In summer as much as in winter, chimneys should not be ignored because a lot can go wrong. Chimneys are highly vulnerable to moisture, and many other potential problems can occur.

Summer is really the best time to call about chimney problems because you will beat the extremely busy fall scheduling!

Just to help you know what to look for, here is a list of common summertime problems to be aware of:

• Unpleasant smells could be coming from your chimney. They could be the result of moisture mixed with the toxic creosote in the chimney flue.  The smell may become more noticeable because of the heat and humidity of the season.
• Bad odors can also be related to the presence of an animal trapped in your chimney. The smell could be animal droppings or the horrendous odor caused by a dead animal that couldn’t get back out of the chimney.
• You could get an insect infestation in your chimney, such as bees.
• The high winds and heavy storms of summer could damage the chimney flashing or chimney crown. If these problems aren’t discovered and repaired much more serious damage can occur, such as a moisture-damaged roof structure or deteriorating chimney masonry.
• In summer each year, birds called chimney swifts migrate from South America to various parts of the U.S. These birds that are naturally drawn to chimneys are federally protected. Homeowners are required by law to leave swifts alone until they migrate after a few weeks, during which time baby swifts are hatched and grow.
• If you don’t have a chimney cap with wire mesh, other animals might also climb into your chimney, such as raccoons, snakes, squirrels, or rats. Having a chimney cap installed can keep all these creatures out of your chimney.
• If your chimney has been infiltrated by moisture, the bricks can deteriorate. Eventually, the chimney will collapse if repairs aren’t made.

Does your chimney look like this?  Notice the flashing, brickwork, and cap!

You can schedule your annual chimney inspection and cleaning

or feel free to call us at (781) 893-6611.

The post Summer Chimney Problems: What to Look For appeared first on Boston's Best Chimney.

If you are a homeowner in the Boston, North Shore, or Portland area, you may have a chimney that has taken on winter damage. This type of damage may first manifest as a chimney leak or roof leak, but it’s likely a result of winter damage. Most likely the chimney crown is the problem.

The Chimney Crown

The chimney may be the largest system in your home, but it can be brought down by water intrusion. In fact, water can destroy a chimney system from the inside out. This damage leads to rust, stains, odors, mold growth, deterioration, shortened chimney life, and more. The chimney crown is an important component that helps to prevent water intrusion and damage. When the chimney crown is constructed improperly, it can become damaged over time due to sunlight and weather exposure. The crown, which is supposed to protect the chimney from the flue opening all the way to the edge of the chimney can become cracked, begin flaking, and even crumble. When the crown becomes damaged, the water from rain and snowfall can go directly into the chimney causing water damage and leaks throughout the entire house.

Diagnosing the Chimney Crown

If your chimney seems to be leaking, it’s time to call a professional. We will check all the parts of the chimney system that might be the cause of the leak. If the crown has cracks, gaps, or flaking, it will definitely contribute to a leak and will need to be fixed. Fortunately, if the crown is made from the appropriate materials and is the right size and shape, it will not have to be recast. We can fix a chimney crown fairly easily, getting your system back to working order before burn season. In order to fix a broken crown, there are two options:

• We can cover the entire chimney crown in a waterproof sealant which closes up all the gaps and cracks, restoring the crown back to proper function.
• We can construct a completely new custom crown with the appropriate slant, thickness, and drip edge to conduct optimal water flow away from the chimney.

Prevent Damage Before It’s Too Late

You can prevent water damage and even prevent the need for a new crown construction by scheduling routine chimney sweeps and annual inspections. Your chimney expert will get a good look at your crown during these preventative service appointments, and minor repairs can be made before major damage occurs. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), chimneys that are serviced and inspected annually are the safest and efficient. At Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep we know that chimneys that are serviced regularly and repaired as needed are also the longest lasting chimneys.

Schedule your routine service or chimney crown repair with Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep today. Call us at 781-593-2333 or stop by our Boston, North Shore, or Portland location.

The post Leaks and Crown Repair appeared first on Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep.

Chimney Inspecting and Chimney Cleaning in Atlanta is Best in Summer!

We’re having record high heats as you read this so you might be wondering how exactly your chimney is important in the summer. While you might be in shorts and flip-flops, your chimney is still working…always ready to keep your home comfortable and protected. It might now be blowing smoke, but it’s definitely storing some residue and it may even be housing some neighborhood birds. 

