Category: Uncategorized

How a Fireplace Blower Can Improve Your Fireplace Efficiency

Fireplace blowers, also called fireplace fans, can bring heat into your home that would normally be lost up the chimney. Blowers are simple devices that circulate air within the firebox and send it out into the room without any smoke. They can work with masonry fireplaces and select wood and gas fireplaces and fireplace inserts. Is a fireplace blower the right solution for you? Let’s explore the idea.

The problem with traditional masonry fireplaces

Fireplace Blower installation in Overland Park KS, Lenexa KSThe majority of homeowners who look into purchasing a fireplace blower are those using open masonry fireplaces. This style of fireplace is beautiful to look at and brings lots of ambiance to a room, but it’s not known as a producer of high heat. There’s plenty of heat in the firebox, but usually 80% or more of it channels right up the chimney and is lost forever.

This is why it’s common for folks with traditional fireplaces to have to use their home’s heating system in conjunction with the fireplace to keep comfortably warm during the cold months. And that keeps them spending more money than they’d prefer to on utility bills.

Make sure a fireplace blower is compatible with your fireplace

Fireplace blowers can be installed in many different types of fireplaces, but there are some models for which blowers are incompatible. If you have a manufactured fireplace, such as a zero-clearance gas or wood unit, and are trying to make it even more efficient, the manufacturer’s paperwork should tell you if a blower can be installed.

Blowers will work with most masonry wood-burning fireplaces, but before buying the product, it’s a good idea to check with a local hearth retailer or a certified fireplace and chimney service company to ensure that your fireplace will accommodate a blower.

Advantages of fireplace blowers

  • Get heat into your room fast
  • The heat arrives with no smoke mixed in it
  •  Electrical usage is minimal
  • Cut down on central heat dependency
  •  Lower your utility bills
  •  Keep using your existing masonry fireplace and enjoy its beauty

Other heating options

Fireplace blowers are a relatively inexpensive solution to an under-performing fireplace. But if you don’t like air blowing in your home and aren’t interested in doing the work to install the blower, there are some other options to significantly increase the amount of heat you bring into your home.

Gas Fireplace inserts in Mission Hills KSFireplace insert:  These are heavy-duty appliances that come from a factory ready to install in the firebox of your masonry fireplace. Inserts produce and retain upwards of 80% of the heat they create, meaning a lot more heat for your home.

Zero-clearance fireplaces:  ZC fireplaces are complete fireplaces that are installed in a wall within your home. Like inserts, they come in a variety of attractive designs and finishes, and they produce far more heat than a traditional masonry fireplace.

Fireplace inserts are built to run on gas, wood or pellets whereas ZC fireplaces are available in wood or gas fuels. For safety reasons, installation should be handled by a fireplace installation professional.

Fluesbrothers Chimney & Fireplace of Kansas City, KS, can help you decide on the best option for supplemental home heating. Call (913) 236-7141 with questions about fireplace blowers, fireplace insert installation or zero-clearance wood or gas fireplace installation. We carry certifications from the Chimney Safety Institute of America and the National Fireplace Institute and will make sure your installation is done right.

The post How a Fireplace Blower Can Improve Your Fireplace Efficiency appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.

4 Areas To Pay Attention To When Undertaking Chimney Inspection

chimney inspection

During summer, you have little use for the chimney as its warm most of the time. As winter approaches, it starts getting cold, and you have to warm the house using the fireplace.

Before you begin using the chimney, first inspect it. Unless you are experienced and have the necessary skills, always let an experienced chimney inspection technician do the work. During the inspection pay attention to:

Flue dampers

These are devices that trap heat inside the house when there is no fire burning, and allow smoke to leave the house when the fire is burning. The dampers are at the top of the chimney, so you have to get to the roof of the house.

If working correctly, the damper should open fully. If you open and it’s not opening completely, find out where the problem is and fix it. If the damper is functioning correctly and opening fully, you should be able to look up through the flue and see the daylight.

