The chimney and chimney liner work together to protect your Kansas City home and keep your family safe while you’re enjoying the warmth of a fireplace. The chimney liner is an essential safety component that protects the masonry from the high heat and flames in the firebox. When the chimney liner is damaged due to its age, moisture, or other issues, there is an increased risk of the intense heat spreading to nearby combustible building materials, such as the attic or a wood-framed chimney chase, that can cause a house fire. A damaged liner also increases the risk of exposure to dangerous carbon monoxide fumes.

It’s often difficult for homeowners to assess the condition of a chimney liner without a professional chimney inspection. However, if you notice any of the following signs of trouble, it may be time to replace your liner.

Clay Material in the Firebox

Many older homes still have the original clay tile chimney liner that has exceeded their expected 20-to-30-year lifespan. In addition, creosote buildup, moisture, and a chimney fire can damage the liner causing the clay tiles to flake, crack and burst, accelerating its deterioration. It also shortens its lifespan considerably. You may notice flakes or chunks of clay material in the firebox when this occurs. As the chimney liner continues to deteriorate, the risk of fire and exposure to carbon monoxide also increases, making it unsafe to operate your fireplace or heating stove.

Moisture or Condensation

Clay tile chimney liners are porous materials that weaken when exposed to moisture or condensation. For example, a chimney leak due to worn flashing or cracks in the masonry or chimney crown can expose the chimney liner to water damage when it rains. The moisture weakens the chimney liner that can cause it to crack. Also, when the warm interior air mixes with the cold exterior air, the chimney liner can sweat, resulting in condensation if there are any cracks in the masonry and liner. Both are signs that indicate that a chimney liner replacement may be necessary.

New Fireplace or Insert Installation

Chimney liners must meet the manufacturer’s specifications for the heating appliance to operate safely and meet building code regulations. Anytime you are converting from one fuel type to another or installing a new fireplace or insert, the chimney liner will need to be replaced following the specifications for your new heating appliance. Installing a new fireplace with an existing chimney liner that doesn’t meet the manufacturer’s specs can result in performance and safety issues.

Chimney Inspection

Your chimney liner is an essential safety component for protecting your home and family from a devastating fire and exposure to harmful fumes. A chimney inspection is the only way to determine whether it’s time to replace your chimney liner. That’s why national fire safety experts and chimney professionals, including Fluesbrothers, encourage all homeowners with solid or liquid fuel appliances to have annual chimney inspections.
A chimney inspection is a top-to-bottom interior/exterior visual examination of the entire chimney system, including the chimney liner, vents, and attached heating appliances. If a chimney liner replacement is necessary, we typically recommend UL-listed stainless-steel liners for improved energy
efficiency, fewer chimney repairs, and long-lasting durability.

Chimney Liner Replacement in Kansas City KS/MO

Fluesbrothers Chimney & Fireplace is a National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG) Certified Chimney Reliner. We have been providing homeowners throughout the Kansas City Metro area with quality chimney services, including certified chimney inspections and chimney liner repairs and replacements for more than a decade. Call (913) 236-7141 or contact us here to schedule an appointment with a certified chimney technician today.

The post Is It Time To Replace Your Chimney Liner appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.

A fireplace cold draft is a common problem for many homeowners. There are many reasons for a fireplace cold draft to occur, but what we know for certain is how the cold draft makes you feel. Uncomfortable. Let’s find out a bit more about some causes of fireplace cold drafts and what may be to be done to gain some control over a cold draft.

What is a Fireplace Cold Draft?

As we all know from our grammar school science class days, hot air rises and cold air sinks. That’s the basic concept of physics as it relates to fireplace draft. A good fireplace draft is when the warm air from your home goes up the chimney and exits to the colder outside air, at the top of the chimney. If the heat wanting to rise up the chimney can’t escape your home, you may have the start of a cold draft or flow reversal. How do you know if you have a problem? Here are a few things to consider.

