Chimney Relining & HeatShield Flue Repair in West Hartford

Cracked or deteriorated flue liners let heat, smoke, and carbon monoxide escape into your home. We restore safe venting with UL-listed stainless steel liner systems and HeatShield cerfractory sealant repair, matched to your appliance and confirmed by a video scan before and after.

What Chimney Relining Actually Does

Your chimney’s flue liner is the layer that keeps combustion gases inside the chimney and out of your walls, framing, and living space. When clay tiles crack or a metal liner corrodes, three bad things start happening: heat escapes into combustible framing, smoke sneaks into rooms, and — most dangerously — carbon monoxide can vent inside instead of up and out.

Relining fixes it. We use two proven, UL-listed methods depending on what a video scan shows.

Method 1: Stainless Steel Sleeve Relining

For badly deteriorated or unsafe liners, we install a stainless steel liner system:

• 316 Ti stainless steel for wood-burning fireplaces and stoves
• 304 or AL29-4C stainless for high-efficiency gas and oil appliances
• Insulation wrap around the sleeve to improve draft and keep flue-gas temperature up
• Proper termination at the top with a rain cap and storm collar
• Sized to the appliance — an oversized liner condenses and corrodes; an undersized one restricts draft

Every stainless install comes with the manufacturer’s warranty (often a lifetime warranty for wood appliances) and a written note in your file.

Method 2: HeatShield Cerfractory Sealant

Not every liner has to come out. If your existing clay flue tiles are structurally sound but have hairline cracks, gaps at the joints, or minor missing mortar, HeatShield is a great fit. It’s a cerfractory sealant — a ceramic-and-refractory hybrid — applied from inside the flue with specialized tools.

Three HeatShield systems handle three severities:

• Joint repair — sealing gaps between clay tiles
• Resurfacing — thin protective coating over the entire flue interior
• CeCure Sleeve — thicker structural sleeve for more damaged flues

HeatShield preserves the original masonry, is more affordable than full stainless in the right situations, and typically completes in a single day.

Before-and-After Video Scans

Every relining job at West Hartford Chimney Repair starts with a Level 2 video scan that documents the existing damage. We do a second scan after the work so you have a clear before/after record for your file and, if you’re selling, for the buyer’s home inspector.

When Relining Is Required by Code

Connecticut generally requires a properly sized liner:

• After installing a new gas furnace or high-efficiency appliance
• After a chimney fire
• When an inspection finds through-tile cracks or missing tiles
• When converting from oil to gas or vice versa

If you’re not sure, request a free virtual assessment and we’ll tell you honestly whether relining is required or genuinely optional.