When constructing a house it’s always recommended that you install a chimney. This is because it comes with many benefits that include:

The chimney provides you with a cozy fireplace

Whether you have a fireplace insert, wood stove, open hearth or any other type of fireplace, a chimney provides you with a cozy environment to enjoy the warmth while watching the fire dancing. The fireplace provides you and your family a place to gather and have a good time. Chimney inspection professionals recommend that you maintain a safe distance from the chimney so that you don’t injure yourself.

The chimney provides you with fire for cooking

You no longer have to limit your cooking to the kitchen only. You can also cook in the living room in your chimney. If you are planning on cooking in your chimney, you should install a wood burning stove that not only provides you with enough heat to prepare your meals, but it’s also affordable.

The chimney is beautiful to look at

Have you visited a house without a chimney? It looks weird, right? When you install a chimney you improve the look of your house. The cool thing is that chimneys come in different designs thus you have many options to choose from. All you have to do is ensure that the unit is installed by a professional chimney contractor.

Taking care of your chimney

For you to continue enjoying the benefits of having a chimney in your home you need to take good care of it. If you have a wood burning fireplace you should watch the type of wood that you burn. To limit the amount of creosote that gets deposited watch the type of wood that you burn. To be on the safe side always burn seasoned wood. This is wood that has been left outside to dry on its own for a period of at least six months. If possible, burn hardwood instead of softwood.

Another thing that you should do is regularly undertake chimney cleaning.  You should hire a chimney company to clean the chimney and fix any problems that it might be having. One of the major problems with chimneys is chimney fires. Regular chimney sweeping removes the dangerous creosote thus keeping your fireplace safe.

Conclusion

A chimney is great to have as it comes with many benefits. For it to last for long and continue working effectively you have to take good care of it.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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

Fall is before winter and then the temperature reaches below zero. Even if not all places will experience low temperatures in the next months, a lot of people leverage their chimneys in keeping their home livable despite cold temperatures.

If you are considering having chimney cleaning services, you should know that you need them especially during winter. Even if a lot of people are into using chimneys, not everyone maintains them well. This is a proposition if you neglect your chimney, it will become detrimental to health and safety concerns.

A chimney sweep inspects your chimney and they clean it to make sure that it is properly functioning.

Read more about this kind of service now:

Keeps Your Family and Home Safe

Keeping your home and family away from harm while sitting in front of a fireplace or woos stove during the colder months. Chimneys are important for ventilation that lets toxins, smokes and dangerous to exit your home. if you have a clean chimney, you will have a safer fireplace that is more fireplace and heating appliance for your home.

When it comes to appliances that burn fossil fuels, certain residue from creosote and soot stick to the masonry and flue that is inside the chimney. The burning embers produced by the fire is usually the one that sparks a fire inside the chimney, regular chimney maintenance prevents a lot of house fires if they are regularly hired.

Your Air is Cleaner

When you keep your chimney working properly, you will do a great job of sucking out smoke from your home.  If there is soot and gunk in your chimney, it cannot properly filter smoke. This causes the family room to look hazy and an unsafe breathing environment.

A chimney sweep will make it operate smoothly on all cylinders, which is why you do not have to worry if there will be smoke and backup issues.

Home Heating Becomes More Efficient

The efficiency of your fireplace decreases when there is more aerosol in the chimney. The added cooler circulation of the air reduces the efficiency of energy that requires you to burn wood and other fossil fuels, mostly to stay warm. That is why chimney inspection should be done regularly to make sure that you stay warm during the cooler months.

In addition, rodents, insects and small birds clog the flue which prevents toxic fumes from escaping. Since these fumes are unable to escape because of the clogged chimney, there is a higher risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, which is a silent killer.

Prevents Fire

It is dangerous to have a blocked chimney because there is increased smoke and carbon monoxide poisoning and a backed up chimney causes fires.

Thousands of fires happen every year because of clogged chimneys. The fire costs you money and your life if you get trapped.

Costly Repairs Prevention

A fireplace that burns wood can reach 1100F or even more. This will create wood bits, ash, soot and other kinds of particles that are because of the combustion process that covers the flue liner, damper, smoke shelf, grime contaminant, and dirt. A professional cleaning service helps in reducing wear and tear so you can stop costly repairs from happening. Aside from that, this type of cleaning helps to uncover minor problems in masonry.

