Month: May 2019

Chimney Maintenance Tips for the Summer

The sunshine
and warmth of summer days are finally here to drive away the last remnants of
cold in the air. In between enjoying the warm weather activities, the summer
time is also a prime time to knock out important fireplace prep work before the
seasonal shift rolls through once more. Taking advantage of the higher temps
and more predictable weather can alleviate a lot of headaches before the cold
sets back in, so consider tackling these items before relaxing in the sun.

Keep Out the Critters

Warmth means
animals and insects alike are awake and on the prowl, looking for new spots to
set-up as stable homes. Take the time now to look at your chimney cap, or
installing one if you don’t already have one, as it will be the first line of
defense in keeping unwanted residents from moving into your chimney and
fireplace before the chilly fall.

Tackle Bigger Repairs and Projects

With the nicer
weather, it will be easier to start and complete major chimney repairs or
fireplace replacements, as there will be less of a need to pause for climate
issues, as well as being able to more easily schedule time with certified
chimney professionals who can complete the work.

Knock-Out Fireplace Odors

If it has been
a while since your last chimney cleaning, and you notice an odd odor coming
from the fireplace, the chances are high that there is creosote build-up that
needs to be removed. Higher summer humidity allows moisture to mix with the
creosote build-up, throwing off a pungent aroma. Scheduling an annual chimney
cleaning will remedy any odor issues emanating from your fireplace.

Schedule a Safety Inspection

While an annual cleaning is on the table, an annual safety inspection goes hand-in-hand. These will be easier to schedule over the summer, as chimney professionals have more leeway in their schedules, and can more easily work with you to find the most convenient time. A safety inspection will help catch any potential issues early on, and completing it over the summer provides ample time to take care of said issues before you really need to use your fireplace.

As you plan out
ways to make the most of your summer weekends, remember the advantages to
tackling necessary fireplace maintenance early. The sooner the fireplace
maintenance responsibilities are taken care of, the sooner you’ll be able to
enjoy your summer and fall, worry-free, safe and sound! To get a jump on any
fireplace issues, or to schedule your annual cleaning, turn to Lindemann
Chimney & Fireplace, chimney experts operating since 1969. Their team is
available and eager to tackle all fireplace questions and concerns, so feel
free to give them a call at (847) 739-4199, or reach out online through the online scheduling portal

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THE MOST DANGEROUS CHARACTERISTICS OF A NEGLECTED CHIMNEY

Being a homeowner goes hand-in-hand with home maintenance. We have all had to do a few projects or chores around the house to keep it in good shape. One area of the home that is often neglected is the chimney.

It is easy to forget about doing chimney maintenance because most homeowners do not even know it is required. After all—it is a solid part of the home. And, many of us don’t even know how to identify where or if our chimney is damaged
At Quality Fireplace, we believe that fire safety and chimney maintenance is crucial for every home. That is why we put together this short list of the most common issues found with chimneys.

Broken Chimney Cap or Flashing

Broken Chimney Cap or Flashing
Broken chimney caps and damaged flashing are two of the most common problems we find when performing inspections. Since the roof is difficult to view without a ladder, these problems often go overlooked.  If you are experiencing water leaks in your ceiling, the flashing around the chimney may need attention.
Water damage and moisture are a chimney’s worst enemy. Moisture erodes building materials and can cause critical damage to other areas of your home, such as:
  • Ceilings
  • Walls
  • Insulation
  • Firebox
  • And more…
The last thing you want to do is replace a section of your roof or tear down drywall because a small leak in the flashing is allowing water indoors. Having a professional inspect it before the elements cause extreme damage could save you thousands in repairs. Learn more about our services.

Debris Buildup or Animal Nests

Debris Buildup or Animal Nests
Plant life and animals are a beautiful part of nature but become a danger when lodged in your chimney. This debris buildup is a huge fire risk due to dryness of the material and the intense heat from a fire. 
Finding debris and nests in your chimney system is a natural occurrence and unavoidable. The best safety measure is to have your entire chimney inspected before you light that first fire of the season. Again, most people do not think to check for brush or nests which increases the likelihood of a fire. If you hear strange noises coming from your fireplace contact Quality Fireplace for an appointment.  Remember chimneys are an attractive place to make a home because they are out of the cold and in an enclosed space.

Creosote

Creosote Build Up in Chimney
Creosote is a term every homeowner should know before attempting to burn in their fireplace. When you burn wood in your fireplace, the smoke travels up the flue and creates a carbon byproduct called Creosote. This dangerous buildup is a combination of flammable tar and soot that needs to be eradicated for every cord of wood your burn.  
Additionally, Creosote will continue to grow over time which can clog the air passage. If left untreated, this blockage can become an extremely expensive project to resolve. Awareness is the key to avoid letting Creosote become a danger.  Spread the message of how to safely enjoy the warmth and beauty of a wood burning fire to family and friends.  Quality Fireplace also offers a referral program worth $25 per referral! 

