BLACK GOOSE
CHIMNEY SWEEP, INC.
“Don’t Make an Ash of Yourself-
Rely on a Certified Chimney Sweep”
What is a chimney liner? A liner is a component of a chimney that is designed to fully contain the products of combustion, including heat, gases, and moisture.
Traditionally chimney liners have been made of "fireclay", also called terra cotta. They are formed by pressing clay into a square or rectangular tube and firing it in a kiln. These liner sections are mortared end to end inside the brick or block casing of a chimney. In the case of a chimney which vents a fireplace, these liner sections begin at the top of the smoke dome – the funnel shaped chamber directly above the throat (damper). For a chimney venting a stove, furnace or boiler, the liner should begin 8" below the thimble (where the pipe from the appliance connects to the chimney). The purpose of the chimney liner is to create a safer, more efficient passage for venting the smoke, gases, or emissions from a fireplace, wood stove, or other solid fuel appliance or gas, oil, or solid fuel central heating system to the outside atmosphere.
A significant number of chimneys need to be lined. A great many chimneys were built
before chimney liners were available or commonly installed. Then there are thousands
of chimneys that were built with terra cotta liners that have sustained damage resulting
from chimney fires, building settling, foundation settling, and freeze/thaw cycle
or water penetration. How do you line or reline an existing chimney? Before the
advent of stainless steel liners and cast in place systems, the only code-
Chimneys simply were not designed to withstand the ravages of chimney fires resulting from either misuse or failure to maintain the airtight wood stoves that emerged in the 1970's and 80's. Nor were they designed to handle the high levels of acid laden condensation produced by today's high efficiency gas heating systems.
Black Goose Chimney Sweep, Inc. is a fully insured and licensed Virginia contractor.
We are members of and support the efforts of: the Better Business Bureau, the National
Chimney Sweep Guild, and the Virginia Association of Chimney & Hearth Professionals.
All of our technicians, nstallers and service personnel have been factory trained
and maintain national CSIA certification. We are easily the most trusted chimney
and hearth service professionals in Central-
What happens if I use a flue with no liner or a damaged liner? Sometimes nothing – sometimes it will burn a structure down. The important thing is to be as sure as possible that your installation is up to standards. If you have no liner, get one. If you have a damaged liner, replace it.
CHIMNEY LINERS
Further, there are chimneys presently serving solid fuel appliances – fireplace inserts, wood stoves, or other systems – that could be made far safer, more efficient and much easier and less expensive to clean and maintain by the installation of a new liner. Many chimneys were built without observing adequate clearances to combustibles. A “zero clearance” insulated lining system is designed to correct that oversight without requiring the movement or demolition of existing walls, joists, or woodwork. A heavy ceramic and metal foil blanket surrounds the new stainless chimney liner and is secured in place with stainless steel mesh and clamps. These zero clearance systems have been thoroughly tested by Underwriters Labs to ensure that in the event of a severe flue fire, the fire cannot be transmitted to surrounding combustibles, even if the chimney is completely covered and surrounded by woodwork.
Roanoke 540-
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