Month: February 2022

Chimney drone inspections are becoming more and more common as chimney companies and commercial building managers understand the benefits. Beside the obvious signs that your chimney needs to be inspected, building managers should have their chimneys inspected once a year. Drones are now frequently playing a part in these inspections.

Today, we’ll discuss how chimney drone inspections work and their many benefits.

If you are located in the Greater Boston, MA area and need a chimney inspection, our team is here to assist you. We are an all-service chimney company offering everything from commercial and residential  inspections to sweeps, repairs, masonry work, installations and more. Click here or call (781) 893-6611 to contact us.

How Chimney Drone Inspections Work

During a chimney drone inspection, an unmanned aerial vehicle is used to take high quality photos and collect data of difficult to reach or completely inaccessible areas.

The Benefits of Chimney Drone Inspections

Drone inspections have recently exploded in popularity, especially in the commercial space. Here are some of the reasons why many commercial building managers and owners are opting for drone inspections:

Cost Saving

Hiring a chimney company that does drone inspections is less expensive than setting up the extensive scaffolding needed to access many commercial chimneys.

More Efficient

Drone inspections are quick and simple, which saves the time that it would otherwise take to figure out a way for inspectors to gain roof access and manually inspect the chimney. They are often used during property sales, which can make the transaction finalize quickly and avoid roadblocks.

Safer

It is undoubtedly safer for inspectors to use a drone to inspect chimneys than it is to climb onto a roof, especially in cases when the chimney is challenging to access.

Clearer Communication

High quality, photographic evidence of exactly what is going on with a chimney helps the person having the chimney inspected better understand the state of the chimney and avoid any gray areas between the chimney owner and the inspector regarding the state of the chimney and necessary next steps.

Contact Boston’s Best Chimney for Your Next Inspection

Our team has been serving the Greater Boston, MA community since 1989 and we’re ready to help you with your drone inspection. To get in touch with us, click here or call (781) 893-6611.

The post How Does a Chimney Drone Inspection Work? appeared first on Boston's Best Chimney.

What? Why would dryer vent sweep be done in February? It doesn’t seem logical to have the service done now as the cold months are still in full swing, however, this is the perfect time. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, most home clothes dryer fires occur in the Fall and Winter months, peaking in January. There are about 2,900 fires each year with an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries and $35 million in property loss.

What is a Dryer Vent Cleaning?

A dryer vent sweep by a certified chimney sweep works to keep you and your home safe. The chimney technician inspects the vents, ducts and filters for lint build-up and other debris. If cleaned and checked on a yearly basis, you’ll maximize your energy consumption and reduce the risk of fires. Here are some of the causes of dryer vent fires:

Stuffing

Nobody likes to do laundry, and taking a shortcut by stuffing the washing machine and dryer with too many articles of clothing have proven to be a cause of dryer vent fires. In addition, be sure to read the tags on toys, stuffed animals or other children’s items. With the combination of kids putting items in their mouth, dropping it outside or in the dog’s water bowl, we automatically want to throw it in the washing machine and dryer. Before doing so, be sure to read the label to find out if the materials are safe for the washer and dryer.

Dirty Filters

As the primary clothes washer, we know to clean out the dryer lint vent after each use. But others…maybe not so much. Lint can easily back up and flow out of the lint filter causing backup to occur even at a faster rate. Let’s not forget dirt, grass or other debris that can remain after the washing process is complete.

Obstructed Vents

All that lint and debris needs to end up somewhere. Over time, the dryer vents and ducts can become clogged preventing the hot air from escaping and lint and debris build up. The built up is what causes the risk of fires. Depending on your dryer vent configuration, a dryer vent cleaning by a certified technician may be the best way for you to go in order to keep risks to a minimum.

How Can You Prevent Dryer Fires?

Let’s start by ensuring your dryer is connected to a 240v outlet and not the standard 120v. Next, be sure the ventilation duct is properly connected from the back of the dryer to the ventilation duct. I know my dryer has been moved plenty of times since you need to pass it in order to get into the garage. I’ve had to make it a regular activity of checking if the dryer is properly connected.

Be sure to:

• Clean the lint vent after each use of the dryer
• Have the dryer vent ducts cleaned and inspected
• Remember not to overstuff the washing machine and dryer
• And use the dryer according to the manufacturer

Now that we’re in prime season for dryer vent cleaning, contact Superior Chimney today at 877-244-6349 and get the lint and debris out!