You should prevent chimney problems, and you can do this by hiring professionals to inspect and clean it regularly. Call up chimney cleaning services Upper Marlboro.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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

If you have a wood burning chimney, your chimney contractor might have told you that you need to burn seasoned wood in order to prevent creosote deposition. Seasoned wood is wood that has been cut into logs, stacked and allowed to dry for at least 6 months. The aim of seasoning wood is to remove as much moisture from the wood as possible. When the wood is cut for the first time, it has a water content of between 40% and 50%. After seasoning only 10-20% moisture is left. Removal of moisture allows the wood to burn fast, hotter and produce less smoke.

How to tell that wood has been properly seasoned

If you have trees growing in your homestead you can cut them and season the wood but if you don’t have trees you should buy the wood from your local home improvement store. To make easy money, it’s common for some business people to try to sell you unseasoned wood. To be on the safe side you should take your time to find out if the wood is seasoned. Here are the features that you should look out for:

Weight: Since the moisture would have evaporated, you should expect the wood to be much lighter than freshly cut wood. If the wood that you have is heavy, it’s most definitely unseasoned thus you should stay away from it.

Appearance: How does the wood look like? According to chimney inspection professionals, seasoned wood has darker, split, and cracked ends. This is because the moisture would have evaporated. You should stay away from wood with solid ends.

Sound: This is probably the easiest way of knowing whether the wood is seasoned. If it is seasoned, it will give a hollow “clunk” but if it isn’t, it will make a hard “thud.”

Tips to consider when burning seasoned wood

Seasoned wood is great as it burns hotter and results to minimal creosote deposition. When burning the wood, be cautious of the amount of wood that you use. As rule of thumb, avoid using too much wood that will block air flow thus resulting in a lot of smoke. When there is a lot of smoke, more creosote is deposited thus you are forced to regularly undertake chimney cleaning.

Another thing that you should do is avoid burning painted, pretreated, or prefabricated wood as it contains protectants and sealants that release toxic chemicals into the air thus putting your health and that of your loved ones at risk.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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

Newly constructed chimneys today are required by law to have a flue liner. They’re not, however, required to also have a chimney cap to protect the chimney. Many chimneys are operated without any kind of covering over the top of the flue, and in every case, trouble is sure to come around sooner or later.

What is a chimney cap?

There are actually two types of components that cover a chimney flue: chimney caps and flue covers. Either type will protect the flue, but a proper full-width chimney cap also covers and protects the vulnerable chimney crown.

Both caps and covers have solid tops and open (usually mesh) sides to allow smoke to leave the chimney. Because chimney caps are the more protective of the two components, It’s important to understand their purpose

6 ways chimney caps protect chimneys

Keep out rain and snow

Without a covering, your chimney flue is open to however much rain and snow is in the air. Moisture inside the flue can damage the chimney liner and fireplace damper through rusting and erosion. Additionally, flue moisture is a common cause of mold outbreaks, which can be dangerous to people and pets.

Prevent animal infestation

Small animals such as squirrels, birds, rodents and raccoons often seek shelter inside chimneys. With no chimney cap, it’s like putting out a welcome mat for them. The nests some of these animals build can cause a drafting obstruction and serve as fuel for a chimney fire. Animals that die inside the flue cause these same problems along with unpleasant odors that will drift into your home.

Block debris

Depending on where your chimney is situated, it may be in the line of falling leaves, twigs, fruit and nuts from nearby trees. This debris, as with nesting materials, will cause a dangerous drafting obstruction. A narrowed flue passage can send smoke and deadly carbon monoxide into your home and put the health of people and pets at risk.

Help to prevent downdrafts

A secure chimney cap is an excellent wind block and helps to prevent wind-based downdrafts that can blow smoke, ash and fiery embers and sparks into your home.

Contain ascending sparks and embers

If there’s no contrary airflow, sparks and embers will rise into the flue during a fire. Depending on their velocity, these particles can exit the flue opening and land on the roof or in the yard. A chimney cap is the best way to keep this from happening.

Protect concrete chimney crowns

A full-width chimney cap keeps water away from the chimney crown. Rain and melting snow can easily get into the small cracks often found in chimney crowns and cause serious problems. Once the crown is broken open, water can move into interior spaces within the flue and inflict system-wide damage.

Have a chimney cap installed

If you’ve been running your fireplace/chimney system without a cap, now is the time to have one installed. The relatively small investment can pay for itself many times over by preventing chimney damage, smoke backups and fires.

Fluesbrothers Chimney & Fireplace of Kansas City, KS, is here to help you keep your chimney safe and fully functional. We install custom full-width chimney caps that protect your chimney and look great while doing it.

