Cracked Clay Chimney Liner

Over time cracks can develop in clay liners so here s a tip.

Cracked clay chimney liner.

Eventually though clay liners deteriorate. They simply inserted the metal liner into the clay liner. A stainless steel chimney liner is the preferred option among homeowners as it often comes with a lifetime warranty and typically never needs to be replaced. If properly installed and maintained metal chimney liners are extremely safe and durable stainless steel is suitable for wood burning gas or oil appliances while the aluminum is an inexpensive alternative for certain medium efficiency gas applications only.

Most masonry fireplaces are built with clay liners. Cracked chimney masonry such as shown in the photo of cracks in a brick chimney exterior at left may a safety concern if the flue liner or chimney are not intact and fire gas safe. That s what our home inspector found in gainesville fla. Is this something i need to worry about.

A cast in place liner completely fills the sides of the flue with mortar creating a smooth crack free and stable liner. Types of chimney liners. The process involves putting an inflatable mold bladder down the chimney. The brick chimney crack type shown here is more often caused by thermal expansion and improper chimney construction than by frost frost cracking is often more.

Get a metal one. Repairs aren t usually a feasible option because partial tear down of the chimney itself is. Metal chimney liners usually of stainless steel or aluminum are primarily used to upgrade and repair existing chimneys. Whether your masonry chimney is used to vent a fireplace woodstove or furnace most have sections of clay flue tile stacked one on top of the other to form a liner called the flue.

The flue liner should be tightly sealed to protect the integrity and efficiency of your chimney. A cracked flue liner in the chimney is not an unusual problem. This is ideal for flues that appear to have cracked tiles as a result of. I recently noticed that the top clay liner part that is sticking out from the chimney had a piece cracked off on the top.

Single clay flue tiles can also be installed to replace broken ones but will often crack again creating another safety hazard within the flue. Anatomy of your chimney. Over time intense heat weather conditions and general wear and tear can result in a cracked liner. If you notice several cracks through the entire flue and replacing the clay tiles is not an option you can choose to have a professional service create a new flue by placing a mold inside the flue then pumping cement around it.

Clay tile chimney liner when chimneys are initially built they usually always have a clay tile liner.