A roaring fire is a part of the holiday traditions for many families. But in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, fireplace maintenance can often be put off or forgotten entirely.Homeowners should schedule an annual chimney sweep and inspection now to ensure that their fireplaces are in excellent condition and will not have any issues arise during the holidays.
According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, or CSIA, chimneys should be swept any time there is an excessive soot buildup or at minimum once per year. The CSIA also recommended that chimney structures should “be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits, and correct clearances.” Having an annual chimney sweep prevents any excessive buildup of soot, ash, and creosote. It also ensures that your chimney and fireplace have not deteriorated or been damaged enough to warrant repairs.
What is done during a chimney sweep?
The primary purpose of an annual chimney sweep is to remove any buildup of creosote. Creosote is a highly flammable, foul smelling, and gummy byproduct of wood burning fires. It coats the inside of the chimney structure and is one of the leading causes of chimney fire. In addition to removing any creosote deposits, a certified chimney sweep will also remove any ash, soot, blockages, and debris in the chimney structure.
A chimney inspection is also performed during an annual chimney sweeping. If your chimney and fireplaces work well and have not been damaged since their last inspection, a Level I inspection will be performed. During a Level I inspection, a certified technician will inspect all accessible components of the chimney both inside and outside the home. This includes checking the firebox, chimney structure, joints, and connections for any signs of damage or deterioration.
If there have been problems with or damage to the chimney or fireplace, a more in depth Level II or Level III inspection may be performed. Likewise, if any signs of damage are discovered, the technician can recommend any necessary repairs or a more comprehensive level of inspection.
Why is an annual chimney sweep important?
While an annual chimney sweep may seem like an unnecessary waste of both time and money for fireplace that work well, preventative maintenance can identify small issues such as cracks or damage to the bricks or mortar. This damage may start out small, but it will continue to worsen over time. This can result in serious structural damage and costly chimney repairs.
Instead, having problems fixed when they are still relatively minor can save a significant amount of money in the long run as well as protect the overall health of your chimney system. Regularly swept and inspected chimneys often have longer lifespans than those that are not regularly maintained.
Getting your chimney inspected before its heavy use period begins ensures that your family can safely enjoy warm fires throughout the holiday season. If you would like to schedule an annual chimney sweep and inspection before the holidays arrive, contact Mountain Man Fireplace and Chimney today!
It’s important to know what the common causes of chimney blockages are so you can prevent it or remove it if it’s already there.
While everyone loves a fire in his or her fireplace, no one wants a fire in his or her chimney. Unfortunately, according to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, chimney fires are more common than you may think, and sometimes you do not even know they have occurred. A dirty chimney is the most likely cause of all chimney fires, and usually the same blockages are the culprits in these accidents. The good news is chimney fires are completely preventable with proper maintenance care like regular chimney sweeps from professionals like Mountain Man Fireplace & Chimney Incorporated. Also, knowing what the common chimney blockages are can prepare you to keep these things out of your chimney in the first place.
Stray animals looking for a dry, warm place to call home may come across your chimney to set up house in the winter. Ranging from nesting birds to raccoons to squirrels, these animals not only cause blockage problems that can lead to dangerous fires, but they can become stuck and create nasty, putrid smells that can invade your home. For your own personal safety, we strongly recommend you call a professional animal removal service to get any animals and nests out of your chimney.
All year long, leaves, trash, tree foliage, and settlement works its way down into your chimney and accumulates. This may not sound like too big of a deal; however, all of this debris adds up and can cause blockages giving a risk for incomplete combustion and negative air pressure to happen, driving smoke into your house. Settlement buildup can also cause cracks in your flue, which lets dangerous carbon monoxide escape into your home.
The most dangerous of the chimney blockages, creosote is the by-product of burning wood, and it comes from the residue of smoke, gases, water vapor, hydrocarbon, unburned wood particles, and other assorted minerals as they exit the fireplace and pass through the chimney. Sticking to the inner walls of the chimney, creosote is brown or black in appearance and can be flaky, crusty, tar-like, sticky, drippy, shiny, or hardened — even all of the above. Extremely flammable and highly combustible, creosote can quickly build up, and if the internal flue temperature is high enough, you have a chimney fire waiting to happen that could possibly burn down your entire house. What’s worse is certain conditions make creosote buildup happen more quickly. Factors that accelerate creosote buildup include restricted air supply from closing the glass doors or not opening the damper wide enough and burning unseasoned wood because the smoke is so much cooler due to the energy being used to burn off the water trapped in the cells of the logs. You can also get a heavier amount of creosote buildup if you overload the firebox in a wood stove in an attempt to get a longer burn.
To ensure your chimney is blockage-free and prevent a chimney fire, schedule an appointment for a chimney sweeping with Mountain Man Fireplace & Chimney Incorporated today. A clean chimney is the best prevention against a chimney fire!