To confirm, check using a flashlight. If you can’t see the light, the chances are that there are nests of birds or animals there. These not only trap heat, but they also prevent the harmful gases from leaving the house, putting your life and that of your loved ones at risk.

Before you start any fire, first get rid of any blocking materials that might be there.

Check the firebox

The firebox is where you place the logs and start the fire. Since you weren’t lighting a fire there, the chances are that you haven’t paid much attention to it. Inspect the chimney for creosote buildup, broken bricks and mortar.

If the creosote in the chimney is more than a 1/8th of an inch, first get rid of the creosote before you light any fire there. Unless you have chimney cleaning skills, let an experienced chimney sweep handle the task.

If the bricks are broken, ask the contractor to replace them before you start using the chimney.

If the firebox is clear, place the grate near the back to ensure that most of the resulting smoke goes up the chimney and not back into the house.

Clear the area around the chimney

The holiday season falls right in the middle of the heating season. It’s not uncommon to find people placing decorations, furniture and other things near the fireplace hearth.

There is nothing as homely and inviting as a warm holiday season so ensure that the area around the chimney is as clear as possible. There shouldn’t be any papers, wood, or any other combustible materials near the chimney opening.

If you have a Christmas tree, keep it as far from the fireplace as possible. You don’t want the needles catching on fire, do you?

Check the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

These detectors are your lifesavers where they play a vital role in letting you know when the smoke and carbon monoxide levels are high enough.

To have peace of mind and protect your loved ones, have a detector in the same room as the chimney as this is where smoke and carbon monoxide come from.

One of the most common reasons why the detectors won’t work is if the batteries have worn out. To restore them, you only need to replace the batteries.

If the detectors are more than ten years and they aren’t working, you don’t have any other way out other than to replace them.

Of course, when replacing them, do it with better quality detectors that you are sure will give you a better service and at the same time last for a long time.

Chimney valuable tips

If all the parts of the chimney are in top condition, you should go ahead and start using the fireplace.

When using the fireplace, avoid burning any other thing other than wood. This is because the other materials might contain toxic chemicals that can be harmful to you and your family.

The materials might also lead to increased creosote deposition, which will force you to keep on cleaning the fireplace.

You can inspect the chimney by yourself, but for ideal results, let experienced chimney contractors Bowie handle it. They have the necessary inspection tools; hence they will do a better job than you.

This post first appeared on https://www.firstclasschimneyservices.com

Do Chimney Cleaning Logs Really Work and Can You Use Them As A Chimney Sweep Replacement?

chimney sweep

If you are a regular television watcher, you must have come across chimney cleaning log adverts.

Also known as creosote sweeping logs, chimney cleaning logs claim to give an alternative to hiring a chimney sweep to clean the insides of the chimney by hand, which is messy and laborious. Are you wondering, “do chimney cleaning logs really work?”

Read on to find out.

How do cleaning logs work?

The logs work when you burn them in the fireplace. When you burn it, the log softens tar that might have built-up in the chimney. As it burns, the log releases chemicals that adhere to the walls of the fireplace. This loosens tar and creosote, which reduces the chances of fire starting.

What are the benefits of cleaning logs?

One of the benefits of using the logs is that they are easy to use. All you need to do is to unpack them and place them in a lit fireplace. These logs are also reasonably priced, and you can store them for a long time without getting spoilt.

If you have a bent chimney, it poses a challenge to the cleaning professionals to clean it properly. The cleaning logs are perfect for these chimneys as they release vapors that penetrate the bends and easily reach the creosote deposits.

Do experts recommend chimney cleaning logs?

Creosote sweeping logs have been in the market for over a decade, but chimney cleaning professionals were hesitant to recommend them until seven years ago.

When you go for a long time without cleaning the chimney, it’s normal for the creosote deposits to get extremely hard to get rid of.

The compressed chemical mix in the cleaning logs comes in handy at changing the nature of the deposits, making them dryer and flakier.

