When you’ve got a chimney professional at your home, it’s easy for them to fall into industry jargon, leaving you wondering what they’re talking about. Fortunately, we’ve got a list of the chimney system components found in your New Braunfels home, starting at the bottom, and working our way up, including why they’re important for your fireplace and chimney system.
Parts of Your Chimney System and Why They’re Important
- Hearth Extension: This is the part that sticks out on the floor in front of your fireplace, protecting the floor from damage due to heat, fire, or coals.
- Fire Box: The fire box is the area where the fire burns, and if it’s in bad shape, can allow fire or heat to cause damage to your structure or a fire.
- Lintel: This is the top of your fireplace opening. It holds up some of the structure of the face brick and mantle, and forms the base of that side of the chimney.
- Face Brick: This is the decorative face above the lintel, which may have tile, stucco, or other material. It provides a gradually thickening slope into the smoke chamber at the back.
- Damper: The damper separates the smoke chamber from the fire box, and can help control airflow so that you can keep heat in the house when needed.
- Smoke Shelf: Behind the firebox and above the damper is the smoke shelf, the bottom of the smoke chamber, which collects smoke as it goes up the chimney.
- Smoke Chamber: The smoke chamber is a chamber above your firebox that collects smoke and moves it towards the chimney, so that it leaves the home effectively.
- Flue Tile: Flue tiles are the interior of your chimney, and are typically smooth to prevent creosote from building up and causing a chimney fire.
- Mortar Joint: Between bricks and flue tiles, mortar joints made of a mix of sand, cement, and water are placed to keep these elements stable and connected.
- Chimney Crown: The crown is usually a concrete cap on top of the brickwork of your chimney, which keeps rainfall from damaging the brickwork below it.
- Chimney Cap: This typically metal piece acts as a small roof over your chimney to keep water from entering while allowing smoke to leave.
With a solid knowledge of chimney system components, New Braunfels residents can better understand what chimney professionals are talking about and why they’re concerned. If you need help with your fireplace or chimney, the experienced professionals at Wolfman Chimney & Fireplace are ready to help, just reach out today to get started!
Reach us online, send us a text, or call us at 830-620-4335 today!