Santa's Friend Chimney Service

Santa's Friend Chimney Service Blog

Why You Should Have Your Chimney Relined

Why do people line things? Usually it’s to add a layer of protection or reinforcement to the item you’re lining. For example, adding an underskirt to a dress or shirt to give it more body and sturdiness. Linings can also protect what you’re trying to install. If you’re doing some landscaping, you can put a lining down over the ground so that weeds don’t grow among the new landscaping. However, did you know that your chimney has a liner? This is a very important piece of the makeup of a chimney. Not to mention, one that often gets taken for granted!

Chimney Liner

A chimney’s purpose is to direct the smoke up and out of your house. The problem is that the uneven, rough texture of your brick and mortar chimney can actually catch the small particles that are in the smoke. This causes a buildup of creosote. It can easily eat away at the mortar of the chimney, which in turn will impact the stability of your chimney’s structure. The way to protect this is to have a chimney liner installed. If your house was built within the last eighty years, it will already have a chimney liner installed. Do you have an older home built before the 1940’s? If so, it’s very possible that your chimney was built without a liner. If you own an older home, it’s important to know whether there is a chimney liner present, and, if not, to have one installed.

Correctly Sized

If you know that your chimney is lined, another concern might be that it isn’t correctly sized. When your chimney liner was installed, it should have been sized accurately. This is to provide an efficient path for your wood burning appliance to work correctly. If it wasn’t, you may be facing the possibility of excessive creosote buildup or excessive production of carbon monoxide. Both of these can create hazardous situations!

Cracks in the Clay Lining

Many times, clay liner tiles have been used as chimney lining materials. This is great! Why? These tiles can withstand the heat from your fires. Having said that, however, they can also become cracked over time. Other materials can also be used, such as stainless steel or other types of metals. Stainless steel is the most often recommended; because of the durability of this material, stainless steel chimney liners often come with a lifetime guarantee!

Have Your Chimney Relined

Does your chimney not have a liner? Are the clay liner tiles have cracked? Was your liner sized incorrectly in the first place? If you said yes to any of these questions, you will want to have your chimney relined. The best way to determine the condition of your chimney liner? Have your chimney inspected by the CSIA certified technicians at Santa’s Friend Chimney Service! Once they’ve given your chimney a thorough inspection, they’ll be able to suggest the best method and materials for relining your chimney. They’ll offer convenient, friendly service and are dedicated to looking out for the safety of their customers.

By Justin Perkins on July 7th, 2017 | Tagged with: Tags: , , , | Leave a Comment

All About Wood Burning Inserts

There’s nothing quite as nice as sitting in front of a crackling fire on a cool winter’s evening. Unfortunately, many fireplaces, especially the older ones, are not efficient at all. Consequently, much of your nice warm air is being sucked right up your chimney. In fact, the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association, when rating wood burning fireplaces for efficiency, rated efficiency on fireplaces manufactured before 1990 at 10% or lower!

Increasing Efficiency

Do you love the smell and feel of a wood burning fireplace, but hate the idea of ‘money going up the chimney’? If so, then buying a wood burning insert might be just the answer to your dilemma. There are several advantages to adding this to your existing fireplace, not the least of which is a much more efficient burn.

What is a Wood Burning Insert?

A wood burning insert is a closed combustion system. It consists of a firebox that is enclosed on three sides by cast iron, or in some cases steel, and has insulated glass in the front. This make-up allows the heat to be trapped instead of going up your chimney. Some inserts are even equipped with blowers. This is so that you can blow the hot air back in to heat the room. It’s clear to see that this would make for a much more energy efficient system, not to mention a cozier room.

Safety

Another reason that a wood burning insert is a good idea? Safety! Instead of an open fireplace, an insert is contained. This is so any embers or sparks won’t shoot out of the enclosure.

What Do I Need To Do?

Are you interested in saving money by purchasing a wood burning insert? If so, the first thing you’ll want to do is to have your chimney inspected to make sure it’s up to code. You can check with your local fire department. In addition, you can also trust the qualified professionals at Santa’s Friend Chimney Service. They will check out your existing fireplace. Also, give great advice on choosing and installing an insert.

