Bradley wood fireplace after a chimney fire: cracked flue tiles and a stainless reline
A Bradley homeowner called after a fast, roaring fire in the flue one cold night. The fire went out on its own, but what it left behind is the reason we put a camera up before anyone lit another log.
The night of the fire, and the morning after
The homeowner described it the way most people do: a sudden deep roaring, flames and sparks out the top, and then quiet. By morning everything looked normal from the hearth. That is the trap. A chimney fire burns the glazed creosote lining the flue at temperatures high enough to crack clay tile, and almost all of that damage is hidden above the smoke chamber where you cannot see it from the room.
This was a 1960s ranch in one of Bradley’s older subdivisions, with the original terracotta clay tile liner. Those flues were built well for their day, but a single chimney fire can take decades of life off one. We would not clear anyone to burn until we knew whether the liner still held.
What the camera found above the damper
We swept the flue first so the camera had a clean surface to read, then ran it from the top down. Two tiles had cracked clean through, and one joint had opened where the mortar had spalled away from the heat. A cracked tile matters for two reasons: hot gas and embers can reach the wood framing packed around a masonry chimney, and water now gets into the crack and keeps widening it every freeze. This is exactly the kind of damage a Level 2 inspection exists to document, and it is why we never sign off on a chimney fire with a flashlight look from below.
We photographed every defect so the homeowner had a clear record for their insurer, who often cover chimney-fire damage when it is documented properly.
Relining in stainless, sized to the fireplace
A cracked clay liner in an open wood-burning fireplace does not get patched. We relined it with a UL 1777 listed stainless steel liner, sized to the fireplace opening so the draft stays strong and the fire pulls clean. The liner was insulated and run the full height, with a new top plate and cap to keep rain and animals out of the system for good.
Once it was in, the fireplace drafted better than it had in years, because the smooth round liner moves smoke far more efficiently than a rough, stepped clay flue. We work to the NFPA 211 standard on every reline, and the stainless liner carries a long service life when it is swept on schedule.
If this sounds like your house: we handle chimney relining across Kankakee County, and our Bradley page covers what we usually find there. Call (815) 449-4264, 7am to 9pm, any day.
Quick questions
How do I know if I actually had a chimney fire?
Common signs are a loud roaring from the chimney, dense smoke, a strong hot smell, and afterward puffy or honeycombed creosote, warped damper parts, or cracked tiles. Many chimney fires are quiet, so if you suspect one, stop using the fireplace and have the flue inspected with a camera before the next fire.
Can a cracked clay flue tile just be sealed?
For an open wood-burning fireplace, no. A cracked liner has to be replaced or relined so hot gas and embers cannot reach the surrounding structure. A proper stainless reline listed to UL 1777 restores a safe, continuous flue.
Will my homeowner’s insurance help with chimney-fire damage?
Many policies do cover sudden chimney-fire damage. The key is documentation. A Level 2 inspection with clear photos of the cracked tiles and heat damage gives your insurer what they need. We provide that record as part of the inspection.
How long does a stainless liner last in a Bradley home?
A quality stainless liner, swept on a normal schedule, lasts many years and often carries a long warranty. Burning seasoned wood and keeping up with annual sweeps are the two things that extend its life the most.
Published November 1, 2026 · By Jacob Dove, Friendship Chimney Sweep, Bourbonnais IL