Flex liners
A flexible liner works in chimneys that are not perfectly straight and come in grades matched to the fuel.
Chimney Parts
Chimney Liner Installation Burtonsville, MD
A chimney sweep in Burtonsville can install a new liner in a flue that is unlined, cracked or the wrong size so smoke and gases vent safely from a fireplace, stove, insert, furnace or water heater. One call to (240) 358-7617 reaches a nearby sweep who installs liners.
A chimney liner is the channel inside the chimney that carries smoke and combustion gases up and out. Without one, heat and acidic condensation attack the masonry, and gaps can let heat or carbon monoxide escape into the home. Many older homes, especially those built before the middle of the last century, have no liner at all.
Most liner installations start with one of these situations. The original clay tiles may be cracked from age, settling or a chimney fire, or the chimney may never have been lined. A new fireplace insert, wood stove or furnace also usually calls for a liner sized to that appliance, since an oversized flue drafts poorly and builds up creosote or condensation.
Industry standards based on NFPA 211 call for a Level 2 inspection when an appliance is changed or after a chimney fire. That reveals whether the existing tiles can be repaired or need to be replaced, and it shows the route a new liner will take. Ask to see the camera video so you understand what was found.
Depending on what the sweep finds, chimney liner installation in Burtonsville, MD can go hand in hand with chimney liner repair and chimney inspection.
Looking for Burtonsville chimney liner installation? Call (240) 358-7617 to talk to a local chimney sweep.
Call nowThe process
The chimney relining process
Here is how a sweep usually handles a liner installation.
Camera inspection
The inside of the chimney is checked so the route and condition are known. The findings shape the rest of the job.
Match the appliance
The liner diameter is matched to the appliance outlet or the fireplace opening, following the manufacturer guidance. The route and any offsets are noted.
Clear the path
The flue is swept and any loose tile or obstruction is cleared so the liner can pass. The path from top to bottom has to be clear.
Feed the liner
A flexible liner is fed down the flue, while rigid sections are joined as they go. Insulating it helps draft and reduces creosote and condensation.
Make the connections
A tee or connector joins the liner to the appliance, and a top plate seals the crown. A sealed system is the whole point of relining.
Confirm venting
A draft test confirms the new liner is working. This is also a good time to test your CO alarms.
What is included
What chimney liner installation covers
Liner insulation
Liners can be insulated with a blanket or a poured mix which improves draft and limits creosote.
Rigid liners
Straight flues can take rigid stainless pipe for a strong, smooth flue.
Cast in place liners
Cast in place liners are formed inside the old chimney with a heat resistant mix and can add strength to older masonry.
Water heater relining
A properly sized liner for a water heater left alone after a furnace upgrade stop condensation from damaging the chimney.
Related service
Stainless Steel Chimney Liner Burtonsville, MD
Most relining jobs use stainless steel, which handles high heat and corrosive flue gases well. Flexible liners make it possible to reline chimneys with offsets, while rigid pipe gives a smooth, heavy wall. Liners are sold as tested systems, with grades suited to wood, gas or oil.
Insulating a stainless liner improves draft, cuts creosote buildup in wood flues and is part of many systems. A cap and top plate finish the job at the top of the chimney. Many Burtonsville chimneys get a stainless liner when an old fireplace is converted to an insert.
Related service
Chimney Relining Burtonsville, MD
Chimney relining is the process of lining a flue again when the original liner is cracked, missing or unsuitable. The most common triggers are chimney fires, settling cracks, missing mortar and appliance changes. Most chimneys can be relined from the roof without opening walls.
Have a list of everything that uses the chimney ready when you call (240) 358-7617. If the furnace was upgraded recently, the water heater may now be venting into a flue that is too large. A smaller liner brings the draft back where it should be.
Local help
Chimney Liner Installation Near Me
Many chimneys in Burtonsville were built long before modern liners were standard. Across Burtonsville and nearby towns such as West Laurel, Fulton, Fairland and Scaggsville, long heating seasons and repeated freeze and thaw cycles are hard on clay tile and mortar, which is why relining is one of the most common chimney upgrades in the area.
Searching for chimney liner installation near me from Burtonsville or West Laurel, Fulton, Fairland and Scaggsville? Call (240) 358-7617 to talk to a chimney sweep who works in your part of town.
How the weather here affects chimneys around Burtonsville
Cold winters keep fireplaces, wood stoves and oil burners working for half the year or more. The hardest thing on brick here is not the cold itself but the constant swing above and below freezing: water soaks into brick, mortar joints and the crown on a mild day, freezes overnight and expands, and each winter widens the cracks a little more. Nor'easters drive rain sideways into flashing and mortar that looked fine in summer. Most homeowners in Burtonsville, MD schedule a sweep in early fall, and a repair check after a hard winter.
Why call
Why fix it now
Less damage
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Sweeps who know Burtonsville
Chimney sweeps in Burtonsville know the chimneys and fireplaces common in local homes.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Chimney Liner Installation questions
Does a fireplace insert need a liner?
Current standards call for a fireplace insert to connect directly to a liner, and most inserts are installed with a full length liner to the top. Venting an insert into an oversized clay flue leads to poor draft and heavy creosote. The sweep sizes the liner from the insert specifications.
Why would a chimney need a liner?
Chimney liners keep heat and gases inside the flue, away from wood framing and the brick itself. Unlined chimneys or broken liners can let heat or carbon monoxide escape. A camera inspection answers the question for your chimney.
What is the difference between a clay liner and a stainless liner?
Clay tiles were the standard in many older chimneys, and they hold up well until they crack. Replacing clay tiles with new clay means rebuilding, so stainless is the common choice for relining. Small cracks may be repairable, so ask about both options.
What is an orphaned water heater?
After a furnace upgrade, the water heater may be the only thing left using a flue that was sized for two appliances. That flue is now too big for the water heater, so gases cool, draft weakens and condensation can damage the masonry. The fix is a properly sized liner, plus CO alarms in the home.
How long will a new chimney liner hold up?
A quality stainless liner, installed and maintained properly, can last for decades. Burning dry wood and having the liner inspected regularly protect it. The liner manufacturer usually gives guidance on care.
More questions? Call (240) 358-7617
Other services that may help
Chimney Liner Repair
Repairing cracked clay flue tiles, open joints and damaged liners after a camera scan shows where the damage is.
Learn moreChimney Inspection
An annual look at the flue, firebox, damper, crown and cap to catch cracks, blockages and leaks before they turn into hazards.
Learn moreFireplace Insert Installation
Fitting a fireplace insert so an open fireplace becomes a real heat source, sized to the firebox and vented through a full-length liner.
Learn moreWood Stove Installation
Wood stove installation into an existing chimney or a new insulated chimney, following the stove manual and local code.
Learn more
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