Cold Air Coming into the Home

Hot air along with the gasses from the fire, in the fireplace, make their way up through and to the top of the chimney – Cooler exterior air helps it continue to go up and out of your home. However, when negative air pressure is in the surrounding space inside of your home, it can hinder the hot air from being able to leave up and out of the chimney. Instead of the hot air going out, it comes back down into the home through the chimney. It’s a situation you want to avoid as harmful chemicals come back into your home with it.

Obstruction in the Chimney

A fireplace draft can be caused from an obstruction in the chimney.  You might have guessed what would be a great obstruction…little critters. Raccoon, squirrel, bat or bird’s nesting & debris are primary causes of obstructions in the chimney. Don’t forget, buildup of soot in the chimney and on the chimney cap can also be considered an obstruction.

Shifting Winds

Living in Chicago and the Chicagoland area, you know how the winds can be. When you see branches of a bare tree swaying in the wind, it’s definitely a windy day. The other way to know it’s windy out is by listening to your chimney. If you hear a whistling sound, it’s also a sign of a windy day.  The shifting winds or even tall nearby trees can cause winds to swirl around the chimney causing draftiness.

Fireplace Dampers

Most fireplace dampers can control the flow cold air coming into the home. They are often called termination dampers or a chimney top damper. At Superior Chimney, we recommend the fireplace damper with lip over lip insulated closure for maximum efficiency! The Fireplace damper takes care of most cold air that can seep into the home while also acting as a superior chimney cap when closed. The benefits include:

• Seal heat in during winter months and cold in during the summer
• Keeps debris out
• Keeps animals and other critters out
• Keep weather elements from entering the home
• Keep sparks from leaving the fireplace
• No cold wind induced drafty air coming in from the outside

Contact Superior Chimney to get a fireplace damper installed. It’ll be a great way to help control the cost of energy in your home.

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

The thousands of dollars of damages caused by chimney fires are normally because of the flames migrating upward, melting, warping, or negatively affecting the masonry or chimney walls. In the majority of cases, chimney fires can ruin houses and risk lives. These tragedies are normally preventable because you can have your chimney inspected, repaired, or cleaned. This way, the chimney will not malfunction or collect build-ups that can cause risks.

A chimney inspection service can prevent any of this from happening, and you should be aware of the effects of a chimney fire. Read more about it now.

What is it?

Combustibles that you burn in the chimney only burn partially. It is hard to avoid incomplete combustion, but you can minimize the impact by properly burning seasoned wood if you have a clean chimney. The residue that comes from incomplete combustion builds up over time that lines the flue with creosote.

Creosote is combustible if it is at the right temperature. When the airflow is blocked or there is a damaged flue, it leads to poor airflow. Since there is trapped heat, the chimney heats up more than intended, and this ignites creosote. This chimney fire can be extremely dangerous.

Dirt Causes Chimney Fire

The dirt in your chimney causes fires, which is damaging to the structure, and it destroys homes that can kill or injure people.

Chimney fire creates a popping noise and loud cracking, with a lot of dense smoke, and an intense and hot smell.

Chimney fires burn explosively that is noisy and dramatic enough that can be detected by people or neighbors around you. Dense smoke or flames shoots from the chimney. Homeowners get startled by rumbling sounds that remind them of a low-flying airplane or freight train.

Flue Tiles Get Damaged

A lot of homes use clay flue tiles to line their chimney. This is rated to be able to withstand high temperatures. However, there are chimney fires that burn over 2,000 degrees that can be too hot for tiles causes damages such as cracking.

The breach in your flue liner is a big concern. It increases the possibility for combustibles nearby in the construction in your home. All the cracked tiles cause fires, and they find a new pathway to get out of the flue, which potentially causes a house fire.

Exterior Masonry Cracks

Similar to flue tiles, the brick masonry of the chimney can be damaged by heat. If there is a chimney fire, the brick or mortar joints can open and crack new pathways for fire or heat. This is a reason why yearly chimney inspections become critical. These cracks are hard to notice and can cause disaster if it is not repaired before another chimney fire happens.

