something unusual has happened to damage it outside of normal use.

It’s good to know that having HeatShield® as an option to restore your chimney liner gives you an inexpensive alternative to restore function for safety and efficiency. It’s great to know that a liner can be repaired without the added hassles of rebuilding your chimney and the cost of a new liner.

If you feel this might be something you want to take a look at, please let us know. There are many families in the Charleston and surrounding areas that no longer use their fireplaces because they have not had an affordable way to restore it properly. We would like to have the chance to see if this new process can restore your fireplace so you can enjoy it once again.

 

Chimney relining is just one of many chimney repairs we offer.