Now, you might be thinking, “How does one not know how to start a fire in their fireplace?” Well, it may seem easy to start a fire, but it’s a challenge to build it and light it, so it burns efficiently and doesn’t constantly need relighting. It turns out there’s a proper way to start a fire, and in this post, we’ll show you how to do it.

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Remove the Ashes

The first step to building a roaring fire is to clean out any leftover ashes from the firebox from your previous fire to make it easier to stack your wood. To clean out the ash, remove any large chunks with a broom and shovel, then vacuum the smaller debris. Also ensure you have had your annual chimney sweeping and inspection!

Use the Right Firewood

Many people don’t realize that the kind of wood you use affects how hot and efficient your fire burns, but choosing the proper firewood is essential to building a healthy fire.

If you’re using a wood-burning fireplace, the best wood is seasoned firewood. Seasoned firewood is wood thoroughly dried for approximately six months to a year. Seasoned firewood is the ideal choice for several reasons:

• It’s easier to light
• It produces less smoke, which means less creosote buildup
• It burns more evenly and thoroughly
• It gives you a hotter fire

Seasoned firewood indeed costs more upfront, but because it burns longer, you end up using less, which can save you money through the fireplace season. Some fireplace experts also recommend kiln-dried firewood, which is also a good choice if you don’t have time to dry firewood the traditional way.

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Check Your Fireplace’s Damper

The fireplace or chimney damper is a metal device that opens and closes to regulate airflow through the chimney. When open, the damper allows smoke and toxic gases to flow from the fireplace up the chimney and out of the house. When it’s closed, it prevents outside air from getting into the house. If your damper won’t completely open or close, your fire won’t receive enough oxygen, causing it to burn inefficiently.

Furthermore, if the damper won’t fully open, you could end up with more smoke and harmful fumes in your home, so before you build a fire, check the damper and ensure it’s in good working order.

Prime Your Flue

Another step many forget or don’t know about is priming the flue. If you’ve seen smoke fill your room soon after lighting a fire, it means the ignition wasn’t complete —either the fire didn’t get enough energy or oxygen to achieve good combustion. When your fireplace and chimney sit idle during cold weather, the flue becomes filled with cold air. So, because cold air is heavier than hot air when you first light your fire, the smoke can’t escape up the chimney. To prime the flue, roll up a few newspapers or other materials for a makeshift torch, light one end, and hold it up the flue until you see the smoke traveling up. When the smoke goes up the chimney, you know you’re good to go to light your fire.

Add Kindling

Yes, you can start a fire without kindling, but we’re telling you how to build the best fire, so this is a must. Kindling is dry wood, typically cut in thin strips about a foot long. The reason kindling is a must is because of how easily it catches fire and holds the flame long enough to ignite the logs on top. Like your logs, it’s best to use seasoned wood for your kindling.

Build Your Log Base

Many people chuck the logs into the firebox and hope for the best. However, there’s an art to stacking your logs to get the most efficient and hot burning fire you crave. To start, put big logs on the bottom, keeping them as close together as possible.

Next, start stacking your smaller logs on top. Continue building like this until you have enough to keep you warm.

Start Your Fire

Now that you’ve done the work, it’s time to start your fire, kick back, and relax. While this may seem like a lot of steps, it doesn’t take much time, and you’ll be thankful that you put in the effort when you see and hear that beautiful roaring fire.

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The post How To Start A Fire In Your Fireplace appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.

Now the leaves have turned, and the temperature is trending downward, many homeowners anticipate building their first warm, cozy fire of the season. However, before that, there are things you should do to ensure your fireplace is ready to serve you safely and efficiently. Here are our top tips on preparing your fireplace for winter.

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Clear Away Clutter

It’s normal for your home to get cluttered during summer, especially around the fireplace. People are naturally more relaxed during summer and often fail to keep up with tidiness. So, Before you light the first fire of the year, take an hour or so and clean the area around the fireplace to remove fire and safety hazards, like children’s and pet toys, furniture, newspapers, magazines, and area rugs.

Check the Smoke Alarm & Carbon Monoxide Detector Batteries

Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are crucial to your family’s safety, but more so during winter, when you regularly use your fireplace. Statistics show that most alarm failures occur because of dead batteries. Before using your fireplace, check the detector’s batteries and test them. Experts recommend replacing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors every ten years because the sensors wear out. Most alarms have labels telling you when they were made, so you know when to replace them.

