According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a chimney must be able to contain and safely vent all the by-products of combustion. If, through an inspection, a chimney is found to have defects or the flue is too big for the system, a relining system is highly recommended. A Sweep Above the Rest, LLC.uses stainless steel chimney liners that come with lifetime warranties. Warranties are transferable with the sale of the house. The lining systems are all UL listed and tested and are recognized and accepted by insurance adjusters and fire marshals.

Creosote from burning wood and soot from an oil-burning furnace are both acidic. When chimneys get old or are not maintained properly they can deteriorate and create hazardous conditions. Cracked tiles and deteriorating masonry can allow hazardous gases or even fire to enter your house.

When your flue is too big for your wood stove or appliance it will not properly exhaust. Flue gases will slow and cool down inside your chimney increasing creosote deposition and increasing the potential for a chimney fire. NFPA requires that the flue be no more than 3 times the size of your stove or appliance if your chimney is located inside the house and requires that the flue be no more than 2 times the size if your chimney is on the side of the house. Ideally you want your flue size to be the same as your stove or appliance.

In order to remedy these situations there are two things that can be done. The entire existing chimney can be torn down and rebuilt, or you can reline your chimney with a stainless steel insert. To tear down and rebuild a chimney is not a small job. It’s very labor intensive and costly. Sometimes it can be next to impossible, for example if the chimney runs up through the center of the house. The easiest and most cost effective way to repair a chimney is to reline it with a flexible chimney liner.

Why you may need to reline your chimney