High Efficiency Furnaces Could Hurt your Chimney, Consider a Chimney Liner!

Chim Chimney Chim Chimney Chim Chim Cha Roo! Thinking of chimneys often conjures up images of Dick Van Dyke, and his chimney sweeps singing and dancing on the rooftops of London. However, there is more to chimneys than that.

Your chimney could be in danger, and you may not even know it. Here’s the deal. Older furnaces are less energy-efficient, and therefore they let out or used to let out high temperatures of steam-around 700 degrees. This number is also added to the steam from the water heater.

Higher efficiency furnaces do not let out steam that is so high in temperature. A high-efficiency unit (90% and above) does not even use the chimney! They have their own plastic pipes that leave the home from the side of the house because the steam is only about 150 degrees. An 80% efficiency furnace would still use the chimney, but the temperature would be drastically reduced to about 400 degrees. Therefore, the big chimneys on houses are no longer necessary because these lower temperatures do not need as much room.

Because these higher-efficiency furnaces are not using the whole space of the chimney, moisture can build up on the side, and acid can seep through the mortar that holds the bricks or blocks of the chimney together. This can cause problems or destruction to the chimney.

That is why a chimney liner is often necessary. The liner is made of metal, and it does like it sounds-it lines the inside of the chimney. This constricts the space and makes it a skinnier flue so that the steam and temperatures can fill up the whole area. The size of the liners can be adjusted according to what type of furnace you have. This liner helps to protect your chimney if you have a newer furnace.

Suppose you aren’t sure if you need a liner. Take a look at your chimney. Is it brick? Then you probably need one. Metal chimneys are newer and probably already small enough for your furnace. Look at the top of your brick chimney to check if you already have a liner. If you have a liner, you will see a metal flue come out on top, just a little higher than the original flue exit.

FLAME Heating, Cooling, and Electrical can install chimney liners in your home for you, and they can help you figure out whether or not you need a chimney liner. If you have any questions-call FLAME!