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

 

The post Why Does Your Chimney Need a Chimney Cap? appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.

Chimney leaks. Every time it rains, and we’ve had plenty, Superior Chimney experiences an increase in calls about chimney leaks. One of the reasons that it is important to call us versus writing a message on Facebook is to determine if the chimney leak is coming from the chimney or from the roof. To determine the source, we’re going review the causes of a chimney leak.

Chimney Crown the Slab of Cement

Cause #1: The chimney crown is the slab of cement on top of the chimney. The chimney crown acts as a protectant, or a barrier to rain, snow, sun and wind and maybe even a critter or two. Over time, cracks in the chimney crown can form from expansion and contraction which then allow water to find its way into your home.

Solution: There’s two solutions to the problem. First, if the chimney crown has deteriorated enough and the cracks are wide and plentiful, then after a Superior Chimney inspection, the chimney crown may need replacing in order to stop the chimney leak. If the chimney crown has smaller cracks, it just may need to be repaired. A proper assessment from our certified chimney technician will be able to guide you to the correct solution.

Tuckpointing – In Between the Bricks

Cause #2: Rain is a talented weather element. It can make its way into your home through the porous brick and mortar. Brick and mortar expands and contracts as the temperatures rise and fall. Over time, gaps are formed between the mortar and the bricks causing chimney leaks to occur.

Solution: Once a Superior Chimney masonry expert repairs the brick and mortar, its best to waterproof the chimney with Chimney Saver. Chimney Saver acts as a barrier to the weather elements, minimizes deterioration of the brick and mortar and preserves the chimney for the long term.

Chimney Flashing – Where to Roof & Chimney Meet

Causes #3: One of the weakest points for a chimney leak is where the chimney and the roofline meet. Roofers will install chimney flashing to guard against moisture. If the chimney flashing shifts, blows away, or the seal wears away it is a prime source for chimney leaks.

Solution: Getting a certified technician to evaluate the situation and service/seal the chimney flashing is the only course of action to ensure that “chimney leaks” stay away. The materials that make up the chimney flashing all work together to protect this vulnerable roofing area by directing the rain, snow or moisture away from the chimney and eventually away from the house. 

Chimney Cap – The Protector

Cause #4: Chimney caps, or a lack of a chimney cap, can cause a chimney leak, critters to nest and debris to settle directly into your chimney and home. If the chimney cap has shifted, blown off or if the sides or top of the chimney cap is missing, problems in your chimney will begin.

Solution: Chimney caps are the first line of defense to many of these causes. The steel structure of the chimney cap ensures a long durable life on top of the chimney. It also protects from rain, animals searching for a warm or safe place to live and any other moisture ready to enter your home.

Chimney leaks are important to fix right away as they can lead to further deterioration and more repairs or replacement. Be sure to have your chimney swept and inspected each year, if you use it or not, as the exterior elements continue to live, move and breathe whether you use your fireplace or not. Superior Chimneys certified technicians render thorough inspections so that causes of a chimney leak stay as far away from you and your home as possible. Contact us at 877-244-6349 and like us on Facebook!

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

To protect your property from the risk of fire, you should regularly undertake chimney cleaning. There are many methods that you can use to clean the chimney. They include:

Top to bottom chimney cleaning method

Here you need to get to the roof and then insert the brush into the chimney. Using up and down motions you should begin scrubbing the flue. If the brush is short thus can’t reach down the chimney, connect it to the extension rod. You should continue cleaning the chimney in this motion until the entire chimney is clean. To give your chimney a thorough cleaning it’s recommended that you use a vacuum cleaner.

When you are on the roof, be careful that you don’t fall. If you feel that the roof is unsafe for you, avoid cleaning the chimney in the up and down method and use alternative methods.

Cleaning the chimney using the weight method

This is where you attach a weight on the cleaning brush and then drop the weight and the brush from the top of the chimney. Chimney contractors recommend this method of chimney sweeping when the chimney is too long. When attaching the weight, be cautious that it isn’t too large thus giving you difficulty controlling it. Using a weight that is too large can also result to damage of your chimney. To avoid damaging your chimney, carefully lower the weight down the chimney along the inner side walls. You should then move the weight up and down until the entire chimney is clean.

Cleaning the chimney from the bottom up

This cleaning alternative is recommended when the roof is unstable or you are scared of going up the roof. What you need to do is attach your brush to an extension rod and then move the brush in up and down motions while scrubbing clean the chimney. If your chimney is too long, attach another extension rod.

