A job in Sedona showed me why I'll never skip a full liner inspection again

I was cleaning a big stone fireplace in a rental cabin last month, and the owner said it was 'fine, just a little smoky smell'. I ran my camera down and found a 4-inch crack in the clay liner about 8 feet up, right where the flue bends. How do you guys explain that kind of hidden damage to a customer without scaring them off the whole fireplace?

2 comments

2 Comments

webb.derek22d ago

Ever read that article about how heat stress on old clay liners is worse at the bend? That's exactly what you found. I agree with @jenkins.wade, the video is key. You just point at the screen and say, "See how the crack follows the mortar line? That's from years of heat going around the corner putting pressure right there." It turns it from a scary idea into a simple fact they can see. Then you talk about the fix, not just the problem.

jenkins.wade22d ago

Just show them the camera footage, it's way less scary when they see the actual crack for themselves.