This post first appeared on https://www.superiorchimney.net

The fireplace is normally one of the most beautiful parts of any home. However, the chimney is normally very difficult to maintain because it requires a lot of work. These important elements of a home are very popular nowadays. It will only add up to the beauty of your home and keep your home warm in the winter. Therefore, it is important that you pay for a chimney inspection to keep it clean and maintained. Not only that, a clean chimney means it will work efficiently and your heating system will improve.

It is your responsibility to check the condition of your chimney because you must know when to have it inspected. If you want to know the benefits of a chimney inspection, read this article until the end.

Fewer Fire Hazards

Maybe the biggest benefit of a chimney inspection is that it reduces common fire hazards, which is from the accumulation of flue creosote. This is a black flammable substance that comes from the wood-burning process and it can quickly get inside the chimney walls. It will continue to build, layer upon layer every time the fireplace is lit. In case the chimney cannot be regularly cleaned by a professional chimney cleaner. The creosote can be ignited by the burning embers that engulf the chimney in flames.

Locates Flue Lining Issues

The chimney lining is made from ceramic, refractory, or ceramic cement, and it is responsible for having combustion fireplace byproducts and ventilation. This happens to prevent parts of the chimney from producing corrosion or fires. The damage to this lining leads to poor venting and fire. The chimney inspectors will find places where the lining should be replaced.

You Can Get Rid of Unwanted Visitors

Before lighting the fireplace, you will first want to get rid of unwanted visitors. There are birds and small animals that are known to hide inside chimneys and take refuge, and they cause an obstruction in the chimney.  This is especially important in the warmer months when you are not using the fireplace. The pesky critters cause damages and other issues of maintenance to the crown, cap, and masonry. The worse thing is that this obstruction keeps dangerous fumes and smoke that lead to carbon monoxide poisoning in your home.

Looking for Problems Using Flue Dampers

You must open the flue damper if you have a fire allowing the smoke to go through the vent, and close the fireplace if you are not using it to prevent heat from escaping your home. If the damper gets damaged, it might have a hard time opening and closing, which leads to improper venting. Chimney inspectors are going to see this and they will know how to fix it.

Avoid Huge Bills

With home repairs, nobody wants to see surprises. However, that is what will happen without a yearly chimney inspection. Regardless if you use the fireplace and chimney without an issue or do not see any obvious issues in the structure or maintenance from outside, it does not mean there is no problem. Even if you have the expertise, training, and equipment, it is hard to find small problems that cause major safety issues. That is why the government recommends fireplace owners have their chimneys inspected annually. Finding and repairing chimney problems early saves you a lot of time and money.

Only Choose a Qualified Inspector

You must only hire a qualified inspector that can show you proof of their certification. Make sure to verify their insurance as well.

You can contact chimney repair Upper Marlboro anytime to have your fireplace inspected.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

This post first appeared on https://www.firstclasschimneyservices.com

Most homeowners think of their chimney as the bricks that they see extending upward from their roof. Each team member at Northeastern Chimney knows that there’s more to the story than that, and we often spend part of any visit educating homeowners on the various parts that make up their chimney system. So, we thought today we’d go over the four main protective components of your chimney.

Every chimney has a flue

Your chimney flue is essentially a tunnel, a vertical interior passage extending from your fireplace to the outside. The flue allows smoke to escape as you burn wood in the firebox. For most homes, your flue includes the brick and mortar we commonly call the chimney. It should also include a flue liner, typically made up of a thin sheet of metal that acts as a protective barrier for the inside of the flue. When our technicians visit your home for a chimney sweep, that means we’re removing any dirt and debris (called creosote) from the inside of your flue.

Your chimney should have a damper

A damper is a control box. It determines the amount of air flowing in and out of your chimney. If your fireplace is burning, your damper should be left open. If there isn’t an active fire in your fireplace, then you should close the damper so that cold air doesn’t reenter your home. Never operate your chimney with the damper in the closed position, otherwise, carbon monoxide can’t escape and will back up into your home.