Crumbling Brickwork 

 

Aside from taking away from the beauty of your home, a crumbling chimney can cause major issues for the entire home. The materials used to build chimneys can differ from the materials used to build your home. 
When a crumbling chimney goes unattended you increase the risk for irreversible damage. Sometimes the damage can be so bad that the entire chimney will collapse!
Brick and mortar damage also pose the risk of allowing moisture in places that you DO NOT want to be damp. Our professional and experienced team will find and fix eroding mortar and crumbling bricks so you can catch the problem before it costs thousands. Put the safety of your family and home first by scheduling a yearly inspection. 

Cracked Flue Tiles

Example of Cracked Flue Tiles in a Chimney
After years of use, the clay tiles in your chimney flue begin to crack and dry out. These cracks need to be repaired as soon as possible to avoid flue fires. The problem starts with the additional buildup of Creosote that forms around the cracks. Over time burning fire without repairing cracked flue tiles or cleaning the Creosote buildup may lead to a devastating chimney fire. 
Cracked flue tiles also allow moisture into the chimney which we know causes erosion damage. There is almost no way to know that your tiles are cracked without the help of an experience CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep. At Quality Fireplace & Chimney Service we perform a “Chimnoscopy” on every inspection which allows us to visually inspect the entire chimney using a special video camera to determine the health and condition of your fireplace.  
A Chimnoscopy will determine: 
  • If and how much internal chimney damage there is
  • Scope of  any repairs that may be needed, and
  • The best course of action for repairs 
Luckily, all of these dangerous scenarios are caught by our team during an inspection. Our technicians will diagnose if you have any issues or concerns with your chimney and fireplace, and provide you with the best options for repair.
Have you had your chimney inspected yet this year? Quality Fireplace & Chimney Service Professionals are CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps and operate using industry best practices! Contact us today and get your annual inspection booked so you can have peace of mind. Don’t forget to refer a person to Quality Fireplace and when they complete service, we’ll send you a check for $25.00!

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Are Chimney Sealants a Good Idea?

The chimney is
one prominent part of the home that is constantly at the mercy of the
fluctuating weather. As weather patterns shift through the seasons, the baking
sun, rising humidity, driving rain, and deep freeze of the outdoor elements can
take a toll on the brickwork, and while bricks are a naturally resilient
building material, they can still take on a considerable amount of wear damage
over time. One common option for combating the threat of moisture and water is
a brick sealant — but, is a sealant the right idea? Here are the points to keep
in mind before committing to a sealant for your chimney.

Because bricks
are a porous stone material, they naturally have minute pores which can absorb
any moisture that comes into contact with the bricks. Once the liquid moisture
is in the bricks, and the temperature drops, the moisture freezes and expands,
causing larger cracks and spalling. Applying a waterproof sealant creates a
layer of the surface of the bricks that stops the moisture from absorbing into
the brick’s surface. This is the major pro of a sealant — preventing liquid
from entering the brickwork and causing cracks. From here, we need to focus on
the material being used in the sealant.

Circling back
to the porous nature of brick, the small crevices are a necessary element to
maintain the integrity of the material itself, because they allow the brick to
naturally pass water vapor through
the surface of the brick. Be careful about the type of sealant being used on
the chimney, because many types found in hardware stores will simply fill in
all of the natural pores in the brick, trapping water vapor within the
brickwork, without providing a natural escape or evaporation route. If water
vapor is trapped within the brick, it will find the path of least resistance out
of the brick in some fashion, which can lead to cracks and spalling, on the
exterior or interior of the brick. Naturally, this is a con, and should be
avoided.

That said,
there are sealants that are vapor permeable, which coat the exterior brickwork
with a layer of protection from liquids, but still allow the pores of the brick
to “breath”. These sealants provide the maximum amount of protection from
weather conditions, while creating a minimal amount of risk to the underlying
structure of your chimney. If adding an extra layer of protection against
liquids and weather sounds like a good idea for your chimney, a 100% vapor
permeable sealant is the best choice.

To ensure that
the best sealant is applied to your fireplace correctly, and for general
questions about keeping moisture out of your chimney, consult the professionals
at Lindemann Chimney & Fireplace at (847) 739-4199, or you can reach them online!

The post Are Chimney Sealants a Good Idea? appeared first on Lindemann Chimney Co..

Is Your Fireplace a Bit Drafty? Here’s What to Do

A chilly breeze from the fireplace is certainly unexpected, and a drafty fireplace means heat has the chance to escape outside your home, rather than funneling inside as anticipated. Navigating the source of the draft and sealing it up is important to keeping the warmth where you need it, as well as keeping the heating bill in check. Luckily, there are some simple drafty fireplace remedies at hand to help combat the chilly creep of the outside air running back down the chimney.

