Went to a historic home in Savannah and their chimney maintenance blew my mind

I was down in Savannah last weekend visiting a buddy and we stopped at the Owens-Thomas House. The docent pointed out their original 1819 chimneys and how they still pass inspection each year. I asked what their secret was and she said they seal the flue with a specific clay mix every 3 winters. Has anyone else tried that old school clay method instead of modern liners?

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avery_fox932d ago

oh man that "specific clay mix every 3 winters" thing is exactly what my grandpa used to do with our old farmhouse chimneys. we had this massive brick chimney that was probably from the 1800s and every few years he'd mix up this clay and sand paste and seal the whole thing. it held up way better than any modern liner i've dealt with honestly. the trick is you gotta use actual fire clay not just regular dirt or mortar. i tried the modern stainless liner route on my own place and it cost a fortune and cracked within 5 years. went back to the clay method and it's been solid for like 7 years now. if your chimney is old enough to handle the heat without modern seals it's totally worth trying. just make sure you get the right clay mix from a masonry supply place not the hardware store stuff.