Getting your chimney inspected this summer will have you ready for winter before anyone else since companies like Southern Chimneys start getting really busy around September. The summer months are reserved for smart, proactive homeowners who know to call and take care of things before bookings start to fill up. 

Here’s why your chimney inspection should be scheduled in summer: 

Think of having your chimney inspected in August like the opposite of a summer vacation…a nice, off-season vacation at Universal Studios or Disney. The lines are shorter, you save time, and you get a little extra attention from the employees in the Goofy suit. Well, Southern Chimneys won’t show up in a dog costume, but we will give you a little extra attention in the summertime. You get the metaphor. 

6 Reasons to get your chimney serviced in the summer:

1. Easier Appointment – get peace of mind knowing you’re handling things before it’s too late. 
2. Keep the Critters Out – no, really. You’d be surprised who likes to hang out in an unused chimney. 
3. Safety – keeping things clean protects you from fire and carbon monoxide poisoning.
4. Catch problems early – proactive people don’t have to worry about the extra cost that comes with putting things off. 
5. Remove the funk (and smoke damage) – believe it or not, that built up residue inside your chimney will produce a smell over time and the more you clean, the less it builds up.
6. It’s a mess – You do not want to do this yourself. 

Hurry up and call Southern Chimneys! Remember, by September winter bookings start to fill up. Let us get you ready for winter this summer. 

This post first appeared on https://southernchimneys.com

Of all the services that keep your chimney system working properly and safely, video scanning may be the most important. With a video scan, a professional gets an up-close view of the interior of the chimney system. The days of checking the flue with a flashlight and mirror to determine hazards are over. With video technology, we are now able to properly inspect the chimney tin the Boston, North Shore, and Portland areas. If you reside in the area, we can help.

The Importance of Chimney Inspections

Chimney systems need to be inspected annually in order to be safe and efficient, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The most thorough inspections include a video scan. In fact, they are required for a level two inspection. A level 2 inspection is necessary when:

• changes have been made to the system,
• a natural disaster has affected the system
• selling or buying property

You don’t have to schedule a level two inspection to have your chimney scanned, however. Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep uses video technology with every single inspection. This keeps our customers, friends, and neighbors safe.

Benefits of a Video Scan

At Billy Sweet, we utilize two video camera systems, the Chim-Scan, and the Wohler Vis2000-Pro, both with their own unique strengths and features. Our techs are trained and experienced using both video systems to access the flue, and can easily identify hazards such as leaks, voids, debris, and damage. These findings will be used to plan necessary repairs, to validate chimney safety, and to disclose to prospective homebuyers. No matter the reason, this video scan inspection will result in a detailed report of the findings and an explanation for all recommended changes or repairs.

Our video scanning equipment also helps Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep technicians to document every job, before and after. This allows us to check work, show the homeowner progress and completion, and keep records for future appointments. We put the safety and comfort of our customers above all else, and part of the trust we value in our customer relationships is due to the honesty of our work and diagnostics. Our customers can count on us because we count on industry tools like video technology to give honest answers with documented reason.

Schedule An Appointment With Us

If you suspect a problem with your chimney system, you may benefit from a chimney video scan. Schedule now and you can avoid the fall rush and have any necessary repairs completed before burn season. Every chimney system should be inspected annually, so if you haven’t scheduled an inspection in the last 12 months, now is the time.

Call Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep today at 617-469-4528 or schedule online.

The post The Advantages of Chimney Video Scans appeared first on Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep.

This summer has certainly been different. Even with the cool temperatures, one thing is for certain…we’ve received way too much rain. Now add a few high 80-degree days with humidity and it’s a recipe for a smelly house. As a result, we’ve received plenty of phone calls with questions pertaining to the musty smell coming from the fireplace or chimney.

If you have a wood burning fireplace, the smell is caused
from the creosote deposits in the chimney. If you normally get your chimney
cleaned in the fall, one way to reduce the smell is to get the chimney cleaned
now. One of the tasks the certified Superior Chimney technician will perform is
the removal of creosote and any decomposing materials. Now it may not get rid
of the smell completely and that’s because creosote absorbs into the porous
masonry inside of the chimney.

What else can you do if you still have a bit of a smell? By having our service technician to your home, he will inspect other areas to help control the odor such as a chimney damper. A chimney damper will seal in the air conditioning, keep out the rain and minimize any wind downdrafts that can bring bad smells into your home.

Here are a few smelly guidelines you can tell the service technician when he comes to your home for a chimney clean and inspection.

