Santa's Friend Chimney Service

Santa's Friend Chimney Service Blog

What Is HeatShield? Do I Need It?

If you have an older masonry chimney, chances are you have a clay tile liner inside the flue. While clay tile liners are durable, they do not last forever. Because they are ceramic, these tiles cannot evenly distribute the heat that occurs when the temperature rises rapidly when a fire is burning. This uneven heating causes the tiles to expand at different rates, and this makes the tiles to crack and break apart. Once the clay tiles begin to deteriorate, the rest of the tiles are at risk of becoming damaged, which can cause your chimney to not work safely. Any cracks, gaps, or voids in a clay tile liner can lead to carbon monoxide leaks as well as residential fires. A couple of decades ago, the cost of replacing clay tiles was exorbitant because of the labor involved as parts of the chimney will need to be rebuilt. Many homeowners had to have stainless steel chimney liners installed to make their chimneys safe again. Fortunately, CeCure Chimney Systems  developed a revolutionary product about 20 years ago called HeatShield as a new way to reline a clay tile liner. Santa’s Friend Chimney Service is proud to have chimney technicians who have been trained and certified to use HeatShield when relining chimneys, and we would like to tell you a bit more about this option.

What Is Heatshield? Do I Need It? - Jackson MS - Santa's Friend Chimney Service

What exactly is HeatShield?

A specially formulated “Cerfractory” sealant, HeatShield can restore your clay tile liner to be able to vent away hazardous and toxic flue gases by eliminating the dangers of cracks, gaps, and voids in the flue. If you have an older masonry chimney with a clay tile liner, you need HeatShield to repair or restore your old liner. An economical way to repair damaged clay tiles, HeatShield does not require any rebuilding of your chimney. If only the mortar joints in your flue have deteriorated, Santa’s Friend Chimney Service can use HeatShield’s Joint Repair System to fill in the damaged mortar joints to prevent further damage. If you also have cracked or spalled clay tiles, we can use HeatShield’s Resurfacing System to coat the entire flue and make it safe to use again.

Why should I choose HeatShield?

This product is extremely durable because the formula is a combination of ceramic and refractory materials that withstands moisture, toxic and corrosive gases, and temperatures over 2900 degrees Fahrenheit. HeatShield actually goes above and beyond the standards set by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the International Residential Code (IRC). If you are concerned about how long this type of liner will last, a 20-year warranty is included with your HeatShield services. As we mentioned above, HeatShield is an economical solution to repair and restore a clay tile liner. If you are concerned about the environment, you will be glad to know that this formula is created with recycled and naturally occurring materials to give you a green option for relining your chimney.

If it has been quite some time since your clay tile liner has been in use, you most likely need HeatShield. Contact us at Santa’s Friend Chimney Service to find out more about this chimney relining option.

By Jim Robinson on May 10th, 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