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Protect Your Home with a Chimney Liner
Chimney liners are one of the most important fireplace accessories you can buy to protect your home and health. Extreme temperatures and toxic gases are produced when you light a fire in a gas or wood burning fireplace. These combustion products can cause great damage to the fireplace and chimney, and might even cause illness.
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Chimney liners are one of the most important fireplace accessories you can buy to protect your home and health. Extreme temperatures and toxic gases are produced when you light a fire in a gas or wood burning fireplace. These combustion products can cause great damage to the fireplace and chimney, and might even cause illness.
A chimney liner is a metal, ceramic or clay insert that protects the chimney from these byproducts of a burning fire. Additionally, it guards the walls of the chimney from the effects of corrosion and heat. If the chimney becomes too hot or damaged in any way, the surrounding wood is liable to catch fire.
Testing has revealed that unlined chimneys are very hazardous. In the US, homes containing a fireplace that were built after 1940 must have a chimney liner, and they must be replaced if broken or cracked.
There are three basic kinds of chimney liner:
1. Historically, chimney liners have been made from clay tiles. This is a cost effective choice; it’s also easy to get and performs perfectly well in a properly maintained fireplace chimney.
2. Metal chimney liners, typically made from stainless steel or aluminum, are generally utilized for upgrade or repair to an existing chimney. Metal liners enjoy a good safety rating and are tough and long wearing if installed properly.
3. A cast-in-place liner is another possible choice. This lightweight item is produced from material that looks like cement. Once installed inside the chimney, it forms a well insulated, seamless passage to allow the combustion byproducts to escape. This permanent liner can enhance the structural integrity of an older chimney, and is suitable for all kinds of fuel.
These days, homeowners who are putting in a new chimney liner frequently choose stainless steel over clay tiles since it’s easier to install. It comes in two types: stiff or flexible.
Most people choose to have their new chimney liner professionally installed. However, there are kits available that include instructions for installation, and this can save you a lot of money. Generally, all the needed attachments and accessories are included in these kits to make sure the installation goes smoothly.
If your house has a working fireplace, it’s highly important that you get a professional inspection to ensure that it meets today’s safety criteria, particularly if it’s an older home. If you have an old chimney that’s in poor repair or not properly lined, you’re putting your family’s safety at risk. And because there is no shortage of inexpensive and practical ways to fix the problem, you have no reason to shy away from this highly important fireplace accessory.
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