Do I Need to Insulate My Chimney Liner?

Your chimney liner and insulation are probably not a combination you’ve ever considered, but you should. A house is insulated, so why not have a chimney liner? There are some practical reasons for insulating your chimney liner, such as being unable to heat your house in the middle of the icy winter months. An insulated chimney liner would instantly benefit your home. At this point, you may ask, “Do I need to insulate my chimney liner?” That is an excellent question. Read on to find out the answer. 

Insulation and Your Chimney Liner

How does one insulate a chimney liner? Having a chimney liner insulated is relatively straightforward, but first, you should know what a chimney liner is. A chimney liner is a long, flexible tube that stretches the length of your chimney’s flue. Chimney liners are almost always made of stainless steel, except for some older houses that could have chimney liners made of different metals, ceramics, or concrete. Chimney liner insulation works rather simply, but effectively. It wraps around the length of the chimney liner. Some liners contain stainless steel fillers or ceramic fibers. A specific type of insulation, insulation blankets, is a dense fabric made from alkaline earth silicate. Now that you are acquainted with a chimney liner and how it’s insulated, let’s find out why it should be insulated.

Why Insulate a Chimney Liner?

Here are a few reasons to insulate your chimney’s liner:

Heat Transfer

Since an insulated chimney liner contains the heat inside a flue, it is less likely that heat will transfer to the bricks in your chimney, which may break down when exposed to high heat. It also keeps heat from transferring to the wood in your roof and attic, preventing the timbers and shingles from igniting.

Improved Draft

Studies indicate that an insulated chimney liner will improve the draft in your fireplace. A better draft will let logs burn more efficiently, and since fires will burn hotter for longer, it will reduce your power bills during the winter. 

Hotter Gases 

In the same way a jacket wraps around a person and keeps them warm, insulated chimney liners keep gases rising from your fireplace hot. Why does that matter? When gases cool, they transform into condensation as they float upward. If a chimney is significantly damp, there will be creosote present. Creosote is a mixture of chemical compounds with a low ignition point and can potentially cause a chimney fire, putting your whole house at risk. If you burn unseasoned wood, there will be even more creosote because the logs are saturated. 

Even if your chimney belongs to a gas or pellet-burning fireplace, there is an increased chance of condensation forming, which makes it critical that the chimney liner is insulated.

My Chimney Liner Isn’t Insulated, What’s Next?

If your chimney liner isn’t insulated, you should use a qualified chimney sweep service to insulate it. Professional chimney sweeps examine your chimney to see if any cleaning or repairs are needed. Once they have inspected your chimney, they will provide you with a quote for the installation and costs. 

Mercer County Chimney Can Insulate Your Chimney Liner

If you want to ensure that your chimney works more efficiently and has less creosote, contact us today. We will gladly discuss the benefits of insulating your chimney liner. Don’t wait until winter, when demand is high for chimney sweep services; get in touch right away.