Use the two person’s cleaning method

The cleaning method is loved by many people as it’s fast and highly effective. From its name, it involves two people: one person stays at the base of the chimney while the other goes to the roof. What you need to do is attach a rope to both sides of the brush and pull it up and down the chimney. When using this method, be cautious of the brush that you use. Chimney repair professionals recommend that you avoid a brush that is too small or too large thus causing problems during cleaning.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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

Most modern appliances come with an owner’s manual.  In that manual, there will be a ‘Troubleshooting’ section to allow the owner to attempt to repair or at least recognize the problem. If you have purchased a home with a gas fireplace and the owner failed to leave the owner’s manual.  This blog will give you some insight as to what the problem might be.

Before anything is done, how long has it been since the last chimney cleaning and inspection?  If you have no idea, for you and your family’s safety, get a chimney inspection.  Doing this may solve many unforeseen issues and let you sleep better at night.

For the sake of discussion, the chimney and gas fireplace has been inspected, and all is well.  Below are some of the problems that might occur and what you can do to address these issues.

 

 

What can you do when the fire doesn’t light?

Check the remote.  If your gas fireplace has a remote, make sure you have fresh batteries.

Check the breaker box.  Check to see if any of the breakers have been tripped.  Yes, even though your fireplace is run by gas, it still needs an electric current to get it started.

Check to see that gas is flowing.  Look to see that the gas valve is open.  Is the valve turned to the ‘ON’ position?

Propane and Natural Gas Tank Troubleshooting

If your gas fireplace runs foon propane, make sure the check the tank.  It could be empty.  Natural gas is a little more confusing.  Make sure all lines are hooked up securely; if all the lines look to be in place, it’s time to call your utility company.

Thermocouple, Thermopile, and the Wiring Replacement

If you have examined the other possibilities, it is time to call a professional.  The wiring is tricky, and unless you are confident in your abilities, this is a problem for the experts.

The Pilot Light

It’s that little blue flame down towards the bottom of the entire gas fireplace apparatus.  That flame is what lights the gas and makes it burn.  Pilot lights are easily blown out by a draft or a failure or interruption of gas flow.  Check the owner’s manual for step-by-step instructions to relight it.  Don’t be ashamed if you need help.  Call a professional.

A gas fireplace provides a welcome ambiance at the end of a long day.  Rather than getting kindling and matches, then building a fire, all you need to do is flip a switch.

Homeowners don’t have to worry about sparks flying onto carpets, smoke damage, or scooping up all the ashes.  Just sit back and enjoy the fire.

Northeastern Chimney, LLC is your go-to chimney sweeps, chimney inspector, and chimney repair company.   Northeastern Chimney, LLC has been working in central Connecticut for forty years, keeping homes and families safe.  Even though cleaning chimneys is a dirty job, we pride ourselves on leaving the area around the chimney cleaner than when we came.

Our office staff and technicians are available to answer any questions before, during or after our inspections.  You can depend on us.

Northeastern Chimney, LLC

37 Cody Street

West Hartford, Connecticut 06110

Phone: 860-233-5770

 

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

Chimney swifts are brown and gray birds known for their cigar-shaped bodies and wide, flat beaks. While their natural habitat is in trees, the destruction of forests has resulted in them having an affinity for chimneys as they are warm.

Why you should keep shifts out of your chimney

Regardless of how much you love birds, you should ask a chimney cleaning professional to keep swifts out of your chimney. This is due to the dangers that they pose. One of the dangers is that of diseases. Due to their tendencies to travel long distances and even across continents they are exposed to many microorganisms that can cause diseases to you and your loved ones.

Another reason why you should keep them out of your chimney is because they put your home at the risk of catching fire. When they construct nests, the nests block the chimney flue thus harmful gasses, and smoke doesn’t escape into the environment. This results to creosote getting deposited on the chimney walls. As you know, the more the creosote deposits, the higher the chances of your chimney catching fire.

What to do when you have swifts in your chimney

Birds, including swifts, are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The act states that it’s a federal offense to remove or damage the swift nests before the hatchlings have left. The cool thing is that the birds have short life cycles where the time from nesting to the time that the hatchlings leave the nest is less than 6 weeks. After the six weeks, you should contact a chimney company to remove the nests and clean the entire chimney.

How to keep swifts out of your chimney

Swifts spend their winters in South American then migrate to North America in spring and summer. If you don’t take measures to prevent the birds from getting into your chimney they will come back during summer. One of the ways of ensuring that they don’t find their way into your chimney again installing a chimney cap. All you need to do is hire a chimney masonry repair professional to install it for you.  Since the birds are very small, ensure that you hire a professional who will install a unit that the birds can’t fit through.

