Our Company Blog

Why Chimney Relining Is So Important

One of the most essential components of your chimney system is it’s liner. It needs to be in good condition so that your fireplace and chimney work safely and efficiently. Although most chimney liners are built to last for years, damage can occur over time. Cracks, gaps, and corrosion to the liner can allow toxic combustion gases like carbon monoxide to enter your living space. Since the liner is located inside your chimney, it can be difficult to know its condition.

In order to determine what kind of shape your liner is in, you need to have your chimney inspected by experienced professionals. Atlas Chimney is proud to provide comprehensive chimney services. These services include both professional inspections and relining services to the residents of the Austin area. We offer different chimney relining options like HeatShield repair and restoration and stainless steel liner installations. After we inspect your chimney, we can recommend the best way to reline your chimney to ensure your system functions effectively and safely. Because safety is our top priority, we would like to tell you exactly why chimney relining is so important.

Your chimney liner protects your home from the risk of an accidental fire.

One of the functions of a chimney liner is to protect the wood around your chimney. It shields it from the extremely high temperatures that are produced by your fireplace. According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), the National Bureau of Standards tested the safety of masonry chimneys. Their findings? Unlined chimneys were extremely dangerous, because heat moved so quickly through the chimneys that any adjacent wooden parts caught fire. Sometimes in as little as three and a half hours! Your chimney liner keeps the combustible parts of your home safe from this heat transfer.

Your chimney liner protects the bricks and mortar of your chimney from corrosion damage.

Some of the byproducts of combustion are toxic and corrosive. When they are able to seep directly into the masonry materials of a chimney, erosion occurs. Without the protection of a liner, combustion gases will eat away at the bricks and mortar of your chimney. This can lead to a hazardous situation as the cracks and gaps created by the erosion can allow poisonous combustion gases like carbon monoxide to leak into your home.

Your chimney liner provides a properly sized flue for your specific heating appliance.

A popular option to increase the heating efficiency of your home? Install a wood-burning or gas fireplace insert into the existing opening of your older masonry fireplace. However, masonry chimneys are typically much larger than these inserts, and this size difference can cause performance and safety issues. To solve this sizing difference, Atlas Chimney can install a new stainless steel liner to provide a flue that correctly matches the size of the new heating appliance.

Make sure your chimney liner is in good condition so that you can enjoy safe, warm, and efficient fires this year. Contact us at Atlas Chimney to schedule an appointment for a chimney inspection before the arrival of winter.

Choosing From Multiple Chimney Repair Estimates

When it comes time to hire a professional company to perform maintenance or repair tasks, it is always a good idea to get more than one estimate for the job so that you are getting the best service for the best price. However, you can end up with completely different scenarios, which can be confusing and frustrating. How can estimates for the same service differ so greatly? How do you know which estimate to choose? Unfortunately, chimney scams are not uncommon, and the best way to know you are getting an honest and fair estimate is to hire a chimney sweep who has been certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). Atlas Chimney is proud to have CSIA-certified chimney sweeps on our staff who have pledged to conduct themselves fairly and honestly when working on chimneys and providing repair estimates. We would like to tell you some of the things you should be looking for that can help you choose the right chimney repair estimate.

DOCUMENTATION

According to the CSIA, sufficient documentation should always be provided to support an estimate. Often, a dishonest chimney sweep will tell a homeowner that he needs to repair hidden chimney damage without showing the homeowner what and where the damage is. When Atlas Chimney finds damage within your chimney, we will provide you with photographs and closed circuit video footage of this damage. We will also explain the problem to you, why it needs to be repaired, and how we will fix the problem.

INSPECTION PROCESS

When our CSIA-certified chimney sweeps inspect chimneys, we follow the guidelines that are established in the three levels of chimney inspection from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). We look for debris that could be blocking the chimney that could lead to a carbon monoxide leak into your home. We thoroughly examine the condition of the exterior bricks and mortar joints of the chimney to look for cracks and missing pieces that could allow water to penetrate the chimney. If we find damage that requires another level of inspection, we will go over with you the evidence that we found and explain to you what the next level of inspection involves.

CSIA CERTIFICATION

In order to receive this professional status, chimney sweeps must sign the CSIA Code of Ethics. In this code, chimney sweeps pledge to treat customers honestly and fairly and to never use dishonest practices. CSIA certification is the industry standard, and certified chimney sweeps do not want to risk their certification being revoked. This is why you can trust a chimney repair estimate from a CSIA-certified chimney sweep.

Make sure your chimney and fireplace are ready for the winter. Contact us at Atlas Chimney today to schedule your annual chimney sweep and inspection from our CSIA-certified chimney technicians.