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Lining a Chimney
Why do I need to line my chimney??
So you want to use your chimney as an open fire or install a wood burning stove and you have been told that you need to have the chimney lined. But why?? Well, there are various important reasons for lining your chimney. If you are looking for chimney lining in Cheltenham then call Turner Baker today.
Reason number one – if you are building a new property with a chimney it must be lined to comply with Document J of current Building Regulations.
Reason number two – for older properties there are many safety benefits to be gained from having a chimney lined.
The most important thing to remember is that the smoke from your open fire or multi fuel stove or wood burner needs to exit via the flue as quickly and smoothly as possible. Where a chimney is constructed from brick, the bricks may degrade and crumble over time and it is likely that the mortar in between the bricks will degrade as well.
Any sign of degradation of the internal brickwork means that the chimney will have to be lined. This is because the flue may leak smoke into another room in the property and also, smoke will travel most efficiently through a smooth flue. Any lumps and bumps caused by the uneven bricks on the way up through the flue will slow down the flow of the smoke; the smoke will cool and leave deposits on the side of the flue. This is not good. A build up will quickly occur and increase the risk of a chimney fire. 
The internal condition of your chimney may look fine at the moment but if you are planning to install a fire or stove and use it regularly then this will have the effect of speeding up the degradation of the brickwork on the inside of the chimney due to the heating and cooling of the bricks whilst the fire or stove is being used.
Other things to consider – making sure your flue is fit for purpose
Having established that it is very important to line a flue, it is also important to remember that the flue has to be suitable for the purpose that you are intending to use it for. This means that a multi fuel stove should be fitted to a flue size as specified by the manufacturer. It is no good hoping that a multi fuel stove that requires a 6” flue liner will work fine if fitted to a 12” diameter chimney. It won’t. The smoke will slow down immediately as it leaves the multi fuel stove into the large unlined cold flue and you will very quickly find a dangerous build-up of tar and other deposits on the sides of the chimney.
The other downside of attaching a stove is to an over large flue is that it will affect the draw . The smoke will slow down and cool as the flue is too large to draw the smoke away from the multi fuel stove efficiently and it won’t work nearly so well. The temperature of the flue has an important role to play in the efficiency of a multi fuel stove – it it’s too big the smoke will cool straightaway and it won’t draw the smoke away from the fire.
Conversely, trying to fit a large multi fuel stove to a too small flue is also very dangerous – the flue will simply not be big enough to carry away all of the smoke generated by the stove.
The reasons for lining a chimney come down to two important points – complying with building regulations and safety. It is always advisable that you consult an expert to assess your requirements before going ahead with the installation of an open fire or multi fuel stove. More information on the different types of chimney lining available can be found on our website www.turnerbaker.co.uk. If you would like any further advice please contact Turner Baker on 01432 839123 or info@turnerbaker.co.uk
If you require a chimney lining service in Cheltenham then please contact Turner Baker at our head office on 01432 839123 or any of our regional branches:
Cheltenham: 01242 649660
Shrewsbury: 01743 343544
Worcester: 01905 611663
Hereford: 01432 839123
Oxford: 01865 236763
Bristol: 0117 336 0470
Cardiff: 02921 151303
Leamington Spa: 01926 257404