Don’t be surprised if your inspector tells you your flue needs to be relined. Many of the old, over-sized fireplace flues are too big. Therefore, the new inserts are so efficient that the stoves can’t heat the over-sized flue. If not enough draft is created, the gases that float up your flue will more easily condense on the inside of your chimney. This forms creosote build-up, which could create a dangerous situation. Even the possibility of a chimney fire. So if it’s recommended, be sure to go for the relining.

Hire Professionals

Proper installation is the key to making sure that you have a safe, energy efficient wood burning insert. To ensure that you pick the correct insert to best meet your needs. Plus, that the insert is properly installed, call Santa’s Friend Chimney Service, Mississippi’s most experienced sweeps!

By Jim Robinson on February 21st, 2017 | Tagged with: Tags: , , | Leave a Comment

Santa’s Friend Chimney Service – Offering Chimney Relining

You know how important it is to have your chimney system inspected and cleaned once a year. However, did you know how important your chimney liner is? This key part of your chimney is one we don’t often think about. Not only can your chimney liner be in a state of disrepair, but did you know that not every home with a fireplace has a chimney liner? If your home was built before 1940, it could be that your chimney doesn’t have a liner. This is definitely a problem!

Chimney Liners

The Chimney Safety Institute of America tells us that a chimney liner plays a vital role in making sure that your fireplace is running efficiently and safely. There are several reasons why this part of your chimney is so important. First off, a chimney liner protects your home’s interior from the heat of your fire. Unlined chimneys allow heat to move through your chimney very quickly. This can have disastrous results.

Another reason that a liner is so important? Your masonry chimney is susceptible to the corrosive effects of a fire. The gases that are released from your wood burning fire are acidic. This means that they can eat away at the mortar joints of your chimney from the inside. As these joints erode, more dangerous gases can leak back into your home.

Proper Fit

In order for your chimney liner to do the job it’s supposed to, it has to fit properly. Your chimney liner should allow the gases from your fire to escape, but it also allows air in to provide the draft to allow for combustion. If this liner doesn’t fit properly, your fire could produce more creosote build-up in your chimney, and that increases the possibility of a chimney fire.

Reline or Install

As stated earlier, an older home may not have a chimney liner at all. Even if you do have a chimney liner, there are things that can cause it to fall into a state of disrepair. Rain, when it combines with the gases that escape out your chimney, aids in erosion. Consequently, there’s no way to protect your chimney from precipitation. Also, as with any building materials, time takes its toll and your chimney liner can just wear down. Unfortunately, when your chimney liner breaks down, your fireplace doesn’t run as efficiently as it should; worse yet, it could be a fire hazard. Whether your chimney liner is broken or if you don’t have a chimney liner at all, Santa’s Friend Chimney Service can help you out.

Make the Call

The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that you have your fireplace system inspected and cleaned on a yearly basis; so does the National Fire Protection Agency. Santa’s Friend Chimney Service offers friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable service from CSIA certified professionals. Not only can they inspect and clean your chimney, they can also advise you on whether your chimney is in need of a new chimney liner. Give them a call today!

By Jim Robinson on February 8th, 2017 | Tagged with: Tags: , , | Leave a Comment

Make Your Masonry Repairs Before Winter

A brick chimney looks like a stalwart sentry watching over the horizon at the top of your house. It takes the brunt of all elements – baking sun, battering rain and wind, fluctuating temperatures, snow, and ice. A chimney gets no cover and no respite from the weather. Even though it remains standing and continues to do its job, it slowly breaks down and needs repair. Mississippi was hit hard this year with storms. So, to ward off any potential problems, get your chimney masonry checked out and repaired before the winter begins.

Make Your Masonry Repairs Before Winter - Jackson MS - Santas Friend Chimney ServiceMississippi Weather

Central Mississippi entertains a variety of weather patterns and brick chimney masonry. This masonry, which is made of sand, takes a beating that causes it to breakdown. This Process is called spalling. Weather is the worst enemy of this type of masonry. Beach lovers know that high tides and big storms wash away beaches and that is essentially what is happening to your chimney. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) warns that a neglected chimney can also be a safety hazard.

