There has never been a better time to buy a heating stove for your home. Advancements in both design and technology make them not only an affordable and practical heating solution; they are cleaner, more efficient, and easier to operate. The only decision to make is deciding whether gas, wood or pellet is the best stove for your home. The following guide will help you do just that.

Wood-Burning Stoves

When you think of heating your home with a stove, a wood-burning stove probably comes to mind. People have been using wood stoves for centuries. But modern wood stoves have come a long way since then and are now an eco-friendly and efficient home heating solution. One of the top advantages that wood stoves offer is that homeowners are no longer dependent on the price of electricity, gas, or oil to heat their homes. Wood is a sustainable, renewable energy source that is abundantly available and inexpensive. Also, EPA-Certified wood stoves emit much less pollution and convert up to 80% of the fuel into heat. If you want a safe, reliable, and energy-efficient off-the-grid heating solution, a wood-burning stove may be just the solution for you.

Gas Stoves

Gas heating stoves are becoming a popular home heating solution. It’s clean-burning, convenient, and low maintenance. It’s also very efficient, converting nearly 90% of the fuel into usable heat. Many homeowners, like the convenience of being able to turn on the heat with the flip of the switch. 

Since there is no wood to load or ash to clean, maintenance is more straightforward. Gas heating stoves are also stylish, and the artificial logs are so realistic that it resembles an authentic wood-burning fire experience. When choosing a gas stove for your home, you will need to decide between natural gas or liquid propane.

Pellet Stoves

If you want the sustainability of wood, with the convenience of gas, then pellet stoves will fit the bill. Pellet stoves use small particles of wood that are compressed into pellets. When the pellets are poured into the hopper, an automatic ignition system regulates the fuel supply to maintain the desired temperature providing up to 40 hours of continuous heat before having to reload. Pellets are an inexpensive, carbon-neutral fuel source. Although pellet stoves require a small amount of electricity for the ignition system, the operating cost is typically less than that of other liquid or solid fuel heating appliances. And pellet stoves are highly efficient, leaving practically no waste. Another significant advantage of a pellet stove is its flexibility. They can be installed in areas that are not practical for wood or gas stoves, like the bathroom, kitchen, and mobile homes.

Space Heating Vs. Home Heating

Free-standing wood, pellet, and gas stoves are available in a range of sizes that can be used to provide heating for an individual room or the entire house. It just depends on the size of the unit. Heating stoves make it practical for zone heating. Installing a large stove downstairs and a smaller unit upstairs conserves energy. You can turn off the upstairs stove during the day when everyone is downstairs. Another option is to install a large heating stove in the basement and route the heat through individual air vents in each room like a forced-air furnace to provide affordable heat to the entire home.

Contact the Experts

Choose the best in Kansas City, Fluesbrothers! Have experts walk you through the best way to heat your home, from installation to inspections Fluesbrothers does it all!

Phone: 913-236-7141
Address: 1701 Southwest Blvd, Kansas City, KS 66103

The post Gas, Wood, or Pellet: Which Stove is Best for Your Home appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.

Whether you’ve had a harsh winter already this year, or your chimney sustained damage in the past, it’s important to diagnose and repair the damage as soon as possible. Winter-damaged masonry can lead to more serious problems and costs in the future, so the sooner you call a professional, the better.