This makes it easy for the chimney cleaning professionals to clean the chimney.

Do chimney logs replace chimney sweeps?

The marketing companies have been marking the logs as a replacement for chimney sweeps, but this isn’t the case. While the logs are great in their working, you can’t substitute them for a chimney cleaning technician.

A chimney cleaning professional does much more than merely cleaning the chimney. He/she also cleans the smoke ducts, fireplaces, and flue pipes. The professional also inspects the fireplace to confirm whether there are any other issues present.

Even after using the logs, the creosote flakes fall at the bottom of the chimney. If you have a bent fireplace, the creosote can get trapped in the bends of the flue, which increases the risk of fire.

To keep yourself and your family safe, you still need a chimney cleaning technician to get rid of the fallen flakes.

So we can conclude that you can’t use the creosote cleaning logs as a replacement for chimney contractors. The logs help the chimney contractors have an easy time cleaning and repairing the chimney.

While the logs are highly effective when you use them in wooden fireplaces, they don’t work well in propane or natural gas fireplaces. This is because they need a wood-burning fireplace for them to work.

Do you still have to hire a chimney contractor?

From what we have seen, you can’t rely on chimney logs to clean your chimney. You will still need to hire a contractor not only to remove the fallen creosote flakes, but also clean the gas and propane chimneys that you can’t clean using the logs.

The chimney logs also can’t inspect the chimney. You need a chimney technician to do this.

When hiring the contractor, ensure they are experienced enough. You don’t want someone that will provide substandard services that put you at the risk of fire.

If this is the first time hiring a chimney cleaning services Columbia MD provider, one of the best ways of finding a good one is asking from friends and relatives. Which contractor have they been using? Would they recommend them?

When you hire this way, you have peace of mind, they will provide an excellent service as they are already proven.

Parting shot

It’s without a doubt that chimney cleaning logs have their place at reducing the amount of flammable creosote, but this doesn’t mean you should use them as a replacement for chimney technicians. Even when using them, always involve a chimney contractor.

This post first appeared on https://www.firstclasschimneyservices.com

What to Yaba-Daba-DO to Light a Fire in a Fireplace

Welcome to the end of your frustration over not being able to light good fires in your fireplace! We have the answers–and you are certainly not alone if this situation applies to you. Here we are in a high-tech, instant-everything society and yet lighting a fire is quite literally a prehistoric activity. The actual same three principles cavemen had to use are still in effect today. In caveman terms, “Fire good! All fire need: Air, fuel, heat!” Well, there’s a bit more to it than that. Let’s get started. As caveman Fred Flintstone might say, the following is all you need to yaba-daba-DO to start a fire in your fireplace.

chimney liner installation prince george's county, mdAIR / OXYGEN

Air is needed in the firebox. If there is a stingy supply of air, it is usually caused by negative air pressure. One of the most common causes of negative air pressure is that a home is tightly sealed and may also have an exhaust fan running in the house. Opening a window nearby can solve the problem of lack of oxygen.

The draft is another factor. The flow of warm air coming from a fire needs to go up the chimney, not into your home. If your attempts at fires have failed because the fire wouldn’t catch on or the combustion fumes went into your home, the following steps can help to ensure a draft:

  • Open the damper.
  • Light a match, blow it out, and hold it up to the damper. If the curl of smoke doesn’t go up the chimney, a good draft needs to be established. 
  • If you open the glass doors to your modern fireplace as well as the damper at least 30 minutes before you light a fire, it will help to change the temperature inside the appliance. The draft has to do with temperature differentials. 
  • Warm air will rise but if there is too much cold air in the firebox and/or chimney, the smoke from the beginnings of a fire can’t go up the chimney. What people usually do about this is create a newspaper torch and carefully light it and hold it up toward the damper. The fire from the torch will displace the cold air after one or more attempts.
  • If there still isn’t a draft, after you’ve tried these things, there may be an obstruction in your chimney. It is likely necessary to stop using your fireplace until a chimney professional can come out and conduct a chimney inspection. Any blockage will be identified and can be removed. Once it’s fixed, you should be set for building fires. However, it’s not always that simple. A wide range of issues could be preventing a fireplace from having a good draft, all of which chimney experts are familiar with and can help with.