A chimney crown is a vital component

Extending beyond your bricks and mortar is your crown. It’s traditionally a slab of concrete, metal, or stone. Functionally, it helps to protect your chimney system from deterioration due to weather. A good analogy is to think of it as your chimney’s gutter system. Rather than let rain or melting snow run down your bricks (potentially causing damage), it diverts the water away. Crowns can wear over time, which is another vital reason to have an annual chimney inspection. If your crown is cracked or damaged, your mortar is almost always soon to follow.

No chimney is complete without a chimney cap

Escaping smoke and heat effectively invites birds and other critters to try and take up residence on top of or even in your chimney. Your cap keeps them from building their nests, falling in the chimney, and also keeps other kinds of debris such as leaves and sticks from clogging up your flue and potentially starting a fire. Fixing the protective components of your chimney During an inspection, your Northeastern Chimney technician can let you know if any of these protective components of your chimney are missing or in need of repair. As each of them is extremely important to the proper function of your chimney system, you don’t want to use it if any of them have issues. Contact us at 860-233-5770 to schedule an inspection if you have any questions or concerns about any of these protective components. You can also fill out our web form to book your appointment by visiting the link here.

This post first appeared on https://www.mychimney.com

Be Prepared and Be Safe

Winter! We are in the thick of it. Our cold New England winters affect us in many ways personally, and this includes our chimneys and basements. The harsh weather can cause many problems that you want to know and understand, i.e., animals, backdrafts, downdrafts, leaks, and damage. Let’s look at some of the issues to identify them and learn how to solve or prevent them.

Animal Control

When it’s cold outside, we like to stay inside. So do critters like mice, squirrels and raccoons. They have nowhere to go to put the heat on, so; they go for the following best choices: your chimney or your basement!

Many kinds of small animals, including certain birds, like to hang out in chimneys during the winter – and they build nests in their new homes to birth their offspring later. Nesting material, along with any animals who unfortunately have died inside the chimney, will impede smoke from drafting properly from your fireplace, or worse yet, lead to fires. Any cracks or holes in the basement are perfect invitations for animals and rodents.

Wind Induced Downdrafts

This is when a gust of wind creates a puff-back when having a fire. This is different from a standard downdraft because it only happens when the wind blows. Solutions include raising the flue and/or installing a chimney cap (vacu-stack).  A camera inspection is recommended to diagnose what is going on.

Backdrafts

Smoke backing up into your home is no fun. Less fun is what the smoke carries: toxins and pollutants that can cause respiratory irritation and exacerbate chronic lung or heart conditions. During the winter, your chimney flue absorbs the outside temperature, adding a block of cold, heavy air that impedes the lighter, warmer air (i.e., smoke) from moving up and out of the Chimney.

Suppose this is the only reason you’re experiencing backdrafts. In that case, the solution often is as simple as holding some kindling or a lit rolled-up newspaper past the damper for a few minutes to warm the flue before starting and enjoying your fire.

A couple of things you can do: have your Chimney professionally inspected and swept as part of your annual home maintenance.

Chimney Leaks

A leaky chimney is nothing to take lightly or overlook. If there’s a leak, that means some area of the structure has been compromised and will continue to get worse.

Masonry damage during the winter is the cause of many chimney leaks. Small cracks in bricks and mortar allow water from rain or melting snow to get inside. When the temperature drops below freezing, the moisture expands, thaws, and creates internal decay.

This is a huge reason to be sure to get your Chimney inspected regularly. Once the area of damage is located, it can be fixed either through brick replacement, tuckpointing (replacement of crumbling mortar), partial chimney rebuilding, or, in minor cases, a water-sealant application.

Damage to chimney components

Chimney flashing, concrete chimney crowns, and chimney caps can all be damaged during our brutal winters and during other times of the year. Weather such as high winds, freezing temperatures, pounding hail, lightning strikes, and other events are common causes of chimney damage.

When any component of your chimney isn’t working correctly and safely, more extensive problems are likely to occur down the line. Therefore, it’s always recommended that you schedule an annual chimney inspection, preferably not during the dead of winter, to diagnose small problems and get them solved before they become big, expensive, and dangerous.

Inspections along with regular chimney sweeping and required repair work will allow you to use your Chimney and fireplace safely and with peace of mind during the cold winter days and nights.

Best Chimney provides everything you need to keep your chimney going strong all winter long. Call us for certified chimney sweep services, inspections, repairs, rebuilding, basement evaluations and more!

The post Winter Weather, Winds, and Chimneys appeared first on Boston's Best Chimney.