Most of them are Undetected

Slow-burning chimney fires do not have enough air or have fuel that becomes dramatic or visible and they normally go undetected until there is a chimney inspection. However, the temperatures they reach are high and cause a lot of damage to the chimney’s structure. In addition, the nearby combustible house parts are connected to this.

Scorched Areas

The chimney fire because of high heat can also scorch away the deposits in certain parts of the chimney. This leaves behind areas that only look clean, that are surrounded by combustible deposits.

You can go for chimney contractors Ellicott City if you need your chimney inspected to prevent fires.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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

Your chimney needs regular maintenance and care. An inspection can help establish a baseline for the health of your chimney. After your inspection visit, you may need to invest in chimney repair, depending on what your technician discovers. Our team member can walk you through what that will look like and which of our two options is best: rebuilding vs repointing. At the surface, both types of repair are designed to restore your chimney to functional performance. However, there are distinct differences between each technique.

First, what is chimney repointing?

The mortar joints between your chimney’s bricks can weather over time. The freeze and thaw cycle that we frequently experience here in the Northeast plays havoc with the structure of your chimney. Eventually, voids and pockets can develop, allowing water to penetrate deeper into the mortar, eroding it even more.

Repointing fills in these gaps with fresh mortar, though your Northeastern Chimney technician will clean any debris out of the gaps first.

Tuckpointing

As a potential variation to repointing, your technician may recommend tuckpointing. This completely removes the mortar joint material and replaces it with new.

Either way, repointing and tuckpointing both help to waterproof your chimney while simultaneously solidifying its structural integrity. In addition, repointing can help mitigate potential fire risks and refresh the look of your chimney, making it look virtually brand new.

Next, what are the three types of chimney rebuilding?

Rebuilding is a more labor-intensive method, though necessary if the damage to your masonry or bricks is extensive.

Partial rebuild

If the chimney damage involves more than repointing, you’re looking at a partial rebuild. It can involve tearing down one (or more) layers of your chimney to repair the damage.

Roofline rebuild

Roofline rebuild involves — you guessed it — repairs to your roof in addition to your chimney. If the framing, sheathing, or rafters are damaged, a roofline rebuild will replace them in addition to the repairs to the chimney mortar.

Complete rebuild

Finally, a complete rebuild involves demolishing the existing chimney and starting over. Your mason will install a new crown, damper, and flashing, building a new chimney layer by layer.

Preventative measures

Of course, preventative measures can help mitigate the need for repairs such as rebuilding or chimney repointing. Annual sweeps will eliminate creosote from your flue. Waterproofing can minimize the effect of the elements. Relining is another option that can help to reinforce your chimney from the inside out. Finally, an annual inspection will catch minor issues early on before they turn into a later (and far more costly) project.

Rebuilding vs chimney repointing

Both techniques will restore your chimney to working condition. It simply depends on the health of your chimney and how much weathering is present to answer the question: ‘is chimney repointing right for this chimney damage or do I need a full rebuild?’ As Connecticut’s premier chimney maintenance company, contact one of our Northeastern Chimney team members today. We can quickly schedule a sweep, inspection, or repair at your convenience. Simply call us at 860-233-5770.

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

If you have been thinking about getting a fireplace for a long time, the answer is that you should. Even if this amenity is not the handiest, people want this as an added home feature. In case you are planning to sell your home in the future, you might wonder what changes you can make to your home so that the value increases, which attracts more potential buyers.

You can always talk to chimney contractors and choose the best one to do the job for you. But first, here are the reasons why it is a good idea to have one made.

It is Not as Expensive as You Think

Costs of fireplace installation can significantly vary based on the kind of fireplace, project aesthetics, and where it will be positioned in your home. Therefore, you can really match it to your budget. You can consult chimney experts to determine the cost of what you want to be done. They will be more than happy to walk you through the details of the installation and give you a quote. You can enjoy a fireplace at an affordable price.