Common Winter Damage

• Chimney Leaks – When water enters the chimney system it can be catastrophic, leading to water damage in the chimney system itself, the fireplace or appliance, and also the rest of the home. The water may enter by a faulty chimney cap, damaged crown, spalling masonry, or dislodged flashing, but the water may travel through the home and form a leak elsewhere, many rooms away from the chimney. Expert tip: have your chimney system inspected annually and waterproofed after repairs so that the masonry is protected from water penetration.
• Spalling Masonry – When the masonry becomes cracked, crumbles, and bricks and mortar pieces begin to fall, this is called spalling. Spalling masonry is extremely dangerous for the chimney and can cause bricks to fall onto and damage the roof and landscaping below as it becomes more serious. Expert tip: have your masonry waterproofed with a deep-penetrating water repellent by Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep to prevent water masonry damage. Schedule a professional to repair your masonry through a process called tuckpointing.
• Crown Damage – Winter weather can wreak havoc on a chimney crown that is old, poorly maintained, and improperly constructed. If a crown is too thin, flat, or made of the wrong materials, water can penetrate it during winter months and then freeze, causing more damage through what’s called the freeze-thaw cycle. Expert tip: ask your chimney professional specific questions about crown construction. It should be constructed with the right materials and design for a lasting crown.
• Dislodged Flashing – Harsh winter temperatures and storms can lead to dislodged flashing. Since the intersection of the chimney and roof is the most vulnerable part of your entire chimney system, dislodged flashing can have serious hazardous results. Expert tip: look at your flashing after strong winds or prolonged ice or snow exposure. Exposed nails, shifted metal, and missing flashing is reason to call a professional right away.

The Freeze-Thaw Cycle

Winter is the most common time for chimney damage that has nothing to do with the fire. Yes, you’re using your fireplace more, but winter damage is caused by outside forces—temperatures, pressures, precipitation, animals, and more. The worst thing that can happen to your chimney during winter months is water penetration. Because masonry is porous by nature, allowing water to penetrate beyond the surface, freezing temperatures can be devastating as the moisture trapped in the masonry freezes and thaws. Water fills the gaps and voids in the masonry, then freezes as temperatures fall. The water expands as it freezes, breaking apart the masonry. Then when a fire is lit or the sun warms the chimney again the water thaws and moves further into the damaged masonry. This process repeats all winter long, causing serious damage in a short time. If this damage isn’t repaired and the chimney waterproofed, the chimney may require a serious repair or rebuild. If the damage remains throughout the spring months, water will have a direct route into the chimney system to make more damage.

Chimney Repairs and Waterproofing in Boston, North Shore, and Portland

Home and business owners in and around Boston, North Shore, and Portland areas continue to depend on Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep for all their ongoing chimney needs, including repairs and waterproofing services. Our goal to keep our friends and neighbors in our service area safe and warm each winter is the reason why we offer expert services like crown repair, tuckpointing, chimney relining, rebuilds, renovations, and more. We also specialize in preventive services such as waterproofing, chimney sweeps, and CSIA inspections.

Our chimney experts are CSIA certified chimney sweeps, experienced master masons, and trained installers. When you hire a Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep you are depending on the best our service area has to offer. We show up with clear ID tags, clean uniforms, and branded company vehicles. You will never second guess your choice in companies or technicians. We keep your home clean of toxins and dirtiness while we work and hand you a written report when the service is complete. If your chimney requires repairs, we provide before and after footage for your own records and to present to your home-owners insurance or realtor. We use a camera system to get up-close-footage during each chimney sweep and inspection and offer a complimentary carbon monoxide test to insure hidden dangers aren’t present.

Schedule Now

We are only just into winter, but damage can occur in a short time. Damage from previous years can go unnoticed, and all you notice as a homeowner is the repercussion. If your fireplace, stove, or chimney is suddenly working improperly, if you notice signs of water damage, or the system works differently in any way, it’s time to have it checked out.

Contact Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep now to schedule important diagnostic services. Call 617-469-4528 today.

The post Winter Damage to Your Chimney System appeared first on Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep.

Are you new with chimney cleaning and wondering what does a chimney sweep do? A chimney sweep is a professional who sweeps and cleans chimneys, flue pipes, smoke ducts, and fireplaces to prevent chimney fires and harmful gas emissions.

Specialized chimney sweeps have fire prevention skills and work closely with the fire department. Confused how to use your chimney, the professional will advise you on the right wood to burn and how to maintain the chimney.

How often should you get the chimney cleaning technician?

The frequency at which you do it depends on how you use the chimney. If you use the fireplace every day, it means that soot builds up fast, and you have to remove it more often to keep your chimney clean and safe. So you have to hire the professional more often.

