There’s a chill in the air. And the nighttime is lit by the bright moon on a clear night. But tonight, there is no light outside and it seems darker than usual and even a little chillier. Oh, that’s right. It’s supposed to rain. As you hear the drops begin to fall one by one on the roof, you decide to turn on the TV and cozy up on the couch. But that still doesn’t feel right. Somethings wrong. You realize you need the fireplace. A little extra light and warmth should do the trick. The TV sound is low, and as you get up to go to the fireplace, you hear drip… drip… drip.

What is that Sound?

As you open the doors to the fireplace, you see a wet spot, splashing against the logs. “What is that?” Oh, it is the sound of dripping water coming from above. Or at least it looks like water. Yes, yes, you tell yourself. It has to be water.

Is It Too Late?

But is the weather too cool for Superior Chimney to come out and find the leak? When the weather gets too cold, masonry work comes to an end. But don’t panic, we work year round and can do many things to stop a water leak, outside of masonry season, when it is too cold to work with concrete and mortar. Which means… call Superior Chimney today to get your appointment scheduled.

There’s nothing worse than the sound of dripping water, in other words, a water leak as it means there’s something wrong with the chimney outside. It could be there is masonry missing between the bricks or stones. It could also mean that there are hairline cracks in the chimney concrete slab that covers the chimney. However, let’s not forget the flashing seal that could have come away from the chimney letting the water make its way in. Of course, the easiest to spot is the chimney cap. Is it missing? Tipped over from the wind? These are a few common times water can come in to the home.

Don’t Be Spooked

Superior Chimney can help get your exterior chimney checked before the water makes its way in. In our 14-point inspection / chimney sweep, it makes it easy for you to understand the steps we take in order to ensure the safety of your fireplace and home. As our certified technicians complete the inspection, we then walk you through the results showing you photographic evidence of the health of your chimney system and (if) any issue(s) have come up. The more you know about the health of your chimney and knowledge of proper care, the longer the fireplace will perform for you without issue.

How to get Started?…

Call Superior Chimney at 877-244-6349 to schedule up your chimney repair and chimney inspection so you can have a warm and safe winter and not hear the sound of dripping water.

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

Cold weather signals it’s nearing the time for St. Nick to begin his annual journey to deliver presents to all the good little boys and girls. Unfortunately, cold weather also signals impending snowstorms, freezing temperatures, and moisture. These are your chimney’s main enemies, and knowing how weather impacts the chimney, the types of damage it can do, and how to protect it can help you avoid costly repairs, or a complete chimney rebuild.

How Winter Weather Affects Your Chimney

Freeze/Thaw Cycle

One of the most common ways winter weather affects chimneys is through the freeze/ thaw cycle. Bricks and mortar are porous and absorb water from rain and melting snow and ice. As temperatures drop, the moisture freezes inside the bricks and mortar, causing them to expand. When ice melts, there’s contraction. This constant expansion and contraction weaken the structure, leading to cracked bricks and decaying mortar joints.

Condensation

Chimneys without proper insulation or a liner are in danger of condensation. Warm air from the home contacts the cold surface of the chimney’s interior, leading to condensation buildup.

Snow & Ice Accumulation

Snow and ice can pile up on the chimney cap, blocking airflow and messing with proper venting. When the snow melts, water can get into the flue and soak into the masonry. This extra moisture can lead to brick damage and bring in mold and mildew, which can worsen allergies and respiratory issues.

Salt & De-Icing Products

Many use de-icing products to melt snow on the roof. Unfortunately, these salts can speed up deterioration when they contact the chimney.

Types of Winter Chimney Damage

Masonry Cracks

The freeze/thaw cycle can lead to small cracks in the masonry, which worsen over time and weaken the entire structure.

Crown Damage

Chimney crowns guard against water and weather damage. However, freezing temps can cause cracks, allowing water to seep in and cause interior damage. This can lead to water leaking into the flue, causing deterioration from the inside out.

Deteriorating Mortar Joints

As mentioned earlier, mortar joints are susceptible to moisture damage during harsh winter weather. As mortar deteriorates, it leaves gaps that allow cold air and moisture to seep in. These gaps create more entry points for water, worsening the damage and compromising the chimney’s structure.