Guilt-Free, Heated Comfort

Wood fireplaces are a classic, but the biggest thing is that they can give you comfort. if your concern is about your carbon footprint, then choosing a gas fireplace instead of wood is the ideal choice for you. This is a more cost-efficient, eco-conscious, and energy-efficient choice compared to the traditional wood fireplace.

Fireplaces Make Your Home More Valuable

Your fireplace can pay for itself because it adds value to any home. More than 40% of homebuyers will pay for a home that comes with a fireplace. Wood-burning fireplaces are the most popular, but it is clear that a fireplace installation of any kind adds value to your property.

Easy Maintenance

One of the biggest reasons that people do not want to get a fireplace is that they do not want to put up with the maintenance costs. You can now choose a gas unit, which will not give you creosote buildup that you must clean and there is no need to worry about cleaning the ashes from the firebox after using it. if you have a gas fireplace, you can just do a yearly inspection and cleaning in the unit. That is enough to give you a safe operation.

Aesthetics Value

If you have ever come to a living or master bedroom that comes with a nice gas fireplace, you will know how much it enhances your room’s aesthetics. Today, fireplaces come in different shapes and sizes. You should picture an elongated fireplace with a stainless steel frame and the flame looks elegant, or a horizontal panel fireplace that flickers above your tub in the bedroom, or a classic insert with a decorative mantle. There are endless variations, and all styles are irresistible.

Improves Home Efficiency

Fireplaces offer more financial benefits because it decreases your energy bill. It contributes to your home’s overall heating, and if you strategically place it, you can save money. In order to maximize the fireplace of your home, you should read about its proper maintenance and different uses.

You can contact a chimney sweep Bowie if your fireplace needs cleaning or if you want to have one installed. Remember that a fireplace is an investment worth spending for even if you can do without it.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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

The best way to get maximum enjoyment out of your fireplace is with ongoing maintenance from a company like Fluesbrothers Chimney & Fireplace. It’s good to know how to prepare your home for a visit from a chimney sweep because the job tends to stir up soot and creosote. Responsible chimney sweeps like ours care about your home. When we are using our equipment, the last thing we want is an accident that causes a permanent mess or breakage of household items. The following are recommended actions to prepare for a chimney sweep and help ensure a positive experience.

Clear a Pathway

As we enter your home, it will save time if there is plenty of space for us and our equipment from the door to the fireplace. Also, put away any pets that may be underfoot and prevent children from entering the area unsupervised. We aim to complete the work thoroughly and as quickly as possible, to minimize your inconvenience.

Cover Furniture

Our methods for providing chimney sweep services are as neat as possible. Chimneys are typically a terrible mess inside, particularly when you have a wood-burning fireplace. We have all of the most effective modern equipment to help ensure that the creosote and soot that may enter your home is minimal. Sometimes accidents happen, whether small or large. It is best to cover nearby furniture and fabrics that could be stained.

No need to worry about the flooring around the fireplace because we cover that ourselves.

Remove Nearby Decor & the Fireplace Items

We suggest that you remove decor from the mantel just in case we accidentally disturb items as we do our work.  We also ask that nearby fireplace tools and equipment, such as baskets of logs, be moved at least a few feet away from the area.

It is also helpful if you remove the fireplace grate and any remaining logs in the fireplace.

Ensure a Cool Chimney

Chimney sweeps can only perform work if the chimney is cool. It is best not to use the fireplace between 24 and 48 hours before the arrival of a chimney sweep.  The reason is that the interior of the flue gets extremely hot and needs time to cool so that work can be performed.

Be Ready to Share Concerns

Whether a chimney sweep is inspecting or cleaning your chimney, it is helpful if you share any concerns you have before work begins. It could save time if the chimney technician is aware of any problems you are having. For instance, is the fireplace smoky? Have you detected foul odors? Are the fires in your fireplace lackluster and you don’t know why?