FUEL

Use only seasoned wood for your fires. Seasoned wood is low in moisture. After logs are cut, they need to dry out for 6 to 12 months or longer before they’re dried out enough for a good fire. Logs filled with moisture create excessive smoke as the fire’s heat first goes to burn out moisture. Inexpensive moisture meters for firewood are widely available. If you are unsure about your firewood, test it and make sure there is less than 20% moisture before using it in your fireplace. 

Getting a fire started usually requires tinder and kindling. Tinder is something like dried moss or wadded-up newspaper that will quickly burn to get things going. Kindling is basically small sticks of dry wood.

There are different approaches to building fires. Some people build a loose stack of medium logs over kindling and slowly add larger logs. Others put the kindling on top of the logs to get them started burning. 

Make sure air can get between the logs, especially when you’re trying to get the fire going. 

fireplace experts in Mclean VAHEAT

Ignition is all that’s needed once you have air and fuel. You can use a match or long lighter. The cavemen no doubt rubbed wood together, as Tom Hanks did in Cast Away. Please note: Never use flammable liquids in your fireplace. Doing so is highly dangerous.

When you’re ready for chimney sweep professionals to provide chimney services, contact the great team of chimney specialists at High’s Chimney Service. We’re based out of Gaithersburg, MD, and customer service is our chief priority. Call us today at (301) 519-3500, whether you need help getting a fire started in your fireplace like an experienced caveman or for any of our comprehensive chimney services.

The post What to Yaba-Daba-DO to Light a Fire in a Fireplace appeared first on Highs Chimney.

How Your Chimney Really Works

A fireplace that provides warmth and ambiance with no unwanted side effects is such a pleasure in winter. You may never even think about how your chimney works until smoke from fires is suddenly coming into your home, which is known as “backdrafting.” A smoky fireplace is a sign that something has gone wrong, and a number of things could be the cause. Smoky fireplaces are often the reason chimney sweeps get calls for chimney repair. When you understand how your chimney works, you may be able to identify what the problem is yourself. 

Wood Burning FireplaceWhat Makes Smoke Go Up the Chimney?

Science is behind the proper operation of chimneys, and it’s sometimes also the reason things go wrong. Chimneys are designed to remove the toxic combustion byproducts from a fire into the out-of-doors. The hot air created by fires is lighter than cooler air and, therefore, it rises, creating the draft. A hotter fire creates a stronger draft, just as a smoldering fire often results in toxic fumes going into the home due to the lack of proper draft.

What Affects the Chimney Draft Besides Air Temperature?

The following are things that can also affect the chimney draft, in addition to the hot air from fires.

Negative Air Pressure

Airflow is going on constantly and relates to inside air pressure. Balanced air pressure in a home occurs when air flows into a home at an equal rate to air flowing out of the home. All of the warm air that flows out of your chimney is replaced by air that’s cooler and heavier. If your home is sealed so tight that air can’t be pulled into the fireplace, you may not be able to get a strong fire burning unless you open a window.

If it has too many gaps where air flows in and out, your home can begin to operate like a chimney, pulling the warm air up to the attic and pushing it out. This type of energy inefficiency can result in very high energy costs.

Running the exhaust fan in your kitchen or bathrooms could also create negative air pressure that affects the operation of your chimney.

Chimney Height

It’s essential that a chimney builder or installer understands principles related to chimney height. A chimney can be too short or too tall to operate properly. There are various parameters that experts are familiar with which dictate the ideal height of a chimney. For example, the chimney stack on top of the roof must extend at least 3 feet above the point where it penetrates the roof.

