What are the Most Common Chimney Systems?

When speaking of chimneys most people think of the stack of bricks that rise above the house or building and the smoke comes out of it. Basically this is correct but there is much more to it than just that. Chimneys have come a long way and they most likely are not done yet. So what are the most common types?

• There is a standard to which chimneys are built. This is ANSI/UL103 or “The Standard for Factory-Built Chimneys, Residential Type and Building Heating Appliance.


• There are two types of chimneys that are regulated with the standard. Those would be the factory built metal chimneys and the masonry chimneys. The factory built chimney is further subdivided in four groups listed below. Factory built chimneys are similar because they are made with at least two metal tubes for liners with insulation in-between. The four are:
  
  
  1. Air-Cooled – Relies on air taken from within the structure to aid in cooling and they have large outside diameters.
  
  
  2. Solid Pack – These chimneys utilize a packed insulation between the two walls and are known for high insulation properties. These types usually out perform the other types.
  
  
  3. Triple Wall – There are two types of these. Combination and Air-cooled. Combination uses a fiber blanket plus air and Air-cooled uses only air.
  
  
  4. Blanket – Like solid pack but they use insulation blankets cut to fit into the chimneys walls.
  
  

• The Masonry chimneys have larger internal and external dimensions. They can either be square or rectangular in shape. They can have possibly clay/tile or a metallic flue liner. These are normal chimneys constructed of stone, block or brick that would be decided by the heating method chosen. If the appliance is a higher performing one you should use a liner that will handle its application rating.