Liner vs No Liner
In accordance with a regulation, it states that your installer must confirm that the chimney is free from any defects and is suitable for its intended use. When an installer checks your chimney, they may find that the only way to provide you with a compliant and safe installation is to line the chimney. If there is any risk that the chimney could leak fumes into the house, they must line it with a suitable re-lining material. There are quite a few choices of system and the most popular is the flexible stainless-steel type. It may be an essential part of your installation.
If any work is done on the chimney, including installation of a new liner, is done in conjunction with the installation of a heating appliance, then that work is controlled service and must be undertaken by a competent person, such as a registered installer.
Why Line a Chimney?
There are many reasons why a chimney is lined, mostly for safety reasons. New chimneys may require re-lining to suit the fuel type being used (a gas flue liner may not be suitable for other fuels).
Chimney systems that predate 1965 will often require a modern chimney liner solution for the following reasons:
- The flue may have lost integrity and can leak smoke into rooms or other parts of the building
- Condensates or tar can seep through chimney walls causing staining, inside or outside of the building
- Lining with insulation included can improve the operation of the appliance and flue – particularly important when the chimney is situated on an external wall
- Defective flue systems may be eroded and rough. This will cause frictional resistance to the flow of the gases resulting in poor up draught
- Large flues over 200mm, particularly ones containing voids, may affect appliance performance. Some appliance manufacturers specify smaller flues for efficient operation.
Contact us for further information.