Chimney Services
Chimney Lining Systems in New Jersey
New liner installation for gas, oil, and wood-burning systems — backed by a lifetime warranty and installed by CSIA certified technicians.
Chimney Lining Systems for NJ Homes
The liner is the part of your chimney you never see — and it's the most important safety component in the whole system. It keeps heat, smoke, and combustion gases inside the flue where they belong. When a liner cracks, corrodes, or isn't sized right for your heating equipment, those gases can leak into your home.
We install new chimney lining systems for homes across New Jersey. Whether you're replacing an old clay tile liner, upgrading after a heating system conversion, or adding a liner to an unlined chimney, our CSIA certified crew handles it — and every system we install is backed by a lifetime warranty.
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Liner Installation by a Crew You Can Trust
A liner install is an interior job — you can't see it when it's done. That's exactly why you need a crew with the right certifications and a track record you can verify. We use Lifetime Lining Systems, installed by CSIA certified technicians, and backed by a lifetime warranty. No guesswork, no generic products, no corners cut where it counts most.
- Lifetime Lining Systems — backed by a lifetime manufacturer warranty
- CSIA certified installation — the industry standard for chimney safety
- Properly sized for your specific heating system — gas, oil, or wood
- Camera inspection before and after install so you see exactly what was done
- On-the-spot pricing — no waiting, no callbacks
How Chimney Liner Installation Works
You Call
Tell us about your situation — new heating system, old liner, failed inspection, whatever prompted the call. We'll set up a visit.
Camera Inspection
We run a camera down the flue to see exactly what's going on inside. Cracks, corrosion, sizing issues — it all shows up on camera.
Assessment & Pricing
Based on the inspection, we recommend the right liner for your system and give you a price on the spot. No follow-up needed.
Old Liner Removed
If there's an existing liner that's failed, we remove it and prep the flue for the new system. Everything comes out clean.
New Liner Installed
The new Lifetime Lining System goes in — properly sized, properly connected, and insulated where needed. Built to last.
Final Check & Walkthrough
We run the camera one more time to confirm everything is seated right, then walk you through the finished work and your warranty.
Chimney Liners: What Every Homeowner Should Know
Types of Liners
There are three main types of chimney liners: clay tile, metal (usually stainless steel or aluminum), and cast-in-place. Clay tile liners are what most older NJ homes have — they're durable when they're intact, but they crack over time from thermal shock and can't be easily repaired. Once a clay liner fails, it needs to be replaced, not patched.
Metal liners are the most common replacement option. Stainless steel liners work with wood, gas, and oil appliances. Aluminum liners are lighter and less expensive but only rated for certain gas appliances. The right choice depends on what you're venting. We'll match the liner material and size to your specific heating system.
Cast-in-place liners are poured directly inside the chimney to create a smooth, seamless flue. They're excellent for restoring structural integrity in older chimneys. We use Lifetime Lining Systems for these installs — a product specifically designed for long-term performance and backed by a lifetime warranty. For more on how liners fit into the overall chimney system, see our maintenance guide.
Oil to Gas Conversion
This is one of the most common reasons we get called for a liner install. When a home switches from oil heat to gas, the existing chimney liner is almost always wrong for the new system. Oil burners produce hot, dry exhaust that the old liner was designed for. Gas appliances produce cooler exhaust with significantly more moisture.
That moisture condenses inside an oversized flue, forming acidic water that eats through clay tile and corrodes metal. Over time, this deterioration can go unnoticed because the damage happens inside the chimney where you can't see it. By the time you notice problems — flaking on the chimney exterior, a musty smell, or a failed inspection — the liner and sometimes the surrounding masonry are already compromised.
The fix is a new liner that's properly sized for the gas appliance. A smaller-diameter metal liner inside the existing flue speeds up the draft, reduces condensation, and vents the exhaust safely. If you've converted your heating system in the last few years and haven't had the liner checked, it's worth scheduling a flue inspection.