As a homeowner, you should make the work easy for the cleaning professional. Have a ladder, sweeping hatch, and soot hatch in place before the professional arrives.

Experienced cleaning professionals will clean your chimney within 10-30 minutes, depending on how dirty it is and its design.

What should you consider when hiring the cleaning professional?

For peace of mind, work with an experienced contractor and not someone that will cause more harm to your fireplace. Some of the things you should consider when hiring include:

NFI certification: Before you allow the technician to work on your chimney, ask them whether they are NFI certified. You should note that some chimney cleaning companies are certified, but they send uncertified technicians.

Even if the technician is coming from a reputable company, don’t work with them as you aren’t sure about their experience level. Only work with certified individuals.

Liability insurance: Things can go wrong during chimney cleaning. For example, the cleaning technician can fall and hurt themselves. Some of your household items can get damaged during the cleaning.

A good chimney cleaning technician should be insured. This way, you have peace of mind that in the event of an accident, you won’t be held responsible. It will be the responsibility of the insurance company.

References: Has the technician worked with other people before? For peace of mind, the contractor will do a good job, and you want a professional that has handled several similar projects in the past.

When interviewing the technician, ask them about the clients they have worked with within the past.

When they give you their contacts, don’t be like the other homeowners that simply look at them then put them away. Take time to contact the clients and ask them about their experience with the contractor.

Did they enjoy working with the technician? Would they recommend them?

Of course, you want to work with technicians with armies of satisfied customers raving about their prowess.

Unresolved complaints: Does the technician have any unresolved complaints filed against them? You can ask them about this or get online and see what people are saying.

It’s difficult for any contractor to satisfy every customer they come across, but at the same time, they shouldn’t have too many negative reviews.

Stay away from a contractor with too many unresolved complaints. This is because it means they are incompetent in their work. Hence the chances are that they will take you the same rabbit hole and give you substandard services. You don’t want this, do you?

How to work with a chimney sweep

You should be friendly with the contractor when he/she arrives at your home. If you have a beverage, give it to them.

As mentioned above, work at making their lives easier by getting a ladder and any other tool they might need for their work.

While there are many reputable cleaning professionals, it’s always wise to protect yourself. When a contractor tells you the chimney has excessive damage, ask for visual proof.

Remember, contractors charge by the amount of work your chimney requires. So to avoid paying too much for it, see the evidence to ensure that the technician isn’t exaggerating the extent of damage so that they can rip you off.

Parting shot

Chimney sweeps are necessary for a clean and safe chimney. For you to get the most from them, hire experienced chimney cleaning services Annapolis providers that are insured and dependable.

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

Fireplaces and chimneys are pretty simple devices, on the surface. But in order to run correctly and safely, a lot of pieces are involved. Having regular chimney inspections, chimney repairs and chimney cleaning will keep everything in the best shape possible – but only when these tasks are performed by trained and certified chimney specialists.

Dangers of doing your own chimney work

Fireplace and chimney technicians have spent many years learning all the ins and outs of how these units work and how to make them work when they don’t. When the technician is certified by the National Fireplace Institute and the Chimney Safety Institute of America, his or her scope of knowledge is even wider.

When a novice performs certain types of work on chimneys and fireplace, a lot of problems can result. For example:

Without the proper tools and training, a novice can take a relatively minor problem and turn it into something major.

 

The novice doesn’t understand the significance of various types of chimney and fireplace damage and may overlook a problem that can become a serious safety risk for those living in the home. When a person isn’t specifically trained in chimney service, he or she may spend huge amounts of time trying to fix a problem without actually fixing it at all.

The unskilled novice can easily become injured when attempting chimney repairs, cleaning or inspection. It’s highly unlikely that a person without the right tools and experience will be able to properly clean flammable creosote out of a chimney. There’s also the homeowners insurance element to consider. Few insurance carriers will pay for damage caused by an amateur “handyman” to a chimney or fireplace. Additionally, most carriers won’t cover repair costs done by a non-certified worker.

