Have you ever had problems with your chimney draft? One of the most common reasons for improper draft has to do with the size of your flue. Whether the chimney is too tall, too short, too wide, or too narrow, size issues can cause major issues for your fireplace. For years, Blue Ridge Chimney Services has been the premier chimney company in the Shenandoah Valley. Our Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA)-certified technicians have the experience and training to find and resolve flue size issues. We would like to tell you more about why a properly sized chimney flue matters. We can help you make sure your flue size correctly matches the size of your fireplace.
How does the size of my chimney flue affect my fireplace?
In order to draft properly, your chimney needs to reach a certain high temperature to generate the right amount of heat. Size problems can occur when homeowners update their old traditional masonry fireplaces by installing newer fireplace inserts in the existing openings. On average, these new inserts are much smaller than the flues, and this can lead to drafting and other issues. When the chimney is too cold, condensation occurs, and this creates corrosive vapors inside the flue that can damage the bricks and mortar joints. Another problem has to do with incomplete combustion causing an overproduction of carbon monoxide, a toxic gas that can leak into your home. The height of your chimney is also important. Not only does your chimney need to be a certain height to meet building codes and standards, but it also needs to be tall enough to draft properly.
How can Blue Ridge Chimney Services help me with the size of my flue?
According to the CSIA, the most common solution to an improperly sized flue is to have a new stainless steel chimney liner professionally installed to create the correct size match to the fireplace appliance. We can customize the liner of your choice to properly fit your insert or other hearth heating appliance. We also provide professional chimney construction services if the height of your chimney is too short. If the masonry materials of your chimney have suffered from corrosive damage, we can also remove and replace the damaged bricks and mortar joints to restore the integrity of your flue.
The size of your flue matters. If you have had chimney draft issues or any other problems with your fireplace, contact us at Blue Ridge Chimney Services to schedule an appointment for our professional chimney services. We are here to help you with any of your chimney and fireplace maintenance, repair, and installation needs.