How Often Should I Replace My Chimney Liner?

The flue liner in your chimney is a safety feature that must be fully intact to provide vital protection from potential danger. It’s important to know the answer to the question, how often should I replace my chimney liner? First, you should know that being alert to potential false claims from people in the chimney sweep industry is advisable because it’s an unregulated industry. When a CSIA-certified chimney sweep from Chimney Saver Solutions tells you it’s time for a chimney liner replacement, you can trust that it’s true. We value our work, which contributes to the safety of our customers.

When Should I Replace My Chimney Liner?

Your chimney liner should always be repaired or replaced if it is damaged. Whether you live in a new home or aren’t sure how old the liner in your chimney is, the following timelines may also help you figure out if it might be time to replace your chimney liner:

If you have a masonry chimney, a clay tile liner was likely built in when it was constructed. Clay tile liners often last up to 50 years.
The stainless-steel liners that are often used as a replacement last up to 15 years or so.
At Chimney Saver Solutions, we use the HeatShield® process. It restores a clay tile liner and is less expensive than stainless-steel liners. HeatShield typically comes with a 20-year limited warranty.

How are Chimney Inspections Important to Chimney Liners?

Keeping tabs on the condition of your chimney liner is crucial to the safety of your home and family. The best way to be sure your chimney is safe to use is to schedule annual chimney inspections. All fire safety experts agree that every chimney should be subjected to a yearly inspection, even if the chimney isn’t used anymore.

A Level 2 chimney inspection includes a close look at your chimney liner using a video camera. Even a small crack in the liner places your family in danger, and damage can occur anywhere along the length of the chimney. People most often learn that their liner needs replacing after an inspection has been performed.

Chimney experts can tell you when a video inspection is required. For example, a Level 2 chimney inspection is required when:

There is a transfer of property that has a chimney system.
A damaging event has occurred, such as a chimney fire, a severe storm, or an earthquake.
The appliance or chimney malfunctions.
The home or chimney has undergone changes that may affect the chimney system.

Signs It’s Time to Replace Your Chimney Liner

After seeing some of the following clues, you may have already found yourself asking, how often should I replace my chimney liner?

Bits of broken flue tiles in your fireplace are sure signs that the liner needs to be replaced.
If you can’t figure out why combustion fumes aren’t going up the chimney the way they should, it could be a sign that it’s time to replace your chimney liner.
The age of your chimney liner can be a good indication that a replacement liner is needed.

Contact the Professionals for a Chimney Liner Replacement

The experts at Chimney Saver Solutions are ready to help you determine whether your chimney liner needs to be replaced. We’ll discuss options and provide any assurances you need. We are happy to answer any questions, such as how often should I replace my chimney liner? And, yes, we can also provide masonry rebuilds, chimney crown repair, chimney liner replacement, fireplace installation, and much more. Call us today at 804-440-5000 or fill out our online form.