What Is Ceramic Restoration?
Ceramic Restoration is a premium, durable ceramic liner for use in the repair, restoration, and energy conversion of chimneys and chimney flues. We love working with it, as it is a sprayable ceramic that essentially seals holes and cracks, while strengthening your chimney for long-term use. Now, this is important for you, because it keeps your home safe, while also increasing the overall efficiency.
Our team, the Chimney Scientists, are the only certified Thermocrete installers in the entire Philadelphia area! We combine this with other products including FireGuard and HeatShield. Our goal is always to provide you with the best options (i.e. the most cost effective, the quickest and the least invasive), and we’re proud to offer Ceramic Restoration as a home solution.
We underwent special training to be authorized to utilize the technology, but we absolutely prefer it because, without it, the likely next best solution is to undertake an entire rebuild of your existing chimney. We believe this is a significant and unnecessary cost, and we highly recommend utilizing Ceramic Restoration.
The Benefits
So, why else should you choose Ceramic Restoration? Here are the many additional benefits we’ve identified in our experience for opting for this ceramic solution over a steel liner:
- There is no major construction involved, which is a huge upside! This means minimal intrusion and inconvenience to you and your family.
- This guarantees significant cost savings, especially when compared to an entire rebuild of your chimney.
- Quick installation time; our team will be in and out of your hair.
- This keeps your chimney energy efficient, and the process is also environmentally friendly and compliant. A win-win!
- It is easy to utilize Thermocrete to retrofit any existing chimney for conversion to natural gas.
- The ceramic is resistant to corrosion from the elements, so no need to worry about additional holes and cracks down the road.
- There is minimal downsizing of the flue area; again, the core of your chimney remains intact.
- Ceramics will not corrode like stainless steel in the long-term.
- It’s also impervious to acids, sulfurous emissions, chlorides, and creosote.
Trust us when we say that this is the solution you are looking for.
For awareness, Thermocrete was listed with Warnock Hersey in 1999, then relisted in 2011/2016 by Guardian Test Labs per ULC-S635.
Bonus: It is Designed for All Types of Masonry Chimneys
Ceramic Restoration is the perfect solution for restoring and repairing gas, or wood masonry flues. Whatever chimney you have,
Frequently Asked Questions
Before you commit, we understand you may have a number of questions. Our team is more than happy to answer them, if you give us a call or schedule an appointment. However, to give you a better sense, we’re sharing the Thermocrete team’s verified FAQ insights.
However, first we’ll answer the top-asked question of us: can any chimney professional use Thermocrete Ceramic Flue Liner?
No, which is why it should be again noted that the Chimney Scientists are the only certified installers in the Philadelphia area. To be able to use it, you must be a factory-trained technician, and you must attend a comprehensive three-day intensive training program on specialized Thermocrete equipment.
Thermocrete screens each candidate in advance. Once accepted and teams complete their training, they receive official certification that they are an authorized Thermocrete installer.
We genuinely believe in this technology, which is why we invest in having our entire team trained to be authorized on Thermocrete. We know it will be both cost effective and quick for you, and a long-lasting solution for your home!
Thermocrete Insights, Directly from the Manufacturer
1. Can Thermocrete repair a chimney-fire damaged tile liner? What are the limitations?
Yes, Thermocrete does repair heat-damaged clay tile. It fills cracks, binds tile together, closes eroded tile joints, and provides a heat-diffusing barrier that renders the total liner better than when it was first installed. Tests show that a Thermocrete-repaired broken tile liner is gas-tight, remains intact during normal (sub-1200F) use, and is 99% less likely to re-crack during elevated chimney-fire temperatures of 1200-2100F. Thermocrete will fill normal masonry joints, but for fire-damaged tile repair, only liners with no more than 1/8″ cracks are candidates for Thermocrete. If tiles are broken apart, loose, or missing, you can’t use Thermocrete. If tiles have holes larger than 1 inch in them or gaping cracks, you must not use Thermocrete.
2. What about the need to downsize for many gas and oil applications?
This is an occasion that would require a different type of liner than Thermocrete. The advantage of Thermocrete in most cases is that it does NOT substantially downsize the flue.
3. Is Thermocrete a zero-clearance liner?
Thermocrete is not tested as a zero clearance liner for solid fuel. Thermocrete possesses minimal insulation qualities and instead works by uniquely dispersing heat.
4. Has Thermocrete passed any official tests or certifications? What about U.L.?
Yes. Thermocrete has undergone extensive testing by Ceram Research and Warnock Hersey / Intertek Testing Services. It was originally listed to the applicable sections of UL 1777 by Warnock Hersey in 1999 (#J99001572-231), then reevaluated, listed, and labeled by Guardian Fire Testing Laboratories in 2011 to UL 1777 and ULC S 635 as a liner for Gas and Oil(GL90811/FI19311). Thermocrete is also in compliance with NYS Building Code MC 801.16, item 3, and FGC 501.12, item 3.
5. How will Thermocrete stand up to brushing during chimney cleaning, especially with flat-wire brushes?
Thermocrete stands up very well to normal chimney cleaning. No special care is needed during cleaning. Although Thermocrete is 5 times harder than cast-in-place liners and has a remarkable capability for bonding firmly to chimney walls, we do not recommend using rotary chains.
6. How does installation of Thermocrete work in cold weather?
The problems you may encounter in cold weather are primarily related to the application process, not the finished product. Whenever you are dealing with water in below-freezing conditions, precautionary measures need to be taken. However, if done properly, Thermocrete can be sprayed in weather as cold as 20 F.
One of the benefits of Thermocrete is that a few minutes after the end of spraying, many heating appliances can be fired to complete the cure, with no worries about plummeting nighttime temperatures.
7. What about creosote wicking through tile liner cracks and remaining a hazard on the backside of existing tile?
Actually, the quantity of creosote that works its way through small tile cracks is inconsequential. We have never seen a dangerous quantity of creosote on the backside of the minimally cracked tile. With a liberal coating of Thermocrete in place, hot gases cannot penetrate the repaired tile to reach any creosote film. Thermocrete provides a heat-diffusing barrier to minimize temperature rise on the backside.
8. How about eroded and spalled tile liners serving oil and gas appliances?
Thermocrete is excellent in this situation. Since Thermocrete is only as good as the substrate it is applied to; you should brush and peel away all loose liner materials first. The liner should generally remain, at the minimum, 3/8″ thick at most spots. Any holes should be backed closely by masonry walls or filled with refractory materials. The Thermocrete coating will then strengthen and bind together the old surface with a new acid-resistant and moisture-resistant seal.
Inspection for repair
We thoroughly inspect and write a report onsite identifying any problems and aspects of your chimney with a video camera (level 2) before issuing any estimates. The process takes about 1-2 hours.
The report includes not only pictures of your chimney identifying the issues and how to fix them, it includes diagrams and illustrations of a chimney’s composition, to get a better understanding of how they work and how they are constructed. This service is $162. We credit you back the $162 toward any work that is completed with our company. If you have seen our reviews we have had great success resolving issues for our clients.
We do this to so we can warranty your chimney repairs.
