Chimney Liner Materials

Clay Liners

• One common type of liner is the clay tile liner. This type is traditional and perhaps the most common type. Clay liners are impervious to heat and can be used to burn any type of fuel or solid material. They can last up to several decades without needing to be replaced. While clay liners are not among the most effective materials for square or rectangular chimneys, they are among the cheapest and will work on most average size chimneys. They are difficult to fit to an existent chimney but can be easily installed when a chimney is first constructed.

Cast-in-Place Liners

• If clay is not practical for your chimney, cast-in-place liners are also convenient and often used. These liners are made of poured cement and can also be used with nearly any level of heat or product that will be burned in your chimney. These liners burn cleaner to help reduce accumulation of soot and flammable resin in your chimney. They also can last for several decades and can be installed and reconstructed, unlike clay liners. The type of chimney lining you will require depends largely on your current situation and your budget, but a cast-in-place liner is a more manageable and more expensive alternative to clay liners.

Metal Liners

• Metal liners are far and away the most expensive of the liner options, but they are a favorite of many professionals and builders. These can cost as much as $100 per square foot and can total many thousands of dollars. They do, however, feature stainless steel components that you can purchase as either rigid or flexible liners and are among the easiest to clean. Metal liners, however, should be insulated from the inside to minimize the transfer of heat to other parts of your house when heat is not desired.

Reasons to Install a New Liner

• Chimney liners may have not been built correctly in the first place, which is the main reason for installing a new liner. Because building and heating has changed dramatically since the early 1900s, many current liners may be antiquated or ineffective. If your chimney liner has not been cleaned or checked in several years, you need to know the effect that this can have on your house, your fireplace and your health as well as the liners themselves.