Unlined Chimneys
A lot of older homes in New Jersey — especially those built before the 1940s — have chimneys with no liner at all. The flue is just bare brick. This was standard practice for decades, but by today's standards, an unlined chimney is a fire hazard and a carbon monoxide risk. The mortar joints between the bricks deteriorate over time, creating gaps that allow heat and gases to reach the surrounding framing.
If your home has an unlined chimney and you're using it — whether for a fireplace, a furnace, or a water heater — you need a liner. This isn't optional. It's a safety issue that affects everyone in the house. The good news is that adding a liner to an existing chimney doesn't require tearing anything apart. We install the liner from the top down, connect it to the appliance, and seal everything up.
Not sure if your chimney is lined? A camera inspection will tell us in minutes. If you're buying an older home and the inspection report flags the chimney, give us a call — we can assess it and give you a clear answer on what's needed.
Signs You Need a New Liner
Some signs are obvious: a failed chimney inspection, visible cracks in the clay tile (if you can see up the flue), or chunks of tile falling into the firebox. But most liner problems are invisible from the ground floor. That's why a camera inspection is the only reliable way to know for sure.
Other warning signs include condensation or moisture stains inside the chimney, a strong smell coming from the fireplace even when it's not in use, white staining (efflorescence) on the exterior brickwork that appears after a heating system conversion, or a draft problem that didn't exist before. If your heating technician mentions the chimney during a furnace service call, that's another red flag worth following up on.
The bottom line: if your chimney hasn't had a camera inspection in the last five years — or ever — it's time. Especially if the home is older, the heating system has been changed, or you're noticing any of the signs above. A quick look inside the flue tells us everything we need to know. Learn more about what to watch for in our blog articles.
Liner & Full Rebuild
When a chimney needs a full rebuild, the liner is always included in the project. There's no point building new masonry around a damaged or missing liner. Every rebuild we do includes a new Lifetime Lining System that's sized for the appliance, properly insulated, and integrated into the new chimney structure from the start.
But a liner install doesn't always mean a rebuild. If the exterior masonry is still solid and the only problem is the liner itself, we can replace the liner without touching the brickwork. That's a significantly smaller job — and a significantly smaller bill. The assessment tells us which path makes sense.
Sometimes we find that the liner is failed but the exterior also has issues — cracked mortar, a damaged crown, failing flashing. In those cases, we can coordinate the liner install with the exterior repairs so everything gets handled in one project. One crew, one trip, one invoice.
Warranty Details
The lining systems we install come with a lifetime manufacturer warranty from Lifetime Lining Systems. That covers the liner product itself — materials and performance — for as long as you own the home. On top of that, our installation is backed by our own workmanship warranty.
We'll walk you through the warranty details before the work begins so you know exactly what's covered. There's no fine print buried in paragraph twelve. If something goes wrong with the liner, you call us and we come back. That's been our approach since 2012 and it's not changing.
A liner is one of the few chimney components where a lifetime warranty is standard — because the product is designed to last the life of the chimney. Combined with a CSIA certified installation, you're getting the highest level of protection available for this type of work. Have questions? Reach out — we're happy to walk you through it.
Chimney Liner Questions Homeowners Ask
Most liner damage is invisible from the ground floor. The only reliable way to assess it is a camera inspection — we run a camera down the flue and see exactly what's going on. Warning signs that warrant an inspection include pieces of clay tile in the firebox, moisture or condensation inside the chimney, strong odors from the fireplace when it's not in use, or a failed annual inspection.
Almost certainly yes. Gas appliances produce cooler, wetter exhaust than oil burners. If the old liner wasn't replaced during the conversion, condensation is likely building up inside the flue and corroding the liner and masonry from within. A properly sized new liner solves the problem and protects the chimney long-term.
We use Lifetime Lining Systems — a cast-in-place and metal liner product backed by a lifetime manufacturer warranty. The specific type and size depends on your heating system and chimney configuration. We'll recommend the right product after the camera inspection and walk you through why it's the best fit for your home.