Freely Ask Questions

If a chimney sweep completes a chimney inspection and advises you of repairs that are needed, don’t hesitate to ask questions. Qualified chimney sweeps are knowledgeable. They can help laypersons better understand the reasons for certain recommendations, as needed.

For example, chimney liners cannot be damaged in any way. If chimney flue damage is discovered during an inspection or cleaning, you will likely be advised not to use your fireplace any further until the chimney liner has been repaired or replaced. The safety of your home and family is at stake if a fireplace is used when the chimney liner is not intact.

Contact Fluesbrothers Chimney & Fireplace

Throughout the Kansas City KS area, Fluesbrothers Chimney & Fireplace has earned the loyalty of homeowners and business owners alike. Schedule an appointment for chimney services by calling 913-236-7141 or by filling out our contact form here. To further boost your satisfaction, we suggest you refer here for our tips on how to prepare your home for a visit from a chimney sweep.

 

The post How to Prepare Your Home For A Chimney Sweep appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.

 

A clean and properly maintained chimney should never have fiery sparks popping out of its top. Unfortunately, not
all chimneys are clean and maintained. Fluesbrothers Chimney are clean and maintained.  Fluesbrothers Chimney& Fireplace offers the following advice should you experience this  potentially dangerous problem.

Call 911

This is the first step, because, although the situation may not seem dire, it could be. Assuming there’s a fire in the chimney, you can’t solve the problem on your own. Bring in trained emergency personnel.

Extinguish the fire in the fireplace

This is the second step – If you can put out the fire safely do so. If not, move to step 3.

Leave the house

Leave with all people and pets living in the home. If you feel it’s necessary, take with you any valuables that you can’t afford to lose. It probably won’t come to this, but use your judgment.

Why all the panic?

The panic is because, if sparks and embers are coming out of the top of your chimney, an active chimney fire is occurring, even if you don’t see actual flames.

Along with fiery debris exiting the chimney, a chimney fire often gives other signs such as:

• A strange tapping or clicking noise
• A rumbling sound like from a faraway train
• Excess dense smoke coming from the top of the chimney or the fireplace

What causes chimney fires?

By far the most common cause of chimney fires is creosote that ignites in the chimney flue. Creosote is formed by the condensation of smoke, and it accumulates inside your chimney every time you use your fireplace.

Preventative steps you can take

Since creosote originates in smoke, it follows that creating less smoke with your fires will benefit you. How can you do this?

• Burn only dry firewood, which is much less smoky than damp, unseasoned wood.
• Never burn cardboard, sheetrock, plastics, metals, packing materials, clothing or anything else. Non-firewood materials can produce excess smoke and burn too hot for your system.
• Burn hardwoods such as oak, walnut and elm, which make less smoke than pine, redwood, spruce and other softwoods.
• Have your chimney cleaned once a year.

How professional chimney sweeps deal with the problem

Chimney technicians are trained in the use of a variety of industry-grade tools to safely and effectively remove creosote from your chimney flue. An annual chimney sweep is an excellent step toward preventing chimney fires.
A clean chimney not only is less prone to a fire, but it’s also less likely to cause smoke backups, which often are caused when a flue is narrowed by creosote and outside debris. The real danger with smoke in your home is carbon monoxide, which is invisible, odorless and potentially fatal when inhaled.

Have your chimney inspected once a year

Annual chimney inspections go even further toward keeping your chimney clean and safe. Licensed chimney inspectors understand your system inside and out and will alert you to creosote issues as well as any damage or malfunction that is occurring.

Note that if your chimney is sending sparks and embers into the air, arrange for a special inspection as soon as the fire has been properly dealt with.

A clean chimney is a happy chimney

Fluesbrothers Chimney & Fireplace helps residents in the Kansas City, KS, region keep their fireplaces clean and happy. We provide licensed chimney inspections, chimney cleaning and all types of chimney repair work.

Speak with a chimney expert by calling (913) 236-7141, or reach us through our contact form.

The post When Sparks & Embers are Coming out of Your Chimney, Here’s what to Do appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.