If it smells like:

• Burnt BBQ that’s creosote built up in the
  chimney
• Musty odor that’s water sitting somewhere in the
  chimney
• Something is rotting that could be decomposing
  leaves mixed with dampness
• Something died, it probably did

With more rain on the way, the situation is not
going to get better. Take care of it now so you can enjoy the rest of your
summer.

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

You might think you’ve got plenty of time to worry about your chimney. It looks fine, there’s no smell or water damage evident. Plus, it’s not really a chimney/fireplace time of year. In reality, there’s no better time than now to get your chimney inspected! And while you’re at it, mark next year’s calendar too because that chimney inspection should be a regular, annual event.

Get a jump on your chimney inspection.
Your chimney and fireplace are not on the front of your mind right now and that’s exactly why you need to get them inspected. No one’s thinking about it. That means that

• scheduling is wide open and you’ll be able to leisurely find a time that works best for your inspection, rather than fighting to find a time that lines up with a busy inspector’s schedule.
• If you take care of your chimney inspection now, you won’t be scrambling to get it done last minute in the fall or winter.

Here are more reasons to be proactive about your chimney inspection:

Safety – a lack of maintenance can lead to chimney and house fires. A regularly scheduled chimney inspection will prevent this. In fact, an annual chimney and venting system sweeping and inspection is recommended by the National Fire Protection Association and the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

Money – Many homes don’t get their chimneys inspected, and they wind up getting them repaired because they didn’t take that time. Being proactive stops this. You will save so much more money on an inspection and sweep than you will when you have to have major repairs done.

Lack of knowledge – …and that’s okay! It’s normal and happens all the time, but most people move into a home or begin renting one with a chimney and have no idea what condition that chimney’s really in. Don’t let that be you. For instance, how’s your cap? Do you even have one? Do you know what it is?

Peace of Mind – The masonry of a chimney is made to last forever and hold up like a house, so chimney damage is something that you can’t really see and, the worse it gets, the more expensive it is to repair. If you get things checked out every year, you don’t have to worry about it!

Do you have what it takes to be proactive and protect your wallet and home? Someone proactive is also someone smart enough to give Southern Chimneys a call. We will save you money by doing a great job at the best price. Schedule an inspection with us today and you’ll see why we’re a different kind of chimney services company.

This post first appeared on https://southernchimneys.com

Heavy rains and high winds are the perfect ingredients for a
deteriorating chimney.  Chimney repair
companies know you can’t get on the roof to inspect the chimney, and they also
know that you are unfamiliar with chimney repair issues. That’s probably why
you get a plethora of direct mail, email and phone calls every spring and
summer to get your chimney repaired or chimney cleaned. How can you tell the
difference between a scam and a reputable company?

Try these valuable sources:

1. Chimney Safety Institute of America CSIA – Reputable chimney sweeps, such as Superior Chimney are certified through the Chimney Safety Institute. This measures our knowledge about the evaluation and maintenance of chimney and venting systems. In Illinois, there are only 93 credited individuals, and Superior Chimney employs over 20 of them! We are the only Company in the Chicagoland area that requires our masonry crew leaders to be CSIA certified.
2. Accredited with the Better Business Bureau – Accreditation is an optional service with the BBB. It is voluntary, and the company must agree to abide by certain ethical standards and complete a more extensive vetting process. Superior Chimney is an A+ accredited service company since 7/1/2006 with 138 customer reviews and zero customer complaints.  

Here are a couple more that complete
the story:

• Angie’s
  List – This service is driven by the consumer who are looking to find
  trustworthy companies that perform high quality work. Customers leave reviews
  in order to help other homeowners make a decision about who to trust. Superior
  Chimney has a ‘A’ customer rating with 1,727 customer reviews. That should
  say something.
• HomeAdvisor
  – This service is a similar tool to Angie’s List, helping homeowners find
  reputable companies to service their home repairs. Superior
  Chimney has a 4.62 out of 5.0 stars from 754 verified ratings.   
• Other sources for Superior Chimney: Facebook has 83 reviews
  with a 4.9 out of 5 rating, Yelp.com has 53 reviews with 39 5-stars, the highest
  rating, and Houzz.com
  has 23 reviews with a 5 star rating.

That’s the difference between a company
that knocks on your door, walks up to you in the driveway, or cold calls you to
use their service without credibility that you validate by looking them up. Choose Superior Chimney Services for your
chimney cleaning, chimney repairs, masonry or products. Call us today at 877-244-6349.

