Chimney relining and liner installation in Stone Crest

Three situations where insulation helps

One manufacturer lists three situations where an approved insulation wrap enhances the performance and life of the chimney. We explain which, if any, apply to your chimney before you decide, and whether insulation in your case is a requirement or a recommendation.

Insulation also changes the space the liner needs, so the decision comes before the route is proven, not after.

• An installation that must meet UL 1777 at zero clearance to combustibles
• A chimney located on the outside of the house
• Appliances expected to produce low flue gas temperatures

Where the connection enters the chimney

To make inspection and cleaning easier, one liner maker says wall penetrations should not be placed directly behind the heating appliance. The residential code brings connectors into a chimney through the side wall, in a thimble of fireclay, rigid refractory or metal that holds the connector in place so it cannot slip out or reach past the inner face of the liner.

We plan the entry point with both in mind and show you where the connection will sit before anything is cut or drilled.

Hard creosote deposits before relining

Glazed creosote is hard, shiny and difficult to remove, and liner makers expect it gone before installation, along with ordinary soot and creosote. Removing it can take more than a standard sweeping.

If we find it, the removal method goes into the scope, and the relining waits until the flue is clean. Its presence also says something about how the appliance has been running, so we mention what may have caused it and how the new liner and good habits help prevent it returning.

Nests and animals before relining

A flue with nesting material or animals inside cannot be relined until it is clear. Federal law protects some of the birds that nest in chimneys, and that can limit when a nest may be touched.

We confirm the flue is empty before scheduling, and animal removal is handled as its own service. Once the flue is clear and relined, the listed cap keeps the opening covered so the problem does not return.