The Role of Commercial Chimney Liners and Why They Matter
In the world of commercial buildings, safety and efficiency are necessary for operating your property. Commercial chimney liners are commonly overlooked when it comes to maintaining your commercial chimney. However, they play a pivotal role in ensuring smooth operation and safety.
At Best Chimney Services, we are a family-owned business that has been helping residents and commercial property owners in the Boston area maintain and repair chimneys for over three decades. We offer a range of commercial chimney services and residential chimney services to assist you with any chimney problems. In this blog, we dive into the importance of chimney liners in commercial settings, including their function, types, and the benefits they offer in terms of safety and performance. Read on to learn more, or schedule an appointment with us to get started on your routine chimney maintenance.
Function of Commercial Chimney Liners
Commercial chimney liners act as protective barriers throughout your chimney system, serving multiple functions, including:
Combustion Byproduct
A primary function of chimney liners is to contain the byproducts of combustion, including harmful gases such as carbon monoxide. By guiding these gases safely out of the building, liners prevent them from escaping into the building, mitigating health risks for anyone living or working in the building.
Draft Efficiency
Properly sized and liners aid in optimizing draft efficiency, facilitating the smooth exit of exhaust gases. This not only enhances the performance of heating appliances but also reduces the likelihood of backdrafts, which can lead to carbon monoxide buildup.
Protection Against Corrosion
Over time, chimneys’ interiors can deteriorate due to exposure to acidic combustion byproducts. Liners act as a barrier, shielding the chimney structure from corrosion and prolonging its lifespan.
Types of Commercial Chimney Liners
Chimney liners are made and sold in a variety of materials to meet different needs. The types of chimney liners include:
Metal Liners
Metal chimney liners are offered in a variety of alloys to meet your specific needs. Metal liners are known for being highly durable and resistant to corrosion. Metal liners are suitable for all fuel types: gas, condensing gas and oil. We often recommend stainless steel, however, aluminum is a more affordable option you may be able to opt for if the boiler manufacturer allows.
Polypropylene
Lightweight polypropylene venting systems are more popular today than ever. Used for venting category II and IV condensing gas appliances, polypro is a great option for high efficiency installations. Available in flex and rigid, the pathway can be configured to vent individual appliances or cascaded to form common vent systems.
Positive Pressure
Engineered positive pressure venting systems are available in double or triple wall and are constructed to meet UL 103 and NFPA 211 for 1400˚F factory built chimneys.
Benefits of Chimney Liners
Compliance with Regulations
As we mentioned previously, chimney liners are necessary in order to guide unsafe byproducts out of your building. Therefore, many building codes require chimney liners in commercial buildings. Not adhering to this standard can result in penalties and risks of operating malfunctions and hazardous gases in the building.
Extended Chimney Lifespan
When you use a chimney liner, you’re protecting the chimney against corrosion. This prolongs the life of the structures, reducing the need for costly commercial chimney repairs or replacements. However, it’s important to remember that your liner will not last forever, so make sure you know when to replace your chimney liner so that it can still do its job.
Optimized Performance
Properly sized and insulated liners contribute to improved draft efficiency, ensuring heating appliances operate at peak performance levels while minimizing energy waste – this equates to fuel cost savings month to month.
Call Best Chimney Services to Install Your Commercial Chimney Liner
Chimney liners are necessary to keep your building safe and your chimney performing efficiently. At Best Chimney Services, we want to take your chimney problems off your list of to-dos. When you schedule an appointment with us to install your chimney liner or just book a routine maintenance check, we’ll keep you informed every step of the way so you understand your chimney.
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