Chimneys

Chimney Relining Company

What’s the condition of your chimney liner or do you know if you even have one? If you’re like most homeowners, you can’t answer that question, but your chimney liner is the only protection you have that can keep sparks in the chimney from getting to the combustibles of your home. Older homes often have no liner at all and the only protection from a fire spreading might be 100 year old mortar between chimney bricks that could loosen and fall out at any time if it’s even still there.

A safe, compliant chimney lining is required in most fire codes as a result of extensive testing by the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) to address concerns about durability, performance, and safety. Riteway Chimney Services strives to ensure that every New Jersey chimney we inspect, clean, or repair is up to code standards and operates properly and safely.

Chimney Liners
Most masonry chimneys have a liner constructed of terra cotta, ceramic, or metal. Liners perform several functions in your chimney:

1. They contain combustible products and channel them out of your home and into the atmosphere where they’re less hazardous. According to NBS testing, an unlined chimney can allow adjacent combustibles such as framing materials to catch on fire in as little as 3 ½ hours.
2. Liners protect a masonry chimney’s walls from heat, potential damage, and corrosion from combustion byproducts. NBS testing shows that in unlined chimneys acidic flue gases can penetrate brick and mortar over time and may eventually allow extreme heat to reach nearby combustibles. The process can also allow gases such as carbon monoxide to leak into your home.
3. Your liner can contribute to the operating efficiency of your wood stove, wood burning fireplace, or gas/oil furnace. A liner that’s not functioning properly can affect the amount of combustion air reaching your heating device and may allow excessive soot to build up in fireplaces and wood stoves. It can also cause an excess production of carbon monoxide with conventional fuels.

Riteway Chimney Services recommends you have your chimney liner inspected on a regular basis to keep your home and family safe and to help your fireplace, woodstove, or furnace operate efficiently. We offer maintenance programs for every chimney we service in New Jersey and can also install a new liner if your existing unit is damaged or you have an older chimney that was built without one. Three liner styles we specialize in maintaining and installing:

1. Clay tiles – these are inexpensive, easily obtained, and usually provide high performance, but they can be vulnerable to splits and cracks. While they may be the most popular option with homeowners, you should inspect this type of liner regularly and make repairs as needed.
2. Metal liners – this is a great choice for repairs and upgrades. Stainless steel is used for wood burning fireplaces and oil or gas furnaces, but you might be able to get by with less expensive aluminum for medium efficiency gas furnaces. Metal liners offer safety and durability -- many feature high heat resistant insulation that can provide additional safety insurance and better performance.
3. Cast chimney liners – these liners create a smooth insulated passageway for flue gases and can be an ideal choice for an older chimney. They can be used for all types of appliances and fuels.

Riteway Chimney Services is a full service New Jersey chimney company with skilled technicians who can help keep your home and family safe. Please give us a call at 1-888-685-0033 for a chimney liner inspection.