Our Company Blog

Why It Is Important to Insulate a Wood Stove Liner

When it comes to heating your home, being as energy efficient as possible is important. This helps lower your heating costs and makes your home as warm and comfortable as possible, during a cold winter season. Atlas Chimney wants to help our customers increase the energy efficiency in their homes. So, we offer several professional services that can help you save money and get more heat in your home! One of these services is insulating chimney liners for wood-burning stoves and other hearth heating appliances. We would like to tell you more about the importance of insulating a wood stove liner and other services that can increase the energy efficiency in your home.

What are the benefits of insulating a wood stove liner?

According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), your chimney needs to draft properly to function efficiently. In order to have a good chimney draft, you need heat in the chimney. When Atlas Chimney insulates your wood stove liner, your chimney will stay hot enough for the combustion gases to rise and be exhausted out of the chimney. Insulating a wood stove liner also helps to vent cleanly. This will cut down on condensation occurring inside the chimney. A decrease in condensation will greatly cut back on the amount of creosote accumulation on the inner walls of your chimney. This is very important because creosote is so flammable that the CSIA has named it as a leading cause of chimney fires!

How else can Atlas Chimney help make my home more energy efficient?

One of our favorite ways to increase energy efficiency? Install a top-mounted damper at the top of the chimney as a replacement to the traditional throat damper. Since a top-mounted damper is equipped with a silicone rubber gasket, it provides an airtight seal of your chimney. You will not have to worry about your air conditioned cold air escaping out through the chimney. Another professional service we offer that increases energy efficiency? Cleaning your dryer vent systems. Our certified technicians make sure every bit of lint is removed from your dryer vent. This helps keep your clothes dryer working at its most efficient! Clogged dryer vents can make you have to run your dryer longer to completely dry a load of clothes. This is why you should have your vent professionally cleaned at least once a year.

Save money by making your home more energy efficient. Contact us at Atlas Chimney to find out how we can insulate your wood stove liner to keep your home warmer for less money this winter!

Three Benefits of a Top-Seal Damper

Do you have an older traditional masonry fireplace? If so, you most likely have a throat damper. Located directly above the firebox, a throat damper can be problematic. Typically made of iron or another metal, throat dampers can be difficult to open and close. This can be bad for your wallet and the energy efficiency in your home. These older dampers can become stuck in an open position. Consequently, allowing heated and cooled inside air to escape out of the chimney.

According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), a more economical solution is to have a top-mounted damper installed. Atlas Chimney offers sales and professional installation services of top-sealing dampers! Now, we would like to tell you about three benefits of this type of damper.

An Energy and Money Saver

Not only can a throat damper get stuck in an open position, but it also has a hard time sealing off the firebox tightly enough. A top-sealing damper is equipped with a silicone rubber gasket which provides an airtight seal on the top of your chimney. Atlas Chimney knows that you will see a decrease in your utilities bills after we install a top-mounted damper on your chimney. In addition, your home will be much more energy efficient as well.

A Multi-Functioning Chimney Component

One of the best things about top-seal dampers is they serve more than one purpose. When your top-mounted damper is closed, it acts as a chimney cap. When our customers need a new chimney cap, we always suggest installing a top-seal damper as a replacement. We can also show you top-sealing dampers that are equipped with mesh metal sides. These will keep out birds, squirrels, raccoons, and other wild animals – even when the damper is open!

Easy-to-Use Damper

An older throat damper can become very difficult to open and close. Corrosion damage can make this type of damper hard to operate. You may also have to stick your head through the firebox to get to the damper! Opening and closing a top-seal damper is simple. A chain from the damper drops down into the chimney and is attached to a lever or knob located on the side of your fireplace. So, no matter what type of handle is used with your model of a top-sealing damper, we assure you that it will be very easy to operate.

Want to make your home more energy efficient? Contact us at Atlas Chimney to learn more about top-seal dampers!