Rust & Corrosion

Metal components like the damper, cap, and flue liner can rust when exposed to moisture. Rust weakens the structure and impairs the damper’s performance, which is essential for proper airflow.

Minimizing Winter Chimney Damage

The best way to avoid major damage and costly repairs is to be proactive to stop chimney winter damage from getting out of hand. Here are a few tips.

Install a Cap

A chimney cap acts as a shield, keeping rain, snow, and debris out of the flue. It also prevents animals from settling in and making nests, leading to clogs and increasing the fire risk. If you have a cap, get the chimney contractor to give it a once-over to ensure it’s in good shape before winter begins.

Get a Professional Cleaning & Inspection

A thorough inspection and cleaning by a certified chimney professional will identify and address existing issues that could compromise chimney performance and safety. Pros check for cracks, loose bricks, and other vulnerabilities that could worsen in cold weather. Cleaning the chimney also removes creosote, reducing the risk of a fire.

Repair Cracks & Mortar Joints

It’s crucial to fix cracked bricks and deteriorating mortar joints before winter arrives. Tuckpointing can repair damaged mortar and reinforce the structure so that it can better withstand the harsh elements. Addressing these issues as soon as they’re noticed can save you from needing costly repairs down the road.

Waterproofing

After a pro inspection and cleaning, it’s a good idea to think about adding a waterproofing product. Chimney contractors have special water-repellent sealants that keep water out but still let trapped moisture escape. This helps cut down on water absorption, making spalling and masonry damage less likely.

Install a Chimney Liner

Finally, a properly installed chimney liner protects the masonry from contact with smoke, gases, and moisture. Liners also improve energy efficiency by providing insulation, which reduces the condensation that can damage the chimney’s interior.

Winter weather can take a tremendous toll on your chimney. Call Northeastern Chimney for our professional chimney cleaning, inspection, and repair service. Our certified technicians will prepare your chimney and fireplace for winter so your family can enjoy warm, safe comfort. Contact us to schedule an appointment. Homeowners in Canton, Granby, Simsbury, Windsor Locks, and Greater Hartford, CT, trust us for safe, reliable, and efficient service.

The post How Does Winter Affect Your Chimney? appeared first on .

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

As the colder months approach, many of us turn to our heating systems to keep our homes cozy and safe. But have you ever thought about the role your chimney plays, even if you don’t have a fireplace? Chimneys are crucial in-home heating, serving as the passage that vents flue gases safely out of your living space. Whether your heating system is brand new or has been in place for years, a well-lined chimney is essential for ensuring safe and efficient performance.

Here’s what every homeowner should know about chimney linings and why they matter for your heating system:

Why Chimney Liners Are Essential for Home Safety and Heating Efficiency

Protect Against Carbon Monoxide Exposure

Carbon monoxide is an invisible threat – colorless, odorless, and incredibly dangerous. Symptoms of poisoning, like

headache, dizziness, or nausea, are easy to overlook but can lead to severe consequences, even death. Each year, over 400 Americans lose their lives to unintentional carbon monoxide exposure. If your chimney lacks a liner or has a damaged one, investing in a new liner is essential to safely vent your heating system. Even if you’re not updating your appliances, a reliable chimney liner can provide peace of mind by keeping your household safe from this dangerous gas.

Prevent Structural Damage to Your Chimney

Combustion isn’t always a clean process – oil and gas appliances release by-products that can harm your chimney over time. Acidic gases can wear down bricks and mortar, weakening the chimney structure. A stainless-steel liner protects against this corrosion, helping preserve the integrity of your chimney for years to come. A weakened chimney can increase the risk of carbon monoxide leakage, making a proper liner even more crucial.

Improve Your Heating System’s Efficiency

Efficiency is key when it comes to home heating. If your chimney is too large, too small, or has holes, it can’t effectively vent gases, making it harder for your system to perform at its best. Installing the right chimney liner optimizes the size of your flue for your appliances, improving overall heating efficiency. Think of it as the difference between using a straw without holes versus one with leaks – only a fully intact liner will ensure peak performance.