Most liner installations are completed in a single day. More complex installs — like cast-in-place systems in older chimneys or situations that require removing a failed liner first — may take a bit longer. We'll give you a clear timeline when we provide the quote.
Current building codes require a chimney liner for any chimney that vents combustion appliances. If you're using your chimney for a fireplace, furnace, or water heater, it needs to be lined. Unlined chimneys in older homes were built to a different standard, but they don't meet current safety requirements. A liner brings everything up to code.
Yes — in most cases, a new liner is installed from the top down through the existing chimney. No brickwork needs to come apart. The liner is fed down the flue, connected to the appliance, and sealed at the top. If the exterior masonry has separate issues, we can coordinate those repairs at the same time, but the liner install itself doesn't require a rebuild.
Lifetime manufacturer warranty from Lifetime Lining Systems, plus our own workmanship warranty on the installation. We'll go through the details before work begins so you know exactly what's covered. If something goes wrong, you call us and we handle it.
Related Chimney Services
Flue Repair
Cracked or deteriorating flue pipes repaired and restored — often discovered during a liner inspection.
Learn MoreChimney Rebuild
When the masonry is gone too — full teardown and rebuild with a new liner integrated from the start.
Learn MoreChimney Repair
Exterior masonry repairs that can be coordinated alongside a liner install — one project, one crew.
Learn MoreWhy Homeowners Trust Us With Their Chimney Liner
CSIA Certified
Every liner is installed by a CSIA certified technician — the highest safety standard in the chimney industry.
Lifetime Warranty
Lifetime Lining Systems products are backed by a lifetime manufacturer warranty. Our workmanship warranty is on top.
Camera Verified
We inspect the flue with a camera before and after install. You see exactly what we see — no guesswork.
5.0 Stars — 200+ Reviews
Perfect Google rating from NJ homeowners. We earn that number one liner install at a time.
Family-Owned Since 2012
Same crew, same ownership, same standards for over a decade. We're not going anywhere.
On-the-Spot Pricing
We assess the job and price it right there. No callbacks, no waiting for an email. You know the number before we leave.
Time to Check Your Chimney Liner?
Reach Out
Call or fill out the form. Tell us what's going on — heating conversion, failed inspection, or just want a check-up.
Camera Inspection
We run a camera down the flue, show you what we find, and give you a price and recommendation on the spot.
Installed & Warrantied
New liner goes in, camera confirms it's right, and you walk away with a lifetime warranty. Done.
WHY NEW JERSEY HOMEOWNERS TRUST TOP NOTCH 1 CHIMNEY
Family-owned and serving New Jersey since 2012, we built our reputation on honest work, fair pricing, and treating every home like our own. Here's what sets us apart.
Free Estimates, On-the-Spot Pricing
We come to you, assess the work, and give you an honest price right there — no waiting around, no hidden fees, no follow-up sales calls.
We Explain Everything Before We Start
You'll understand exactly what needs to be done and why before you sign anything. We don't move forward until you're completely comfortable with the plan.
CSIA-Certified Technicians
Our lead technician is certified through the Chimney Safety Institute of America. You can trust that every inspection and repair meets the highest industry safety standards.
No Shortcuts, Ever
We do the job right the first time. Every project is completed with quality materials and careful attention to detail — your family's safety depends on it.
Warranties You Can Count On
Our chimney rebuilds are backed by a 50-year warranty and our lining systems carry a lifetime warranty. Every repair comes with a minimum one-year guarantee.
Rated 5-Stars for a reason
We’re proud to have earned hundreds of five-star reviews across the web, including over 200 on Google alone. When you’re choosing a chimney contractor, our customers’ words speak louder than ours — and they keep coming back.
WE ALSO OFFER RESIDENTIAL ROOFING
Already trust us with your chimney? We handle roofing too. Top Notch 1 Chimney provides full residential roof repairs and replacements using top-tier materials from GAF and Owens Corning. We also take care of gutters. It’s the same team, the same standards, and the same commitment to doing the job right — just a different part of your roof.
