Dover Estates chimney service from a local family company

The flue liner is the part of a masonry chimney you never see and the part that matters most when the fireplace is burning. In Dover Estates, an official Orlando neighborhood, many masonry chimneys are lined with clay flue tiles, and a cracked or displaced tile is one of the findings that should pause the use of the fireplace until it is fixed.

A liner does two jobs. It carries smoke and gases up and out, and it protects the brick and the house framing around the chimney from heat. NFPA 211, the national standard for chimneys and fireplaces, treats a sound liner as part of a usable chimney. Cracks, gaps between tiles or missing mortar at the joints let heat and exhaust reach places they should not.

Tiles can crack from age, from water getting into the chimney from above, or from a hot flue fire in the past. The damage is usually found during an inspection rather than by the homeowner, although pieces of tile in the firebox or smoke smells in rooms next to the chimney can be clues. When we find a problem, the estimate explains its location and extent and the options for fixing it.

The repair depends on how much of the liner is affected. A few damaged tiles near the top can sometimes be replaced. A liner cracked along its length is usually relined, most often with a stainless steel liner sized to the fireplace or appliance it serves and installed with the parts its manufacturer lists. Relining also gives us a chance to deal with whatever damaged the old tiles, such as a missing cap or a cracked crown.

Our local, family-owned company inspects Dover Estates chimneys free of charge and explains the liner findings in plain words. The written estimate compares the options at upfront prices, 10% comes off work booked within 72 hours after the inspection, and our relining work is covered by a workmanship warranty.