Let Us Help You Prepare for a Safe and Cozy Season

If you’re unsure about your chimney’s lining or have questions about venting your heating system, we are here to help. At Best Chimney, we specialize in chimney liner installations to make sure your home is as safe and efficient as possible.

Give us a call today to schedule your inspection – your peace of mind is just a phone call away!

The post Warm-Up Your Home Safely This Season: What Every Homeowner Should Know About Chimneys and Heating appeared first on Boston's Best Chimney.

The chimney is more than just a functional feature of a home – it’s also a symbol of warmth and comfort, and even considered as an inviting centerpiece of many homes.

However, like any other essential feature, chimneys need regular maintenance to ensure it remains safe and efficient. Over time, they collect soot, debris, and a flammable substance called creosote, which builds up if it’s not properly cleaned.

As chimneys are constantly exposed to elements all year-round, they’re also prone to wear and tear. This could lead to blockages, leaks, or structural damage. That’s where chimney sweeping comes in – a necessary part of chimney care. While you can try and do the job yourself, it’s best left to a professional chimney sweep.

Chimney sweeps are trained specialists who clean and inspect chimneys. They make sure chimneys are working well and are free from creosote buildup. Their work keeps fireplaces running efficiently and greatly reduces the risk of chimney fires. While the benefits of hiring a professional chimney sweeper may seem straightforward, there’s much more that a pro can offer.

Safety is Always a Priority

Chimney sweeping might look easy but it entails a lot more. With creosote as the biggest enemy, this task is potentially hazardous, which is why hiring a pro is recommended.

A professional chimney sweeper has the equipment and expertise to do the job well. They can remove all traces of creosote, soot, and obstructions like animal nests. A pro chimney cleaner also ensures your chimney is clean and safe for use. If you do it yourself, you might miss critical areas or potential hazards.

A Comprehensive Inspection is a Must

A professional chimney cleaning service does more than clean – they also provide a comprehensive inspection. Since chimneys are subject to structural issues, it’s common for them to deteriorate or have blockages over time.

A trained chimney sweep knows how to spot potential problems, such as leaks, cracked flue liners, or chimney cap damage, that can lead to costly repairs. So it’s safe to say you’re getting your money’s worth by hiring a pro chimney cleaner. They’ll sweep your chimney clean and inspect it to make sure everything is in working order. This ensures your home is safe from smoke damage or carbon monoxide leaks.

The Job Requires Proper Tools and Techniques

Cleaning a chimney isn’t a job you can do by using a vacuum or broom. A good chimney cleaning service company uses specialized tools like rotary brushes, high-powered vacuums, and inspection cameras to ensure a thorough job. These professionals also know the correct methods to remove creosote and other debris. They can do so without causing damage.

Pros Save You the Time and Hassle

Chimney sweeping can be a dirty and time-consuming task. You’ll have to climb up the roof and deal with soot and grime. Doing the job by yourself can take several hours and might only end in frustration.

Hiring professional chimney sweeps not only saves you time but also spares you the hassle of cleanup. Because they can get the job done fast and they do the cleanup after, you’ll have a functional fireplace and zero mess in no time at all.

They Know and Follow Industry Standards

Chimney sweeps follow the standards set by the Chimney Safety Institute of America, ensuring chimneys are all cleaned and inspected according to industry best practices.

By hiring a professional chimney sweep, you can feel confident because you receive high-quality service that follows the latest safety standards.

A Final Word

Chimney cleaning and maintenance is a job best left to the professionals. With a professional chimney sweep,  you get a clean, inspected, and safe chimney that’s ready for cozy winter fires. Pros have the right tools, training, and experience to do the job well,  so you can expect services that go beyond chimney sweeping, and most importantly you get peace of mind.

Clearing the Way for a Safer and Warmer Home

When it comes to your family’s safety, it’s best to leave chimney sweeping to the pros at Quality Fireplace. We’re Wisconsin’s premier fireplace and chimney contractors that specialize in fast and reliable chimney leak repairs, chimney rebuilds and inspections. Our experienced team is always ready to restore your chimney’s beauty and integrity. You can call us at (262) 786-4411 or (608) 249-6678 or send us a message here for more information.