Flue Size

The flue is the liner inside the chimney that protects combustible parts of the home from the hot temperatures and toxic fumes inside it when fires are burning. The width of the flue must be a certain ratio to the size of the fireplace opening. A flue that is too big will pull too much air out of the home, causing a loss of heat. A too-small flue doesn’t allow combustion gases to exit quickly enough, resulting in unhealthy, smoke-filled air in the home.

Chimney & Fireplace Cleaning in Bristol, CTChimney Obstructions

When the flue is blocked, the obstruction interferes with the draft, resulting in a smoky, backdrafting appliance. Chimney obstructions can be caused by a dirty flue with excess creosote buildup, animals, birds’ nests, debris from trees, and masonry materials from chimney deterioration.

Contact Northeastern Chimney for a Chimney Diagnosis

When a chimney doesn’t work correctly, it’s important to schedule a chimney inspection and chimney cleaning without delay. Trained, certified chimney sweeps know what to look for, as far as the causes of potential chimney damage and a poor draft. In West Hartford, CT, Northeastern Chimney is the place to call if you want knowledgeable chimney technicians to evaluate the condition of your chimney and provide expert repairs. Contact the professionals at Northeastern Chimney today by calling (860) 233-5770.

This post first appeared on https://www.mychimney.com

How to Safely Start Using an Old Fireplace

using an old fireplaceWith countless old and historic homes throughout Boston, many homeowners have visions of getting cozy around the fireplace in the winter. However, the reality might be a lot different if your fireplace is unused for many years.

If you’re ready to start using an old fireplace, these are the steps that you need to take first.

Check Your Smoke Detector

The first step for old fireplace safety is making sure your smoke detector is in working order. Ideally, you are already checking it once a month and replacing its batteries twice a year.

You need the smoke detector to alert you of excess smoke buildup. It will also inform you if there is carbon monoxide in your home, which is an odorless and dangerous gas that causes headaches, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.

Keep a Lookout for Critters

An unused chimney is viewed as a safe haven for some animals during the winter. You might find raccoons or birds nesting inside the chimney to escape the harsh winter weather.

Look around for animal droppings, vegetation, and even foul odors. These are 3 signs that animals are living inside your chimney.

Sound Fireplace Structure

If you live in an old home, you likely will not have a factory-built fireplace unless your home was recently remodeled. Old fireplaces are made from brick, stone, or block and mortar. Over the years, these structures settle which can result in cracking or crumbling. Be aware of any structural issues and have them repaired as necessary.

Get Your Chimney Inspected

In addition to your fireplace, you must also make sure that your chimney is in sound condition. This is a major element of fireplace safety!

A chimney inspection will help detect:

  • Damage or obstruction to both the chimney and/or fireplace
  • Soot or creosote buildup
  • Camera inspection to view inside of the chimney
  • Clearance to any combustibles

Before you start using an old fireplace, it’s imperative to get your fireplace and chimney inspected by a professional. Boston’s Best Chimney offers several levels of chimney inspections, as well as repairing and even rebuilding of old and dangerous chimneys. Get safe before you cozy up next to an old fireplace by calling 781-893-6611.

The post How to Safely Start Using an Old Fireplace appeared first on Boston's Best Chimney.

How to Care for & Clean Your Chimney & Fireplace in the Winter

During the winter, your chimney is a workhorse for venting. In addition to fireplace use, the chimney is in constant operation for exhausting your heat. Just like you’d take care of your HVAC system, it’s also important to care for your chimney and fireplace this season. This is how you can keep both components in tip-top shape until spring arrives.

Wintertime Care for Your Fireplace

As you watch the fire flames dance inside your fireplace, don’t forego basic care to keep your family safe.

Ash Levels

First, watch your ash levels. If your fire is burning continuously, naturally more ash will accumulate. An excess amount of ash can cause a fire to burn out quickly. Leaving about one inch of ash is ideal for building and maintaining a fire.

Clean the Hearth

Keeping the hearth clean will help prevent soot buildup. It’s made of tiny carbon materials and it contains acid, chemicals, and dust. It can also produce a foul smell.

