The main purpose of a chimney is to send out the smoke from the fireplace. It can be considered a purifier as it gets rid of the smoke, gas, and dirt created by fire in the fireplace. Accordingly, it is no wonder that the bricks that make up the chimney need to be hard and heat resistant. These bricks should meet the following criteria:
- Withstand high temperature
- Have good thermal shock resistance
- Possess a high melting point
Different types of buildings require different types of bricks. Radial bricks are preferred for hospitals, schools, factories, and buildings with older structures. Radial bricks are durable and curved. The shape plays an important role as it can create rounded chimneys. Many people prefer round chimneys, and this becomes advantageous for the radial bricks that give shape and durability.
The bricks that are used to make chimney liners are chemical resistant. It is necessary for chimney liners to be acid resistant, and also to absorb thermal shock. Hence these bricks are an ideal choice to resist combustion and its acidic byproducts. There is yet another type, the clay brick. This variety is used to make masonry chimneys that are built along with the construction of homes. Usually these are red in color but sometimes they may be painted otherwise.
Every type of building has a different type of chimney as the user group keeps changing. Hence the raw material required to build the chimney also changes. To make the chimney durable and long lasting, it is necessary to take care of the bricks that form the foundation of the chimney. These bricks suffer from exposure to rain, heat, storms, acidic byproducts, humidity, smoke and dirt. Hence it is advisable to minimize the wear and tear on these bricks.
Using a water repellant to save the bricks from heavy lashes of rain can be a smart move. Chimney sweeping at regular intervals helps to retain brick life if the chimney is being used regularly. At times the mortar between the chimney bricks might crumble, so it needs to be replenished. Situations resulting in the replacement of the chimney bricks is also not uncommon. It gives structural support to the chimney and also enhances the overall look of the building.
Chimney bricks are the building blocks to having a beautiful heat-giving appliance. So, it needs to be well taken care of.