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

Around the time the leaves begin to change and pumpkins appear in the seasonal décor, the thought of a crackling fire in a warm fireplace feels just right. Completing that cozy picture, though, will mean making sure your fireplace is cleaned and prepped for the beginning of warming season. While the fall isn’t a bad a time to take a look at your chimney and fireplace, the best way to make sure you’re ready for the next chilly season is by being ahead of the game, and making sure any potential issues are taken care of early-on. Here are some reasons to consider scheduling that annual chimney inspection and cleaning over the summer rather than putting it off until the last minute.

Scheduling

Over the summer
months, chimney professionals are more flexible in scheduling, allowing them to
more easily work around your schedule. This takes undue stress off of trying to
move other commitments around to make sure your fireplace is in tip-top
condition as soon as you want to use it.

Repair Times

Taking
advantage of the more temperate weather means any issues that require repairs
can be completed more quickly, rather than working around inclement conditions.
It also provides ample time before warming season if larger repairs need to be
completed, with no worry about needing the extra warmth, but not having
immediate access to it.

Peace of Mind

Few things feel
better than knowing you have nothing to worry about. Completing a fireplace
inspection and cleaning over the summer alleviates any pressure or worry about
the state of your fireplace well before you need to use the fireplace, and when
the time comes where you want that cozy affect from your household hearth, you
can light a fire stress-free, able to bask in the glow with maximum comfort
knowing you’re safe and sound.

The summer is
here before we know it, and gone faster than we wish, so it’s best to take
advantage of the dog days, and strike while the iron is hot. If you haven’t yet
scheduled your annual chimney inspection and cleaning, reaching out to
Lindemann Chimney & Fireplace ensures you’re in safe hands. Lindemann has
been providing quality service since 1969, and they’re ready to assist you with
any fireplace needs! Give them a call at (847) 739-4199, or reach out online
through the online scheduling portal. 

The post Don’t Wait Until Fall For a Chimney Inspection — Fix the Issues Now! appeared first on Lindemann Chimney Co..

It’s getting very hot outside as summer is right around the corner. With the temperature climbing and your AC running, you’ve stopped thinking about your chimney and fireplace. It’s just sitting there, going unused, not bothering anybody…

Now’s the time to use this quick checklist and get your chimney ready for summer.

Summertime is an important time for the maintenance and upkeep on your chimney and fireplace, as keeping them clean and protected now will lead to a successful heating experience in the fall and winter.

Here’s your checklist of things to do with your chimney this summer:

• Clean the hearth
  This one may seem like a no-brainer, but a lot of people forget to clean out the ash, sweep, and dust their hearth. You’re going to want to wear gloves and old clothes because this job gets dirty! Scoop out the ashes with an ash shovel. Use a small broom and dustpan to sweep out the rest. Next, you’re going to want to use your favorite gentle cleaner and scrubber to get the creosote up and give everything a final wipe off and vacuum.

• Close the damper tight
  A lot of people who have fireplaces forget to close their dampers. This means there is essentially a hole in your house letting cool air out! Be sure to close the damper tight after you’re done using your fireplace for the season.

• Turn off pilot light (gas)
  If you’re using a gas fireplace, you should know if you have a standing pilot light and make sure it’s out for the summer.

• Decorate your fireplace!
  If that fireplace is just sitting there going unused for many months, you may as well use that space to decorate. For instance, you can place plants around the hearth to bring the green nature of summertime indoors.  Here’s a great gallery of ideas from Southern Living.
• Call Southern Chimneys to remove creosote
  Before giving those hands and knees too much of a workout, you honestly probably won’t be able to get all that creosote out that’s been storing up all winter. Even if you do, you certainly won’t be able to get aaaall up in it. That’s when you need to give a professional chimney service like Southern Chimneys a call.

• Call Southern Chimneys to check or install a chimney cap
  It’s always a very wet summer in the southeast. Chimney caps keep out things like moisture and animals that can wind up in your chimney at summertime.

Consider making summertime the time for your yearly chimney inspection!

It’s always smart to get a jump on things and schedule your chimney and fireplace work and inspections long before the weather cools down. Now’s the time to clean up, decorate, and get things inspected so you can enjoy your living room, clean and safe, all summer long.

This post first appeared on https://southernchimneys.com

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! 

The post Chimney Maintenance Tips for the Summer appeared first on Lindemann Chimney Co..