When you live in an older home, you have the responsibility of being sure everything, such as your electrical system and your fireplace and chimney, in your home meets modern building codes. Over the years, safety issues can require updates and changes to building codes and standards, and our staff at Aelite Chimney Specialties is very familiar with how these codes have evolved when it comes to fireplaces and chimneys. Our technicians are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and know exactly what to look for when inspecting older chimneys to ensure all modern building codes have been met. While we have seen chimneys that need essential masonry repairs to be able to meet safety codes, the most common update we have experienced has to do with chimney liners. Many older chimneys were not built with liners, and this is a major code violation. We would like to tell you more about chimney liners and why they are so essential to your fireplace and chimney system.
Why is it so important to have a chimney liner?
Not only is a chimney liner crucial for safety reasons, but your fireplace and chimney will work more efficiently with the proper chimney liner. The CSIA lists three main functions of a chimney liner:
- To protect your home from the extremely hot temperatures produced by the fireplace: Without a chimney liner, the combustible materials of your home can be in danger of catching fire due to these high temperatures. A liner helps to prevent this type of fire.
- To protect the bricks and mortar of your chimney from the corrosive byproducts of combustion: A chimney liner keeps the acidic and corrosive gases from eating away at the masonry materials of your chimney. When the mortar joints of your chimney erode, there is a greater chance that the toxic byproducts of combustion like carbon monoxide can leak into your home.
- To provide a correctly sized flue to your heating appliance: If you have a modern fireplace insert installed into your old fireplace, there is a good chance the flue is too large for the insert. This size issue can cause draft problems that lead to the overproduction of creosote deposits and of carbon monoxide. By fitting your heating appliance with a chimney liner, you will have a properly sized flue that will allow your appliance to work at its highest level of efficiency.
If your chimney is without a liner or has not been inspected, contact us at Aelite Chimney Specialties to correct this problem and bring your chimney up to code. We carry and install Ventinox stainless steel lining systems that can be used with all types of fuel and will last a lifetime.