You rely on your chimney for appropriate ventilation in the fireplace. However, the chimney should protect your home from any elements in the outside world. If you notice that your chimney seems leaking when it is raining outside, you might need a chimney inspection. This is especially true if there is a water spot that you can see on the ceiling. Even a minor leak leads to a lot of damage. That is why you should understand the causes of why your chimney might be leaking.

Read this article until the end to find out more.

Rain is Going in from the Top

It is not difficult to imagine that. Chimneys that do not have covers gather a lot of rain that falls down inside them. A chimney cover is sensible to a lot of people. This will keep the rain out, and even the birds, animals, and debris. The greatest chimney cover value is about keeping them out since chimneys can get blocked at the bottom. Hence, people can get sick or die from CO poisoning. Even if it is true that your uncovered flue is why you have water problems, it is most likely because the metal is thin and it leads to a leaking chimney.

Rusty Top

From the top of your chimney, you will have a chase top that keeps water from going straight down into your chimney when it is raining. It will have an entire cute in the middle for the spark arrester and chimney pipe for it to go through. Caulk will be used to seal it.

In case the middle part of the chase is lower than the steel panel, it will hold water. This is going to lead to water that comes into the chimney since the chase top will rust through. The chase top can also leak because of the caulk that is failing around the hole and the chimney pipe and spark arrestor goes through.

Cracks in the Crown

The chimney crown is on the top of the chimney. The bricks go around those flue liners, but from the top, you will require something that will stop the rain and snow from going to the tiles. You will see that the main purpose of the chimney crown is to keep the rain away. Cracks can happen because of when the structure shifts or from the shrinkage that dates back to the first day when the crown was put on. When there are big cracks in the crown, the water will go through those cracks right away.

Roof Flashing Problem

Roof flashing is the thin metal that is installed to direct water away from certain parts of the roof, which includes your chimney. The chimney could be leaking because of flashing when it is not installed properly. When this is the case, there is nothing that keeps the water from going inside and it goes into your home.

Another reason is that you would have to rely on the workmanship warranty of the contractor or you can call a different roofer so they can come and properly reflash your chimney.

If the roof flashing is at the end of its lifespan or it becomes damaged, it needs to be replaced so the leak can be fixed.

You will need to hire chimney contractors from Ellicott City to get a leaking chimney fixed and you can live peacefully again.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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

In a meeting last week with our Certified Chimney Technicians, they began to share some of their past experiences as the Christmas holiday approaches. Some were reluctant to tell their story. Who would believe them? Will you? We’ll need to keep their names anonymous.

Chimney Technician #1: It was the last chimney service appointment of the day, Christmas Eve. The family was to have a big Christmas dinner with lots of family and friends coming over. They wanted to use the fireplace so everyone could enjoy the warmth and beauty of the fire. However, since the family hadn’t used the fireplace yet, they wanted a chimney sweep & inspection done to ensure no glitches in the day’s festivities. I did what I normally do in servicing a fireplace.

Nearing completion, as I began to put away my equipment, I saw something coming out of the chimney flue. I saw part of a red pant leg and a black boot. I thought I was seeing things until I heard a noise. I ran back to the fireplace and looked up. I saw something quickly shoot up the flue and out the top of the chimney. I know it was Santa, but I didn’t want to say it out loud.

Chimney Technician #2: It was late afternoon on Christmas Eve. The Mom, at this particular stop, had asked the kids to move the presents that were in front of the fireplace to under the Christmas tree. There were about 10 packages of various sizes and the kids moved them all to their new location. This gave me plenty of room to work on getting the musty chimney odor out of the chimney and ultimately the home.

I completed the chimney inspection job and walked over to the homeowner in the kitchen to review my findings. No one was in the family room as the kids went back upstairs to their rooms. When I walked back into the family room with the homeowner, there were four packages in front of the fireplace. Each one had a name, and one of them was mine! We looked at each other, wondering where these came from as the kids had moved all of the presents already. I gave all the packages to the homeowner and she said there was no one else here by this name, mine! She told me to take it.

