Fireplace Information Blog

A chimney liner is one component of a chimney whose importance cannot be overemphasized. This is because it prevents gases of combustion from leaking into your house, which could turn out to be a health hazard as the gases are toxic (carbon monoxide being a case in this point). Apart from this, some of the substances resulting from combustion of fuel are themselves combustible. An example is creosote, which can seep through the mortar of your chimney and collect in adjacent woodwork. Hence it can become a fire hazard.

One should therefore consider upgrading their chimney lining for safety’s sake. This is especially true if your chimney was built with no liner, or if it has a liner which is cracked or too large. One could contract a professional to do it or do it themselves, but the constant that shouldn’t be ignored is to use quality products, preferably liners made of stainless steel. These can be bought

A smooth wall stainless steel chimney liner is the latest technology in this wide chimney industry. It combines the advantages of both the improved performance of a rigid chimney liner and flexible chimney liner. This stainless steel liner has a double wall construction which takes advantage of the highest technology involved in making 316 version of stainless steel. The liner is more flexible than any other and offers the best performance you can think of.

A smooth wall stainless steel chimney liner is the most efficient venting because of the decreased turbulence. The liner can be shaped into square, oval and rectangle to take advantage of each cubic inch and more so, offer maximum draft. The stainless steel chimney kit includes cap, collar, tee, top plate, stainless screws and clamp. If your chimney is that straight from top to bottom then this kit is perhaps the perfect one. While taking advantage of the high quality smooth wall interiors, the liner itself will last forever and is easier to clean. Insulation will be required for the solid fuels although this may be optional for gas and oil. The smooth wall will have a smooth flexible interior wall while the exterior is corrugated. There are therefore no sizing restrictions in case of oil and gas applications.

There are a number of shaped chimney liners which can include oval, square, rectangle, round and custom liners. Every sweep estimate for each chimney may be different and the common of the above list are the round and oval shaped chimney liners which turn out to be economical as well.

The stainless oval chimney liners are both water and air tight. Sometimes, the flue liner may have up to seven ply seams which are rated best for their strength. The stainless material used to make them is also at its best. Coming in different sizes, the oval liners are priced per foot. If you chose an oval shaped chimney liner, you will need the top plates as well. The top plates work well if one has clay tile at the top of the chimney. The plates have oval design to fit the oval shaped chimney. It is quick to install as most of the plates come with a quick to connect system. One just needs to tighten down the screws to

Oval chimney liners are categorized under single wall liners which are flexible, economical and strong. The single liners with round and oval cross sections also come in a variety of stainless steel grades. The oval shape is known to offer a larger cross section especially when it is installed in rectangular enclosures. When installing a wood stove in your fireplace there are ways you can get past the damper housing with this chimney liner.

One can convert from the round to the oval liner at the damper housing. Here, you should go through this damper housing with the oval liner and later convert it back to round while at the stove. This method is costly as the oval pipe plus the adaptors are expensive. It also may bring problems during the cleaning of the chimney. The preferred method is by cutting the damper housing where one will keep the same diameter liner from his stove to the top of his chimney. In this method, cleaning will be done swiftly

Older homes often need rigid chimney liners to make them more efficient and safer. Unlined chimneys are vulnerable to creosote, acidic gases and the risk of chimney fires which weaken both the mortar and the brick. To own the right chimney liner, it will depend on the kind of chimney one has. The rigid stainless steel chimney liners do provide uninterrupted and smooth surfaces that creosote cannot cling to. These liners are inexpensive to install and fit older unlined chimneys. Being multipurpose, the steel liners are good for oil, wood and gas appliances. They are faster to install than clay liners.

Aluminum chimney liners work well to retrofit homes for the gas appliances. They are rigid liners but lighter in weight than stainless steel, and are cheaper. However, they cannot hold up to the combustion byproducts of oil burners. Clay tile is the oldest form of chimney liners. When installed correctly,

There is a special fire clay that is used to make the refractory panels. Once the mixture is formed out of the raw material it is poured into forms, and then cured for a certain period of time before being installed into the fireplace. The refractory panels act as protection to the sheet metal so as not to get damaged while burning fire. The following are instructions on how to install your panels.

Since installation itself is dirty work, one should spread out a tarp in front of the fireplace and out into the room. Then, one should remove the grill to clean the fireplace. The grill should be cleaned outside the fireplace using a brush. Then he should scrape out all the ash from the fire place before scrubbing the floor of the fireplace with soap and water. Locate panel clamps to hold the panels in place. Each clamp contains four to six screws and they run the length of each panel along the perimeter

Also known as chase tops, chase covers are metal coverings that are designed to keep rain, animals and snows from entering a home through the chimney’s opening. They cover the entire top of your chimney because they are designed to fit around the round metal chimney. In fact, they fit well over the chimney just like the shoe box lids. It is necessary to buy a chase cover because your family will be protected from harmful animals and diseases, and also your chimney will be in good shape for a longer time duration. There are different materials used in making the chimney chase covers as described below.

The galvanized steel is the lowest in terms of cost although it is known to rust quickly and may need shorter periods of time to be replaced. One is advised to have an alternative cover.

Aluminum does not rust but it is considered to be too soft for its purpose. It is

In order to measure your flexible chimney liner kit, you will need to determine the dimensions of the chimney and also the specifications for the appliances you will hook the liner kit to. The chimney liner kit needs to have the largest diameter pipe that fits inside one’s flue if it is going to serve the fireplace. Before selecting the flexible chimney liner kit, the basic requirements will be the height of your chimney, and the dimensions of the existing flue. Start measuring to the top of the fireplace smoke chamber by using a flexible tape measure or the weight to a string. Lower the weight down to the point where the liner will be connected. Having done that, you can now measure the string to determine the height of your chimney.

When it comes to a fireplace, the cross sectional area of the liner should be in the ten to one ratio. The liner’s diameter should not be too small to avoid the risk of

It is recommended to use a stainless steel chimney chase cover when replacing your old chase cover. Stainless steel is not only durable and stronger but it also looks new for quite a longer period of time. The chase cover should be designed with a cross break since this helps in preventing ice and water from getting trapped on top of the chase cover. With stainless chase covers, there is guarantee for preventing corrosion from happening.

The prefab chimney chase covers do rust because of the elements. The decaying process starts when rain water and snow get trapped on top of the chase cover. This may even get worse when leaves from trees mix with moisture leading to creation of acidic condition which breaks down the galvanized coating of a chase cover. The breakdown causes pitting of the chase cover which eventually leads to dripping of water inside your chimney.

The stainless steel chimney chase cover is customized to fit

Wood burning fireplace inserts can be defined as units made from stone or other substances that are designed to be placed into a fireplace that is old or not very efficient. The fire inserts lower pollution in the air, heighten energy efficiency and increase the output of warming your living area. Although they may not be cheap, fireplace inserts are less expensive as compared to regular utilities. Research needs to be done in making decision for acquiring a fireplace insert.

The condition of the fireplace is the major factor to consider. If the ventilation is not adequate and your fireplace is full of cracks, then repair must be done. If a contractor is to be hired then he should make sure that your fireplace is structurally sound. The insert should not be for display only; it should be put to good use. If it is going to increase your usable space, then searching the best prices for your insert is prudent. One should not bother with an insert