Cleaning your hearth can be accomplished with a vacuum and common cleaning products that you likely have on hand. The video below shows how you can safely and effectively clean a brick fireplace hearth.

Clean the Glass Doors

Lastly, you’ll want to keep the glass doors clean. Soot can also stick to the glass and it’s important to keep this area clean. You can keep your glass door in place to keep pets and kids safe.

Caring for Your Chimney

As winter winds blow, basic chimney care is good to know!

Beware of Critters

It’s no secret that it gets quite cold in Boston during the winter. This is the time of year that you’ll find critters trying to find warmth inside your chimney. It’s not uncommon to find birds or even raccoons seeking shelter.

Keep your ear out for strange sounds coming from your chimney. You might also find animal droppings in or near your fireplace. If you hear or see evidence of animals, contact a professional such as Boston’s Best Chimney.

Cracked and Crumbling Chimneys

The harsh winter environment can send your chimney crumbling down. This is because the freeze and thaw cycle can crack the bricks. Over time, it can ultimately crumble and lead to a chimney collapse.

The bad part is that it’s hard to see cracked bricks from the ground. Here at Boston’s Best Chimney, we climb up on roofs in all sorts of weather to inspect the structure of your chimney.

If you have concerns about your chimney or fireplace, there is still time to get an inspection or schedule a chimney sweep. Get in touch with us today by calling 781-893-6611.

The post How to Care for & Clean Your Chimney & Fireplace in the Winter appeared first on Boston's Best Chimney.

Vote for us as your Neighborhood Favorite Home Service Provider!

Hey neighbors,

Every year, Nextdoor, the neighborhood hub, hosts local business awards called Neighborhood Favorites where neighbors vote on their favorite local businesses and service providers in a variety of categories. We’re in the running to become a 2020 Neighborhood Favorite ad we’d love your vote!

Voting runs from February 3-23, 2020. Here’s how to vote:

1. Head to nextdoor.com/favorites and log in. You’ll be taken directly to the Neighborhood Favorites voting flow.

2. Click “Start voting” to begin. You can vote for up to 25 categories – vote for us for favorite HOME SERVICE PROVIDER.

3. When you’ve finished voting, spread the word on Nextdoor, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Share our custom link to take neighbors directly to our business page to vote:  www.nextdoor.com/pages/southern-chimneys-llc-alpharetta-ga/?neighborhood_favorites_survey=true&page_id=16138915&is=your_reputation

We love our Atlanta community, and look forward to continuing to serve you. Thank you for your support!

This post first appeared on https://southernchimneys.com

You’ve Used Your Fireplace… Are You Taking Care of It?

Chimney Fire by Superior Chimney, Lombard, IL

In the past week, 3 chimney fires were reported in the news.
 There were two chimney fires in Park
Ridge
, one was in a townhouse, and the third chimney fire was in Kenosha,
WI
.  Just in December,  chimney fires were reported in Lake
Zurich
as well as in Springfield.

As everyone is inundated with information each day, it’s
easy to push this one off to the side.  “It won’t happen to me.”  But it can.  On average, according to CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of
America)
there are over 22,000 fireplace, chimney, and chimney connector
fires each year across the country.  These
could have all been avoided.

That’s why we communicate valuable information to you each
month.  Our job is to keep you and your
family safe as well as help you save energy by taking care of your fireplace
and chimney.   We take many extra steps
to ensure that each of our technicians are Certified
and keep current with continuing
education
.

So when you get a Superior Chimney 14 point inspection
with pictures to show you what’s going on, you can see that we’ve taken all the
steps necessary to ensure a healthy and safe environment.

What can Cause a Chimney Fire?

Chimney fires are often caused by either a buildup of
creosote, which is a byproduct of burned wood, or cracks in the fire clay flue
tile liner.  Both causes of chimney fires
are preventable with a chimney and fireplace inspection each year.

