| Clean out Door |
Used
to remove creosote and other foreign matter from the chimney. The
clean out door should be tightly sealed to prevent cool air from
entering the chimney as this reduces proper drafting efficiency. |
| Creosote |
The
unburned residue of wood found in smoke that accumulated inside stoves
and flues. Its buildup creates a fire hazard because it's flammable.
|
| Crown |
Also
called a Wash, is a sloped bed of mortar that helps shed rain water.
When this crown is cracked or deteriorated then rain can be absorbed
into the chimney and cause rapid deterioration. |
| Damper |
A
device to control the
draft of a fire.
|
| Firebox |
The
chamber of a stove or
fireplace where the fire burns.
|
| Flue |
A
passage in the chimney for smoke and gasses to escape.
|
| Flue
Liner |
A
hollow length of fire clay made to line the inside of the flue.
|
| Mantle |
A
decorative shelf above the fireplace. May be made of wood, plaster,
stone, cast iron or other decorative materials. |
| Parging |
A
layer of masonry that covers bricks. Sometimes tuck pointing the bricks
is not a sufficient means to repair bricks, especially in the smoke
chamber above the fireplace. |
| Rain
Damage |
Without
a chimney cap rain would seek down into the firebrick breaking down the
brick and mortar. |
Smoke Chamber
|
The
area above the fireplace and below the flue, used to allow smoke to mix
and rise into the flue. Because smoke tends to linger here, large
deposits of creosote often accumulate here.
|
| Smoke Shelf |
Assists
in collecting small amounts of rain that may enter the chimney.
Considerable creosote deposits may collect here. Also helps to prevent
loss of heated air up the chimney. |
| Spalling |
A
condition wherein clay tile flue liners chip or peel. This is most
often due to moisture mixing with corrosive deposits. Spalling
compromises the integrity of the chimney liner and its ability to
contain chimney fumes |
Thimble
|
Sometimes
called a "breach", a thimble is the passageway for a freestanding stove
or furnace to connect to the chimney.
|
| Tuck pointing |
A
masonry term that refers to repair of the mortar joints between bricks.
When this mortar has weakened or started to fall out then bricks may
become loose. Tuck pointing refers to installing new mortar between the
bricks. |