Why you should hire a pro for chimney cleaning, inspection and repair

Training:  Chimney sweeps and repair technicians who hold national certifications have proven skill and verifiable training in performing chimney and fireplace service.

Equipment:  The right equipment is critical to the success of any job. With chimney cleaning, for example, professionals use a variety of tools including rotating brushes, special scrapers and   scrubbers, solvents and vacuums to do the job right.

Safe repairs:  When performed by professionals, repairs will be done in a way that maintains safety throughout the chimney/fireplace system. Rarely will a certified technician cause any extra   damage.

Pros carry the necessary insurance:  If a chimney tech does happen to damage anything during a repair or cleaning job, he or she will have the necessary insurance to cover the problem. This means you’re fully protected. (Always ask about this before hiring a chimney sweep.)

 

 

Recommendations and advice:  A certified chimney and fireplace technician will be able to offer you sound recommendations and advice, based on what was turned up during an inspection   or repair project. Professionals know what to look for, and they know when something isn’t right. Fluesbrothers Chimney & Fireplace of Kansas City, KS, is here to help with all your chimney cleaning, chimney inspection and chimney repair needs. Our technicians are nationally certified, insured and bonded for your protection. Call us any time of year at (913) 236-7141.

The post Fireplace & Chimney Problems? Talk with Professionals, not Novices appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.

Within your chimney system are a number of protective components whose job it is to allow for efficient operation and keep your home safe. Let’s look at some of these components and see why they’re so important.

The chimney itself (flue)

Without a tall, properly built chimney, there would be no way to channel smoke from your fireplace to the outside air. In this sense, your chimney is functional. But it’s also protective.
The heavy masonry from which the chimney is constructed provides a layer of protection between the intense heat from fires and nearby combustible materials within your home. When chimney masonry is damaged, often by water, it can begin to crumble and crack, leaving adjacent walls and/or ceilings vulnerable.

Chimney liner

At one point in the history of chimneys, somebody got the bright idea that the masonry could hold up longer and better if there was some kind of liner inside the flue. Today, stainless steel, clay tile and poured-in-place chimney liners are found in many chimneys. Liners do add a strong layer of protection, but like the masonry, they can become split or broken over time. If this happens and repairs aren’t made promptly, it’s like not having a liner at all.

Chimney cap

At the top of your chimney, there is a chimney cap. Well, there should be a chimney cap. Not all chimneys have caps, but all of them should, because caps offer powerful protection against rain and snow infiltration. Moisture inside the chimney flue is one of the primary reasons for damage to masonry and other components. Additionally, chimney caps prevent tree debris, small animals and other unwanteds from getting into the flue.

Chimney crown

The cement layer covering the top opening of the chimney is the crown. Chimney crowns add another layer of protection by blocking everything except the flue openings. Crowns are designed to allow water to run off and away from them and away from the exterior masonry beneath them. Cracks and decay in a crown will worsen and leave the flue and bricks vulnerable to serious damage.

Flashing

Roof flashing is the protective material that forms a seal over the gap between your roof and the outside of the chimney. Warped or damaged flashing provides a clear path for rainwater and melting snow to flow down the exterior of the chimney and do damage to not only the masonry but adjacent walls, ceilings, floors and other parts of the home.

Damper

The fireplace damper is located above the firebox and is designed to open fully and close fully. When a fire is burning, it should be open. When the fireplace isn’t being used, it should be closed. Over time, dampers can become rusted or warped to the extent they won’t open all the way or close with a tight seal. A damaged damper can cause problems with exhaust and let cold air flow into your home.
The easiest way to ensure that all your chimney’s protective components are doing their job is with an annual chimney/fireplace inspection by certified technicians. Northeastern Chimney of West Hartford, CT, provides full-service chimney inspection, chimney cleaning and chimney repair by CSIA-certified experts. Make sure your chimney stays safe year-round by calling (860) 233-5770.

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

The question about cold air coming from the fireplace is a question many homeowners have. Fortunately, there are only a few possible causes and several very effective remedies.

