Last Day of Summer – September 22, 2022 – Hello Fireplace!

With the warm temperatures we experienced this week, it’s hard to imagine the cooler chills creeping in this weekend. Over the summer months, we enjoyed the silence of the fireplace, just admiring its stillness and patience…until we meet again. As the Fall temperatures begin to insert itself more and more, there is a glimmer of life coming to that box space.

Fireplace Cleaning

It’s probably because we enjoy the warmth and comfort that a fire brings into the home that we care so much about the fireplace. To keep that feeling alive in a safe way for yourself, family and friends, its best to get the fireplace swept and inspected. Getting a fireplace swept and inspected doesn’t mean it’s only for those who have a wood burning fireplace, it means gas fireplaces and those non-used fireplaces as well.

It’s Not Just a Pretty Face

Fireplaces are a central point of interest in our homes. They usually have a sense of style, such as traditional with bricks or the contemporary with a white, smooth mantel. However, it gets dressed up and then decorated for the holidays, the real work is on the inside. Let’s take a look.

• Appliances Use the Chimney for Exhaust Venting. Both gas or oiled fueled appliances such as a furnace relies on the chimney to properly vent any type of harmful byproducts. This is critical to keep anything living in the household safe from toxic gases.
• As the Chimney Exhales, It Also Inhales Fresh Air. The fresh air provides the best mixture of air and fuel to keep the appliances working properly.
• Higher Efficiency Gas Furnaces are Special. The fumes that are produced by a higher efficiency gas furnace are cooler and contain water vapor, which causes more condensation to form than the older furnaces. As a result, the furnace can have a more corrosive behavior and needs to use the chimney. But if the chimney doesn’t have a chimney liner, then the result can be a blocked chimney. Yes, that means all of those toxins remain in the home.

So now you know that if you use your fireplace or not, it needs to be swept and inspected each year to ensure proper working order. You can also take a look at the CSIA, or the Chimney Safety Institute of America for more information.

14-Point Certified Chimney Inspection

A 14-point certified chimney inspection is a checklist that tells you the condition of the fireplace and chimney from last season’s freeze and thaw cycle. When the certified chimney technician comes to your home, he has a routine to follow to ensure all steps are taken thoroughly and completely. You will get the results of your sweep and inspection along with pictures to ensure you are ‘in the know’.

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