Ways to Identify a Chimney Fire

  1. A loud crackling sound or a popping noise
  2. Dense, thick smoke coming into the fireplace and
    your home
  3. Dense, thick smoke coming out of the top of the
    chimney
  4. Flames coming out of the chimney, either top or
    bottom
  5. A roaring sound. Some say it sounds like a train
    or low flying airplane
  6. Slow burning chimney fires are very dangerous as
    most often they go unnoticed

If any of these do occur, get out of the house and call the
fire department.  Let them check it out
and take care of the house.

Top 5 Chimney Preventative Measures

  1. Call Superior Chimney for a sweep, check and
    inspection
    .  That’s the best way to
    prevent a fire. The chimney fire clay flue tiles are checked, any creosote is
    removed and 12 more areas and points are checked on our 14-point inspection.
  2. Build reasonable fires – Bonfires are for the
    outdoors.
  3. Use only split & seasoned hardwood firewood.
  4. It’s best to keep paper, wrappings, toys, pet
    hair, anything…from entering or being near the fireplace.
  5. Install a quality chimney cap, we can do that
    for you.

Now that you know what to do, have a safe rest of the
winter.  If you haven’t had a chimney
inspection yet this year, get it done now so you can have peace of mind that
you and your family are safe.  If you had
your chimney and fireplace swept already, we’ll see you again in the Spring or Summer…
Beat the Fall rush!  Make your
appointment today!  Call 877-244-6349


This post first appeared on https://www.superiorchimney.net

How Are Home Heating and Chimneys Related? What you need to know!

Did you know that homes that don’t have fireplaces still may have a chimney in use?   For over 100 years, home heating equipment has been vented through chimneys.  This ensures that dangerous flue gases are carried up and out of the home instead of entering living space.  New and older units require chimney linings for venting, so whether you’re planning to install a new furnace or boiler, one likely item on your to-do list should be to line your chimney. Chimney liners aren’t just a good idea – they are required to help maintain the proper performance of your heating equipment.

Oil and gas-fired appliances need to vent to the outside to avoid a build-up of carbon monoxide. Newer, high-efficiency furnaces may vent out the side of the home’s foundation rather than up the chimney. If they use the chimney for ventilation, the chimney, as built, may be damaged or too big to properly vent a newer gas furnace.

If you plan to vent any appliances through the chimney, a chimney liner may be in order. There are three good reasons to line an existing chimney.


1: Carbon Monoxide

As we all know, carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that infects the bloodstream.  Initial symptoms of carbon monoxide poising are headache, dizziness, confusion and nausea, but can lead to brain damage or even death.  More than 400 Americans die of unintentional carbon monoxide poising each year.  If your chimney is unlined (which would be typical for an older home), or lined and damaged, investing in a chimney liner is imperative to ensure safe venting, even if you don’t intend to replace the appliances that use your chimney.


2: Further Chimney Damage

To line a chimney is to protect it from your appliances. Combustion is a messy process. It can leave behind some caustic by-products that won’t do your chimney any favors. Over time, these chemicals can eat away brick, as well as the mortar that holds your chimney together.  Installing a new stainless steel sleeve that is more resistant to acid breakdown will protect the structural integrity of the chimney.

Which brings us right back to Reason #1 to line your chimney. If the mortar inside your chimney deteriorates, the chimney will become even better at transferring flue gases to the surrounding areas.


3: Efficiency

To line your chimney is to promote efficiency. A chimney cannot draw properly if it is too big for the equipment, or even worse, too small.  Additionally, flues that have holes in it will have a hard time pushing those gases through cleanly.  Think of it as a straw with a hole in it – It just won’t work right.   A chimney liner can size your flue appropriately for your appliances to optimize maximum potential.


Do you have questions about your chimney and whether it needs a new liner?

Feel free to call us at Boston’s Best to answer your questions and schedule an inspection

for your home.

The post How Are Home Heating and Chimneys Related? What you need to know! appeared first on Boston's Best Chimney.

(877) 959-3534