Fireplace and chimney basics

The basic structure and operation of a fireplace and chimney is something most homeowners readily understand. There’s a firebox, where fires burn, and a chimney, up which go smoke and combustion gasses. The path for smoke also is a path for air. When a fireplace isn’t in use, cold air from outside can come down the chimney into the home, and warm interior air can escape up through the flue.

Ways to prevent cold air entering your home through your fireplace

Keeping your home warmer in the winter can involve a couple steps. Step one is stopping the cold-air draft.

Fireplace damper:

The damper that sits above the firebox should be able to close fully and make a tight seal. Remembering to keep the damper closed when the fireplace isn’t being used will block the cold air that wants to enter your home.

Over years of use, dampers can become rusted or warped. If you suspect this may be a problem, have your damper inspected by a certified fireplace/chimney inspector.

Chimney plug:

Also known as a chimney balloon, this product fits up in the chimney and is inflated, creating a solid barrier against incoming air. Chimney plugs can be used any time you’re not burning a fire as an extra layer of protection. If you forget about the plug and light a fire, it will deflate on its own to allow smoke to exit up the chimney.

Fireplace doors:

Another way to keep cold air out of your room is to install a set of fireplace doors. Quality fireplace doors will create a strong seal at the mouth of the firebox and prevent air circulation when you’re not using your fireplace. Not only will doors keep your home warmer, they look fantastic, too.

Consider an upgrade with a fireplace insert or ZC fireplace

If you’re using a traditional open masonry fireplace, drafts of cold air are something you’re going to have to deal with, like it or not. However, you can completely eliminate these drafts by adding a powerful new fireplace insert to your existing firebox.

Inserts are built in a factory and run on wood, gas or pellets. They work on a closed-combustion system that produces and retains much larger amounts of heat than a masonry fireplace. They have their own vent pipe, which goes right up the chimney.

Zero-clearance, or ZC fireplaces, also are factory built, but unlike inserts, they’re installed into a new area in a wall within your home. These appliances are powerful heat producers and never allow the cold-air drafts that keep your home chilly.

Wood, gas and pellet ZC fireplaces, like inserts, have heat-efficiency ratings of 80% and higher. Compare that to ratings of 10% or 20% common with traditional masonry fireplaces. This means the majority of the heat the unit produces will be available as heat for the home.

As you can see, cold air entering your home through your fireplace is a problem that can be addressed. High’s Chimney Service of Gaithersburg, MD, can help with inspections, repair and the installation of components, fireplace inserts and ZC fireplaces. Get on the road to more warmth by calling us today at (301) 519-3500.

The post Why Is Cold Air Coming from My Fireplace? appeared first on Highs Chimney.

Kids always seem to be getting into scrapes that result in minor injuries of one kind or another. Usually a small bandage and a little TLC is enough to remedy the problem. Where fireplaces are concerned, however, the injuries can be significant – not something parents ever want to face. Here are some tips for keeping kids (and pets) safe around your fireplace.

“Forewarned is forearmed”

Like that old saying implies, education often is the best preventative. Children of all ages – but especially kids under 5 or 6 years old – need to understand that fireplaces are not toys and they’re not areas where play is appropriate.

Each child is different, and no one knows your child better than you, so educate him or her in a way that the message will get through. A general tactic is to create an invisible hearth-area perimeter of, say, five feet, inside which your child is never allowed to go when a fire is burning.

If you’re consistent in preventing your child from playing too close to the fireplace or playing too wildly in general when the fireplace is in use, he or she will eventually begin to understand what’s expected and naturally follow your directives. Like with everything else when it comes to kids, consistency is the greatest teaching tool.

Fireplace screens

But that doesn’t mean you can rely only on consistency, so it’s important to take certain reasonable safety measures. One of these is a sturdy fireplace screen.

Fireplace screens sit in front of an open firebox and act as a two-way barrier: they help to keep things inside the fireplace (sparks and embers) from popping out into the room, and they help to keep things outside the fireplace (kids and pets) from getting too close to the fire.

