Had a close call with a hidden flue liner in a 1920s house in Pasadena

I was doing a standard cleaning on a brick chimney last week, and my brush caught on something about 15 feet up. I mean, it felt like a total block. Turns out the old clay liner had cracked and a big piece had shifted sideways, creating a partial collapse I couldn't see from the top or the fireplace. Idk, maybe it's just me but I never used to check the liner condition with a camera on every single old job. Now I bring my inspection cam for anything built before 1950. Anyone else run into this kind of hidden damage in older homes?

3 comments

3 Comments

david_hayes2mo ago

Man, that's a scary find. I read a report from a fire inspector last year that said hidden liner damage is a top cause of chimney fires in old houses. They said the clay tiles get brittle and can shift from just normal temperature changes over decades. It's not overkill at all to check with a camera, it's just smart. That brush could have pushed that broken piece into a worse spot and really blocked the whole thing. You probably saved that homeowner from a real bad situation.

adams.harper2mo ago

A partial collapse you couldn't see from either end is terrifying. That's the kind of hidden failure that could start a major fire. Your camera policy makes total sense now.

the_alice2mo ago

Sounds like overkill to me. A good brush and some common sense usually finds the problem.