Relining Your Oil-Fired Appliance Chimney

The oil burner technician is at your home doing his annual servicing of your oil-fired appliance and, when he removes the connectors piping, he notices one of the following conditions:

-Small particles at the chimney base, a condition known as chimney liner flaking.

-There is no chimney lining, causing poor draft conditions.

-The cracked fire clay flue tile at the base of the chimney.

These are just some of the problems that can cause poor chimney performance but most can be corrected by relining your chimney.

But Why Do These Problems Occur?

In cold, oversized masonry chimneys, the low temperature exhaust gases of modern appliances quickly expand and cool.

· Draft, which depends upon the buoyancy of the gases, is drastically reduced. This will greatly reduce an appliance's efficiency and increase fuel consumption. The longer the flue gasses remain in the flue, the greater the risk of leakage into the home

· Water Vapor is a normal by-product of combustion with any fuel. It condenses on the cool inside surfaces of masonry chimneys, especially those on exterior walls. The resulting moisture can be absorbed by the chimney and transferred through the walls It may cause paint to peel, and wallpaper and plaster to fall. In winter, wet chimneys experiences numerous freeze and thaw cycles causing bricks and clay tile liners to spall (flake) and crack, mortar joints to erode, and water leakage at the chimney base. Open mortar joints and flues blocked by debris can force dangerous carbon monoxide gas into your home.

· Corrosion of the flue liner can occur when venting oil fired appliances. Chemical compounds, residues sulfur and air pollution combined with water to form a highly aggressive acid capable of causing considerable damage to flue tiles in masonry chimneys.

How can we solve theses problems?

Fitting a chimney with a properly sized and installed chimney lining system is the most important way to prevent these problems. It will insure good draft by preventing the flue gases from expanding and cooling. The warm, buoyant flue gases will exit the flue faster and have less time to leak into the home or condense on the chimney walls or liner. Water vapor contained in the flue gases can't be eliminated but it can and must be reduced. By properly sizing the liner this goal can be achieved. Any remaining moisture must be contained within a watertight conduit. Keeping any excess moisture in the liner inhibits further damage to the chimney from freeze and thaw cycles and corrosion. The liner should also be resistant to these corrosive acids. A cast in place liner or a UL Listed stainless steel chimney lining system that will resist the corrosive acids contained in the flue gases should be installed. A CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep can properly size and install the appropriate chimney liner for your home heating equipment.

Equipment: Performance and Efficiency.

A new chimney lining system for your oil-fired appliance will improve its performance. Efficiency will be increased by keeping more available heat within the home rather than sending it up the chimney resulting in substantial savings.

Call us, CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps, you and your family deserve the best.