Vent-free gas log sets

If your current fireplace is an open, wood-burning unit, consider converting to gas with a nice set of gas logs. Vent-free gas logs are safe and require next to no maintenance. Most importantly, a gas log fire doesn’t create hot embers and doesn’t shoot sparks out of the firebox to cause potential injury.

Another advantage of gas is that the level of the flames is always under your control, and the fire can be extinguished rapidly with a simple switch.

Keep matches safe

If you use a wood fireplace, an excellent safety precaution is to keep the matches you use to get fires started in a place kids can access them. This could be a mantel shelf when younger kids are in the home or in a locked box if there are older (taller) kids. You might even consider keeping the matches in a place completely removed from the hearth area.

No toys near the fireplace

Along with keeping your child physically away from the fireplace, you should find a good system to keep all toys away as well. If toys inadvertently find their way close to the fireplace, kids may automatically gravitate toward them. Make a symbolic “no-fly zone” around your hearth into which kids’ (and pets’) toys are not allowed.

By following these guidelines and customizing them for your own unique situation, you’ll be going a long way toward keeping your children and pets safe around your fireplace.

Fluesbrothers of Kansas City, KS, wants everyone to practice smart fireplace safety. Part of that safety is keeping your chimney free of flammable creosote and ensuring that your chimney, fireplace and all their components are in good working order. Call us at (913) 236-7141 for the best in chimney sweep, chimney inspection and fireplace and chimney repair services.

The post How to Keep Kids & Pets Safe Around Your Fireplace appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.

Annual chimney inspections are important to help keep people safe from various risks involving fireplaces, according to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and all other leading fire prevention experts. Among the threats that can be eliminated as a result of a chimney inspection is a hazardous fire resulting from pyrolysis. Read on to learn what pyrolysis is and different ways it puts a home and its occupants at risk.

What is Pyrolysis?

Organic materials undergo thermochemical decomposition at high temperatures in a process known as “pyrolysis.” When wood and other materials decompose due to pyrolysis, a fire can start with exposure to nothing more than heat and oxygen. In other words, combustible materials located in dangerously close proximity to the heat generated by fires are chemically transformed. Eventually, the materials can be ignited by exposure to temperatures as low as 200º F. 

Wood that has been affected by pyrolysis shows no external signs that the process has occurred. The decomposition of the wood in a home can take years, with the ignition point of the wood being significantly reduced. Then, with no warning, a typical fire in a fireplace or wood stove causes nearby wood to ignite into a quick-burning inferno.

Is Pyrolysis an Immediate or a Distant Threat? 

One of the leading fire protection organizations in the U.S. is the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The NFPA conducted research on the speed at which pyrolysis can occur. During a test, a stack of one-eighth inch thick fiberboards was placed near a wood-burning stove. The stove was used for only four days in a row before the fiberboards began igniting without direct contact with a flame or ember. In that instance, according to thermal imaging, the ignition point was 228°F. Considering that fires commonly heat up to more than 1,000°F, the danger of pyrolysis is apparent.

How Fireplaces, Stoves, and Flues Cause Pyrolysis

There are various ways using a fireplace or stove in your home could cause pyrolysis and heighten the risk of out-of-control house fires, as follows. 

Improper Installation

The installation of heating appliances should always be performed by chimney experts in order for work to be done correctly. If, for instance, wood framing in your home is too close to your chimney flue or wood-burning stove or fireplace, pyrolysis will occur, creating a serious safety hazard. In other words, the appliance is not code-compliant because it is installed too near combustible materials. The affected materials might be wood siding, flooring, the edges of sheathing materials, or wood trim. 

Another example is that a solid fuel heating appliance may be installed directly on a wooden subfloor when a heat-shielding baseplate was required. 

