Why chimney relining (stainless) works differently in St. Catharines
What makes chimney relining (stainless) in St. Catharines unusual is not the technique, it is the age spread of the housing: a single route can cover 1910 brick and 2019 factory-built venting.
Air-sealing and window upgrades have made St. Catharines homes far tighter than they were designed to be, and a tight house starves a natural-draft appliance of the make-up air it needs.
Post-war subdivisions across Halton share the same construction generation, so when one street starts showing the same defect, the neighbours usually follow within a couple of seasons.
Across Applewood, Western Hill, Lakeport, Old Glenridge and Merritton, the housing stock changes street by street, and the correct method changes with it. A century home with a soft-brick stack does not get the same treatment as a 2010 build with a factory-built vent — using one method on both is how systems get damaged.
If you live anywhere near the Welland Canal, the practical takeaway is that a chimney relining (stainless) visit should start with an assessment, not a tool. Any crew that begins work before telling you what they found is guessing on your behalf.