The post Professional Chimney Sweep: Why It’s Best to Hire a Pro appeared first on Quality Fireplace, Roof, & Chimney Services.

When your chimney gets dirty, you have to hire chimney sweep services to clean the chimney. If you are new to this type of cleaning, you must be wondering what are the various ways of chimney sweeping. Well, there are mainly two, with the common ones being:

Traditional sweeping

The classic chimney sweeping method makes use of a round brush with polypropylene or metal wire bristles (the size or diameter of the brush used is determined by the diameter of the flue to be swept) attached to a rod (often 3 feet long or one meter in modern money).

The cleaning professional pushes the brush up into the chimney flue, pulls it down, and then pushes it back up multiple times.

This brushing action causes the bristles of the brush to rub against the sides of the chimney flue. As a result, any soot trapped inside the chimney loosens and falls to the fire appliance below, where they clean it away.

In order for the brush to traverse and clean the entire length of the flue, the chimney sweep will connect new rods to the preceding one. A typical flue length in a conventional residential property is from 8 to 10 meters (26 to 30 ft in old chimneys).

The more times a chimney sweep pushes up and then retracts the brush inside the chimney flue, the more soot is dislodged, and therefore the flue becomes cleaner.

This kind of chimney sweeping is suitable for older homes where the chimney flue lining is weakened, maybe owing to age, and you can easily remove it.

The truth is that you want the rendering to stay on the chimney flue wall for as long as possible because it serves as a seal or shield for the inside of the chimney flue, preventing smoke and gasses (carbon monoxide) from escaping through the chimney flue and into the property.

Best practices when cleaning the chimney using the traditional method

When you are cleaning, you need to be ultra-cautious about how you go about it. Some of the things to look out for include:

Pushing the brush into the chimney too many times

As the cleaning professional is doing the cleaning, you should note that traditional sweeping is a gentler sweeping approach that requires careful consideration for the preservation of the liner rendering.

When the cleaning professional pushes the chimney brush up and through a brick chimney flue, it puts significant outward pressure on the flue’s bricks.

Too much strain on an ancient and brittle brick chimney flue might cause the bricks to loosen and fall out. This is not good.

In such a case, power sweeping may be a superior sweeping method option because it does not apply too much outward force.

Using a brush with an extremely large diameter

A brush with a big diameter may apply too much stress to the inside of the flue, causing structural damage. A brush that is too tiny for the flue being swept will result in an unsuccessful sweep since it will not come into contact with the chimney flue walls.

A single power sweep brush head is made up of nylon strands that can sweep flues ranging from 4 inches to 2 feet. A single brush suits all sizes. As a result, it is nearly impossible to employ the incorrect brush size when power sweeping.

Power washing

Until recently, chimney sweeps had just one way of sweeping chimneys: the ‘Traditional’ approach, as detailed above. As technology has improved, the chimney sweep’s armory of equipment alternatives has grown.

Plastic advancements have made chimney sweep rods lighter and more flexible while remaining stronger than prior materials such as cane (Malacca) or polypropylene. Rods are even made of aluminum, which provides strength and rigidity while staying lightweight.

A well-equipped sweep will now contain, in addition to traditional brushes and rods, power sweeping equipment and a variety of cabled and cordless electric drills.

The most noticeable distinction between traditional sweeping and power sweeping is the brush used. With power sweeping, the brush or ‘head’ resembles a huge spider. The sweeping head is comprised of thick nylon strands rather than thin bristles like typical brushes.

The second big and evident difference is that with power sweeping, the ‘head’ rotates quickly. The classic method involves manually pushing and pulling the head up and down.

There is no debate or uncertainty about whether the method of sweeping is better and more effective at eliminating soot and creosote. Power sweeping is a clear winner.

While this is the case, because power sweeping is a powerful whipping action type of flue cleaning, caution must be exercised when employing this cleaning system. If the head rotates at an excessive rate, the rendering in an older flue may be damaged, requiring removal.