A Damaged Flue or Firebox

Chimney liners and fireboxes, also called inner hearths, are built to withstand extremely high temperatures caused by fires. If either component deteriorates or cracks, the protection of combustible parts of the home is no longer there. If a chimney liner, aka flue, develops a crack and it goes undetected, one of the results is that wood nearby begins to go through the process of pyrolysis. Once the ignition point of the wood is low enough, a fire in the fireplace or stove is enough for the wood to suddenly burst into flames with no warning. Pyrolysis is responsible for many hazardous blazes that destroyed property and caused fatalities.

The chimney sweeps at Northeastern Chimney in West Hartford, CT, are CSIA-certified and have the qualifications for proper installation of fireplaces, stoves, and chimney liners. Schedule a chimney inspection without delay if your chimney hasn’t been inspected for a year or more. Symptoms of pyrolysis aren’t obvious to the naked eye, but chimney experts can recognize the conditions that cause the hazard. Call Northeastern Chimney at (860) 233-5770 today.

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

It seems like it’s the never-ending Fall clean-up. Before
it snowed this past weekend, leaves had blown back onto the grass from the
winds. It’s best to keep them off the lawn as leaves rot the grass. Then the
snow came with high winds…again. Now there’s various sized branches all over
the yard and driveway. Now I’m out there again…and a few of the neighbors too.

As we finished our snowy yardwork, a couple of the
neighbors called me over. Issues with their fireplace. Wind and snow, or wind
and rain are great combinations for uncovering leaks. With the threat of more
snow coming this weekend, the leak(s) need to be found.

There are 2 Key Reasons Why Chimney’s Leak in the Winter.

1. Chimney
   Liner – Do you know if you have a chimney lining? If not, or if
   you are not sure, get your chimney
   inspected right away. If you do have a chimney liner, it may be the
   wrong size or it’s just seen better days. It’s best to have that inspected and
   taken care of.
2. Chimney Flashing –
   Water can sit in the flashing…then freeze…then thaw…then freeze again with the
   melted water making its way under the roof shingles and right into your home.
   Leaks are tricky, as they can show up in a bedroom a good distance away from
   the exterior chimney. Sometimes you find out too late, especially when a
   section of the wall paint begins to peel.

There are a few other reasons for chimney leaks that we’ll
also take a look at. For instance, is there a chimney cap or
did it blow away with the high winds? Has the masonry or mortar
between the bricks deteriorate? Or is there a crack in the chimney crown?

Now that you know why a chimney leak happens, let’s review
how you can identify a leak in your chimney and fireplace. Here are 4 most
frequently identified signs to look for inside of your home.

1. You
   can hear the sound of dripping water in the fireplace
2. Better
   yet, you can visibly see a pool of standing water in the fireplace
3. Water
   stains next to the chimney, near the chimney on the walls
4. Musty
   smell when you go in the room or near the fireplace, especially after it rains
   or snows

Let’s face it. It is not fun having issues in winter. It’s
better to begin to visit it now and take care of what you can before springs
storms come. Give Superior Chimney a call at 877-244-6349. Let’s start getting you taken care of today.

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

Winter is only halfway through, and already we’ve been having record rainy weather in the Southeast. As if the conditions on the road and your soggy yard aren’t bad enough, have you been thinking about the potential damage being done to your chimney?

Cycles of thawing and freezing, which we’ve been experiencing a lot of thanks to 65-degree days followed by 30-degree mornings, increase the moisture content in mortar and bricks, which can spell doom for your chimney in the long run. Moisture makes chimneys expand and contract, which means, yep, cracks and crumbling. Leaks in a chimney can permeate the brick and lead to disasters like: 

• Clogging of the fireplace
• Deterioration of masonry and metal firebox
• Stained walls in your home
• Rusting of damper
• Damage to central heating and air
• Stained exterior of chimney
• Crumbling, collapsing of chimney
• That funky creosote smell

You’re already getting your chimney inspected annually, right? If not, you need to do so and work with Southern Chimneys to ensure your chimney isn’t unsafe for you and your family. You can save money and prevent all of the above horrors by taking steps like installing a chimney cap or waterproofing. Contact Southern Chimneys now and we will go over your options and get you ready for a full inspection so you can stay dry and warm this wet winter. 

 

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