The first place
to check if you’re feeling a fireplace draft is the dampener, or flue. The
purpose of a dampener is to ensure that the cold air outside is blocked, and
the warm air emanating from the fireplace stays indoors, while venting the
smoke up the chimney. Thus, make sure the dampener is in the closed position
when the fireplace is not in use, otherwise it’s essentially an open doorway
for cold air. If the flue is closed and you can still feel a noticeable breeze,
there is a good possibility that a piece of the dampener needs to be replaced.
Another quick test to try is to close the flue, light a candle, and hold it
just inside the fireplace. If you notice the flame of the candle flickering noticeably,
there is some form of airflow leakage present in the fireplace, and that is the
probable cause of your drafty fireplace.

The second
major place to double-check is the chimney cap. This sits on top of the chimney
and filters the smoke out while minimizing chances for wind to enter in. If the
chimney cap has come loose, or fallen off completely, the chimney will be left
open for a draft to come down through the fireplace. If there has been any
noticeable damage to the chimney cap, it’s always a good idea to get it
inspected and repaired before a draft sets in.

A temporary
stop for a chimney draft, but only while the chimney is not in use, is a fireplace
cover. The name is fairly self-explanatory — this is a cover that sits over the
opening of the fireplace, blocking all incoming and outgoing gusts and drafts.
Using decorative, fireplace covers come in a variety of materials and designs
to suite every type home décor. Of course, as mentioned, this is a temporary
fix for a drafty fireplace, and not a permanent solution.

If you’re
having trouble diagnosing the exact cause of the draft in your chimney, or if
your feel like there might be something greater at play, considering scheduling
an annual chimney inspection and cleaning to allow a certified chimney
professional the chance to thoroughly root out the cause of any possible
fireplace issues. To schedule your annual chimney inspection and cleaning, to
replace any damaged section of your fireplace, or for any general questions on
the breeze blowing through your fireplace, give the experts at Lindemann
Chimney & Fireplace a ring, at (847) 739-4199, or drop them a line through
the online scheduling portal

The post Is Your Fireplace a Bit Drafty? Here’s What to Do appeared first on Lindemann Chimney Co..

5 Ways to Avoid Chimney Repair Scams

Peace of mind
comes from finding peace at home, and one of the best ways to ensure this is
finding trustworthy service providers to keep your home running smoothly. But
sometimes, it can be difficult determining just what to look for when choosing
a source or contractor for homes services. When dealing with your fireplace and
chimney, your homes’ safety is also at hand.  Don’t be scammed by disreputable providers
begging for your business – keep on the lookout for these warning signs.

1. Avoid Door-To-Door Offers and Unsolicited Phone Calls

This is a prevalent scam
tactic in many areas, where potential hustlers will canvass specific areas and
neighborhoods, either on-foot or over the phone. Generally, they will provide
special, immediate pricing deals, or present a catastrophic condition that
needs an immediate, costly repair to your chimney.

Don’t hire these
contractors, and certainly don’t provide them with a potential deposit for
work, until you have secured their official business name and verified their
legitimacy through a third-party source, such as Angie’s List or the Better
Business Bureau.

2. Look for the Certification

Similar to many other
trades, professional chimney sweeps and technicians can gain accreditation and
certification — in this case, through the CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America). Earning
certification through the CSIA ensures t the business you are working has met
the CSIA’s national safety standards, as well as abides by their established
Code of Ethics. This is re-enforced by the CSIA’s non-profit status, meaning
the institute does not issue certifications for direct payments, but rather,
requires rigorous education and testing to earn a certification.

If a contractor does not
have certification with the CSIA, proceed with caution.     

3. Be Wary of High-Stakes Sales Tactics

If a contractor is
pressuring you into completing work immediately, consider pumping the breaks.
Scare tactics and high-pressure sales techniques are generally avoided by
professionals who have your best interests in mind. Much like a medical
diagnosis, consider getting a second opinion from another reputable business
before moving forward with repairs.

4. Check the References

Similar to the above, ensure
the company does not have any outstanding complaints lodged against them with
professional oversight groups, such as the BBB. Additionally, word of mouth
still holds a high amount of clout in today’s business world. If you have a
trusted friend, co-worker, family member, or neighbor who has worked with the
company before, get their opinion.

5. Knowledge is Power

There are a number of
research tools available to consumers today. Conducting a thorough search
online for company details is invaluable before committing to hiring one
company over another. If you feel like a company is sending out the wrong
message for whatever reason — you’ve never heard of the business name before,
the contractors appear without uniforms or branded vehicles, or if they’re
being overly pushy about beginning work — cross-reference their name in an
online search. If you’re unable to find a reputable resource listing their
name, their contact information, and their licensing information, be wary about
allowing them into your home.

It you are looking for a trusted, certified,
professional chimney service provide to conduct an annual chimney cleaning, safety
inspection or make repairs, Lindemann Chimney & Fireplace is a premiere
provider on Chicago’s Northshore. Schedule your appointment now.   

The post 5 Ways to Avoid Chimney Repair Scams appeared first on Lindemann Chimney Co..

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