A skilled chimney sweep will identify the type of flue, such as rendered, clay, stainless steel flexi, or concrete sectional, as soon as they arrive and before beginning the sweeping operation.

During the pre-sweep flue inspection stage, the expert sweeper will know the speed at which the power sweep brush head should rotate to avoid harming the flue walls while cleaning the chimney properly.

You can have the power sweep heads rotational speeds adjusted based on the flue condition and type to be swept.

Things to watch out for when power washing your chimney

As much as power washing your chimney comes with plenty of perks, you should be ultra-cautious about how you go about it. As a rule of thumb, you shouldn’t use brushes with metal bristles on your chimney.

This is because metal bristles would scratch the lining of your chimney, creating a ‘key’ for creosote to adhere to. As a result, the liner would become corroded. To be safe, only use brushes with soft nylon bristles.

Parting shot

A ‘chain flay’ can be used to remove excess creosote deposits from clay liners and, to a lesser extent, brick flues. Power sweeping comes in handy when it comes to removing large creosote deposits.

Traditional sweeping would struggle to remove as much creosote as sweeping with a chain flay. Again, if the flue is rendered, you shouldn’t use a chain flay.

Regardless of whether you are looking to clean the chimney traditionally or using a power sweep, ensure that you work with experienced chimney contractors Upper Marlboro who know what they are doing. After all, the last thing you want is someone who causes more problems than was originally there.

The post What Are The Methods of Chimney Sweeping? first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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

Traditions! Lifestyles have become so busy that we have forgotten about the year-to-year activities that people do, called traditions. Family traditions go back long before you and I were on this planet. Traditions should be encouraged for the younger generations. With our busy lives, we don’t seem to be able to sit down and relax. Let’s start that tradition and it should include sitting by the cozy glow of a fireplace. 

What are some of the Traditions that are well worth continuing?

• Storytelling – This was a tradition that started long ago. This is an age-old art form dating back through history. There were no televisions or radios. Oral storytelling has brought families together for decades. Children love a great story. Sit them down while the fire is roaring, and tell a tale. You will see the sparkle in their eyes.
• Singing- Bring your family and friends together during the holidays and sing some songs of old. Nowadays there are so many new generations of songs. You can enjoy some new, more contemporary songs as well. 
• Playing games- What better way to spend a snowy night than in front of a fireplace with a board game or card game? Your family will look forward to game night week after week.
• Charades- Not for everyone, but many families have made this acting-out game a tradition in their homes. Nowadays you can find Apps that coax you into the game or just use the old-fashioned way of creating the game yourself. 
• Tree Decorating- Many people put their tree up on Thanksgiving. Enjoy the spirit of the holiday and decorate your tree together as a family. A tradition that you will cherish year to year. Put on some music, grab some hot cocoa, and decorate the Christmas tree.

Creating New or Enjoying Your Traditions

You don’t have to use the traditions of the olden days. Use your imagination. Take something that you love to do and create your traditions.

• Roasting marshmallows. What better way to spend the evening in front of the fire than roasting marshmallows? Take it another step add chocolate and graham crackers and make s’mores. 
• Karaoke. Who doesn’t like a good karaoke night? This has become popular over the years. Now may be a great time to make it an additional tradition where you and your family get together and sing and dance and share your talents. 

As the weather gets colder and you are thinking about the holidays, don’t neglect your fireplace and chimney. Now is the time to prepare for the long winter ahead. Your fireplace will get a lot of activity.  A clean chimney will allow you a safe burning season without the risk of a chimney fire. A chimney inspection will ease your mind as to any blockage there may be in the chimney. 

Schedule your inspection or cleaning soon by calling Northeastern Chimney.

We service all of Hartford, Tolland, and Litchfield Counties. Every technician that performs a chimney inspection is a qualified Chimney Sweep, fully licensed and insured to do work in Connecticut. Hopefully you will learn about chimney safety and see why Northeastern Chimney is the best choice to go with for handling your chimney and fireplace needs. 

The post Fireplace Traditions to Start This Thanksgiving appeared first on .

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