In addition to installing chimney caps, you should also inspect the entire chimney and fix any holes that the birds can get through.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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

Summer is coming to a close.  When the leaves start to change, Old Man Winter isn’t far behind.  It is in these colder months when fireplaces and chimneys are used the most. Before building a fire in your fireplace, one fixture of your chimney stands out from all the others.  That fixture is the chimney damper. This, and other chimney repairs must be made before you use your fireplace.

A damper is a piece of metal above the firebox that controls where the smoke and ash go while the fire is burning.  It opens by a handle or pulling of a chain to let the heat and flying embers escape.  When the damper is closed, it can help keep the cool air in your home and is an extra layer of protection against small animals getting into your house.  If your damper is stuck in either the open or closed position, you are putting your home, and more importantly, your family at risk.

Rusted Open

Several situations can occur if your damper is stuck in the open position due to rust or malfunction.  First, an open damper is an invitation, inviting rodents, birds, and in some cases, snakes to take refuge in your chimney.

Homeowners are also throwing away money on energy bills.  That open damper is allowing the heated air in your house out.  You might as well keep a window open all winter.  If you use central air in your home during the summer, the cool air escapes through that same opening.

Closed damper

About the only positive with a permanently closed damper is you are keeping animals out.  However, leaving the damper closed can lead to severe damage to your home and family.  If a homeowner lights a fire with a closed damper, all the smoke produced will have nowhere to go except into your home.  Smoke damage is costly to remove.  Secondly, and probably the most important, is your fire produces a deadly gas.  You can’t see or smell it, a toxic gas known as Carbon Monoxide.  Allowing smoke to enter your home is bad enough, but Carbon Monoxide can kill just as quickly as a house fire.

Homeowners, if you have not had a chimney inspection done in a while, don’t procrastinate any longer.  Allowing the highly trained technicians from Northeastern Chimney to come into your home and inspect your chimney is a wise choice.

Northeastern Chimney, LLC has been servicing and repairing chimneys in Central Connecticut for almost 40 years.  We are proud to be a contributing partner to the community.  We also appreciate all the wonderful chimney sweeping reviews our customers have left on our website.

Every member of our staff is knowledgeable and skilled in handling all types of chimney issues.  We do general inspections as well as cleaning, repairing, and servicing your chimney.

If you own an older home and you are not sure about the condition of your chimney, please give us a call; we are always glad to help.

 

Northeastern Chimney, LLC

37 Cody Street

West Hartford, Connecticut 06110

Phone: 860-233-5770

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

As long as the building codes in your area allow it, there is no reason you can’t install an outdoor fireplace in your home. To have a great experience you need to consider a number of factors that include:

The role of the outdoor fireplace

There are many reasons why you can consider installing an outdoor fireplace: maybe you want somewhere to relax in the evening, you want somewhere to prepare your meals or any other reason. Different fireplaces require different features. To install the right fireplace you should consult your chimney contractor. The professional will also advise you on the best place install the fireplace.

Best fuel for the outdoor fireplace

Just like the indoor fireplace, you can use different types of fuel. You can use gas, electric or wood. Two of the most common fuel options that you can go with are gas and wood. A gas burning fireplace is great as it doesn’t require you to keep on starting the fire. It also doesn’t accumulate plenty of creosote thus you don’t need to keep on hiring a chimney cleaning professional to clean it. Its main flaw is that it might be restricted in your area since it poses a great fire hazard especially when there is a gas leak. Gas fireplaces also don’t burn as hot as their wood-burning counterparts.

A wood burning fireplace provides your home with a warm look. You can also locate it in almost any area of your home. While the units provide plenty of heat and the food prepared on it is tasty, it produces a lot of smoke thus you have to undertake chimney sweeping more regularly.

How the fireplace complements your home design

In addition to the outdoor fireplace being functional, it also should complement your home design. This calls for you to work with your chimney company and settle on the best design for your home. The cool thing is that there are plenty of designs in the market that you can choose from. As rule of thumb, go with a design that looks good in your home.

Conclusion

There are many factors that you need to consider before installing an outdoor fireplace. When installing it ensure that you work with experienced chimney masonry professionals. Just like with other fireplaces, you need to take good care of your unit for it to last for long. One of the most important things that you need to do is to undertake regular chimney inspection.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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