What Masonry Damage Looks Like

Spalling can look like several types of damage. It may be as dramatic as actual breakage or plain as cracks. There might also be flaking. These are all warning signs that your chimney is weakening. The expansion and contraction from temperature fluctuations serve to put stress on the structure. And according to CSIA, water penetration is its greatest enemy. Moisture will rust the metal portions of chimney and chip away at all the other components that make up brick masonry. Eventually, seepage will cause mildew and fungus, as well as odor that will infiltrate your home.

Types of Repairs

Repairing leaking chimneys, waterproofing, and relining are so ordinary in this area that if you haven’t needed maintenance done to your masonry, you are rare. Santa’s Friend Chimney Service technicians are specially trained and certified to rehabilitate your chimney so that it is safe and in working order. We will assess the damage and then sit down with you to discuss the best options. It may be a matter of repointing or rebuilding. Once the repairs are complete, you may want to consider waterproofing the chimney to avoid problems of moisture. The process creates a barrier between the masonry and the elements.

Don’t wait! You don’t want to learn during the winter that your masonry needs repairs. That means that in addition to the structural damage, you are uncomfortable as you try to stay warm and dry. Contact us at Santa’s Friend Chimney Service while the weather is still mild and let us help get you ready for winter.

By Jim Robinson on October 20th, 2016 | Tagged with: Tags: , , , | Leave a Comment

What You Should Know About HeatShield Chimney Liner Restoration

Many of our customers in older homes with masonry chimneys have clay tile flue liners. Clay tiles have been used to line chimney flues since the beginning of the 20th century, and there are good reasons why. These tiles can withstand extremely high temperatures, and they hold up well against the corrosive byproducts of combustion that pass through the flue on their way out of the chimney. Once installed, clay liners will stay in good shape up to 50 years. However, when the clay tiles become cracked and chipped over time, it can be costly to repair them or to replace the liner as it is a very difficult and time-consuming task. When the HeatShield Chimney Repair and Resurfacing System was developed around 20 years ago in Europe, repairing and relining a clay tile liner became much easier and less costly. At Santa’s Friend Chimney Service, our technicians are experienced with using HeatShield, and our customers who have had their clay flue liners repaired or replaced with this product have all been very satisfied. We would like to tell you more about HeatShield and what it can do for your clay tile-lined chimney.

HeatShield Chimney Liner - Jackson MS - Santa's Friend

What exactly is HeatShield?

A specially formulated “Cerfractory” sealant material, HeatShield can restore the integrity of your chimney’s flue to vent out toxic gases from your home. Eliminating the dangers in your flue caused by cracks, gaps, and spalling, HeatShield will make your chimney as safe and as efficient as it originally was when first built. Depending on the condition of your clay tile liner, the Joint Repair system or the Resurfacing System will be used.

What does the Joint Repair system do?

If our chimney inspectors at Santa’s Friend Chimney Service only find defective mortar joints in your clay tile liner, we will use the Joint Repair system. First we will make a custom-made foam applicator blade to fit your chimney. Once this tool has been inserted into your chimney and positioned below each gap or void, we will then add the HeatShield Cerfractory Flue Sealant mixture. Each void and gap will be filled, and when we pull out the foam applicator blade, it will smooth the filled gaps and voids as it comes out of your chimney. Then we scan the repair with a special video camera to be sure the repairs have been done correctly.

What does the Resurfacing System do?

If your chimney liner has a cracked or spalled flue but is still sound, we will use the Resurfacing System. Again, we will make a custom-fit foam applicator plug that will be placed at the bottom of the flue and attached to a winch atop the chimney. We then prime and clean your old liner with a “tie coat” material, which is applied to the flue walls by pulling the plug upwards with the winch. After this coat dries, we then apply the HeatShield mixture with the foam plug in the same way we applied the primer. This method is called “slip casting” or “slip cast extrusion.” After this is applied, we will look at the scanned video to be sure your entire chimney is sealed and smoke-tight.

Have more questions about HeatShield? Contact Santa’s Friend Chimney Service to talk to our staff to see if HeatShield is right for your clay tile chimney liner.

By Jim Robinson on November 13th, 2014 | Tagged with: Tags: , , | Leave a Comment