When I got into my truck, I opened the package. It was something I had wished for, but never told anyone. This is the first time I’m saying it out loud.

Chimney Technician #3: I don’t want to say too much. It just started to snow when I got to this homeowner’s house on Christmas Eve. All I can tell you is that there were footprints where footprints shouldn’t be! I checked my work boots, and it didn’t fit the foot print. My foot was too small and I’m a size 11. Nobody else was around. That’s all I’m going to say.

There you have it. Real stories from some of Superior Chimney’s Technicians. Nobody knows chimneys like these Technicians. From all of us at Superior Chimney, Happy Holidays!

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

You’ll enjoy your fireplace a lot more this winter by following a few wise safe practices than you will if you ignore your fireplace and chimney and hope for the best.

Here are the essentials.

Have your chimney inspected

A licensed chimney inspector will look over your chimney and fireplace to make sure they’re ready for heavy use. Areas of a basic inspection likely will include:

• Bricks and mortar (chimney masonry)
• Firebox
• Fireplace damper
• Chimney cap
• Chimney crown
• Chimney flashing
• Drafting efficiency
• Flue buildups/obstructions

If anything is found that could lead to unsafe or inefficient operation, your inspector will alert you to it. Most chimney inspectors provide repair and component-replacement services.

Have your chimney cleaned

If it’s been more than a year since the chimney for your wood fireplace has been professionally cleaned, make sure you arrange for this service before firing up the fireplace.

The best practice is to schedule annual chimney cleanings once a year, on or around the same date of the previous inspection.

Chimney cleaning (also called chimney sweeping) involves the use of specialized brushes, scrubbers and whips to dislodge and remove built-up creosote and soot from your chimney flue. Creosote is highly flammable and causes most chimney fires in the U.S. each year.

Your technician also will remove tree debris, the nests of small animals and other flue obstructions that could cause smoke and deadly carbon monoxide to back up into your home.

Operate your fireplace safely and correctly

Just because it’s called a “fire”-place doesn’t mean it’s supposed to be used for any kind of fire. Here are some guidelines:

Burn only firewood

Never burn furniture pieces, packaging materials, pressed board, clothing, magazines, household garbage or any other “foreign” material. These materials can burn way too hot and create way too much smoke.

Burn dry wood

Seasoned firewood has had at least six months to dry out. Damp wood is very smoky, which contributes to more creosote in your chimney.

Start fires with matches and kindling

Do not use accelerants like lighter fluid or charcoal starters to get fires going. These toxic substances can send dangerous fumes into your home, and they can flare up and put your fireplace/chimney system at risk.

Keep smoke and CO alarms in place

Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors are very important if you operate a fireplace. Smoke detectors should be placed throughout the home. A CO monitor should be placed on a wall near the fireplace and higher than the firebox.

Never leave home with a fire burning

This goes without saying, but one more reminder won’t hurt. You cannot control a fire when you’re gone. In addition, if you have small children or playful pets, it’s a good idea to never leave them unattended when your fireplace is running.

What to do if there’s a chimney fire

These are common signs a chimney fire has occurred:

• Rumbling sounds like from a faraway train
• Clicking or tapping noises
• Large amounts of dark smoke coming from either end of your chimney

If you notice any of these signs, call 911 immediately – don’t try to solve the problem on your own. Then put out the fire in the fireplace if it’s safe to do so. When the emergency is resolved, bring out a chimney inspector.

 

 

Safe wintertime fireplace use starts with expert help

Fluesbrothers Chimney & Fireplace of Kansas City, KS, is here to help keep your fireplace/chimney system running safely and efficiently all winter long. We provide licensed chimney inspection, chimney cleaning and all types of repair and rebuilding work.

Get your questions answered or schedule an appointment by calling (913) 236-7141.

The post Safe Practices for Wintertime Fireplace Use appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.