Cleaning up after the storm

Do you often burn wood in the fireplace inside your home? Read on and learn some of the key reasons why you should ensure that an appropriate fire lining, such as a stainless steel flue liner, is installed in that chimney.

Prevention of Gas Leaks

The combustion of wood usually generates some gases, such as carbon monoxide. These gases are harmful if inhaled. Flue gases can easily leak into the rooms that are near the chimney or the loft. The flue liner helps to prevent those potentially deadly gases from leaking through the masonry of the adjoining rooms because it contains them within the chimney until they exit to the atmosphere.

Controlling Creosote Accumulation

Wood forms a number of by-products, such as soot and creosote, as heated air rises from the fireplace. The soot and creosote can stick to the walls of the chimney as the fire is burning. The heated air that keeps rising can then increase the temperature of the soot and creosote that is sticking to the brick walls of your chimney. A chimney fire can easily break out if the bricks become heated beyond their heat containment capacity. Such a fire can quickly engulf the entire home. An appropriate fire liner can help to distribute the heat that is generated as the temperature of the soot and creosote rises when you use the fireplace for long. The dispersal of this heat throughout the length of the liner prevents the temperature of the bricks from increasing to the extent that a fire can start in one spot. Consequently, your home will be safeguarded against these deadly chimney fires.

Ease of Cleaning

Chimneys without fire linings are hard to clean effectively. This is because the bricks from which the chimney was constructed gradually develop defects, such as chipping, that trap soot and creosote. Vigorous scraping can cause further damage to those bricks. However, fire liners are smooth. It is therefore easier to scrape their surface in order to remove the accumulations of soot and creosote. This will greatly reduce the chance that those substances will drop onto the floors below when the fireplace isn't in use.

Flue liners aren't the only form of fire liners that you can use in your home. You can also install wall fire-liners in order to create a safe corridor that people can use to escape when a fire breaks out. Talk to a fire liner expert in your area so that you can learn other ways to protect your home from all possible fire risks, such as the risk of chimney fires.