Clean the Hearth

When you’re finished using your fireplace for winter, it’s normal for there to be mounds of ash and residue in the hearth. If this is the case with your fireplace, take the time now to clean it thoroughly using a shovel and scoop to remove the remaining wood chips and then vacuum the ash. A clean hearth provides better airflow and combustion for a more efficient fire and reduces odors.

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Inspect the Fireplace Gasket

If you have a gas fireplace, now’s the time to inspect the gasket material surrounding the door. The gasket keeps smoke and gas from spilling into the room and prevents excess oxygen.

Check Your Chimney Cap

A chimney cap is a protective covering that covers your chimney, typically made from steel or copper mesh. The cap prevents water, debris, and critters from getting into the flue, causing blockages and wreaking havoc. Because your chimney cap is exposed to the weather 24/7, it can wear out.

Inspect the Damper

Your chimney damper is a metal piece that regulates airflow through the chimney. Most dampers open and close via a rod, chain, or rotary control. Because it’s a mechanical part, it’s prone to wearing out and corroding. Make sure it opens and closes easily but remains firm once set.

Trim Trees

If you have large trees in the backyard, it’s a good idea to trim them back before winter sets in. Tree branches that hang over the roof and chimney provide squirrels, mice, and other pests easy access to the roof and chimney. Plus, falling tree limbs from heavy storms, snow, or ice can damage the roof. Finally, tree branches can be a fire hazard if they hang over the chimney too far.

Schedule an Inspection

Call a certified chimney sweep and fireplace contractor to inspect and clean your fireplace and chimney. Certified chimney sweeps look for creosote buildup, a major contributor to chimney fires, and check the masonry materials for cracks, water damage, and other issues.

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The post Top Tips To Prepare Your Fireplace For Winter appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.

There are different warning signs that indicate you have a broken chimney crown that should be repaired. When you complete these repairs as soon as possible, you will save thousands of dollars and an entire chimney rebuild as well.

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The chimney crown that is located at the top of your chimney is an essential component of your chimney’s overall system. Your chimney crown is a concrete roof that is like an umbrella, which keeps your entire masonry and chimney brick free from any water damage, nests, debris, and other intrusions. Even if you do not see it, the chimney crown saves you from having to pay for an expensive chimney repair so you should know the early signs:

Degrading Chimney

When the actual chunks of bricks or chimneys comprising the chimney are falling, you have severe crown damage, just like the damage to your home. You might have to hire professional crown repair or chimney rebuilding.

If you notice this happening, you should have your chimney crown fixed right away. Your home should be kept in good shape by hiring trained professionals for repairing the chimney crown.

Efflorescence

Are there white stains on the chimney? That is called efflorescence. Salt crystallizations are observed frequently on concrete, natural stone, and brick surfaces. If this is the case, it is normally a sign of a moisture issue. It is typical to have a small amount of it, but if it becomes excessive, it will raise flags. Most of the time, efflorescence is caused by loose flashing or faulty flue liner, which hastens mortar and brick deterioration. That is why you need a chimney technician to install a liner or flue or repair the flashing to prevent water from going into the chimney.

Masonry Debris

The debris coming from the deteriorating crown might tumble down the chimney and collect on the firebox or hearth. While the crown deteriorates what the mortar is comprised of, the chips from collateral damage to top courses of flue tiles and bricks lead to mortar and brick debris falling down your chimney. This all gets collected in the chimney firebox.

Mortar Joint Damage

Mortar joint damage might weaken after some time because of ice, water, and seasonal expansion. The masonry gets exposed to moisture when the mortar starts to deteriorate, which causes more harm. Aside from that, the chimney can break down and collapse eventually if you leave it unattended. You might require a specialist to have the joints and mortar repaired.

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Spall Chip Damages

The chimney bricks can start to show moisture damage signs. While the crown deteriorates, moisture will find its way into the mortar and then into brick tiers beneath the crown. Thaw and freeze cycles cause bricks and moisture to expand, which causes spalling. A small chip breaks off the brick’s face and leading to more deterioration.

Damaged Interior Walls

You must take a closer look at the walls close to the chimney in your home. You should closely check the wallpaper, paint, or any other finishing material there is. Can you see any moisture damage, like fraying or discolored blotches? There could be moisture that seeps in through the chimney crown.

Water Pooling

It is not pleasant if you see that there is a stack of chimney tiles in the fireplace. Broken flue lining is normally an indication of a fallen tile, which is caused by water damage or poor construction methods. This will only worsen if left untreated. Cracks will allow moisture to enter and might even cause a chimney fire.

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

A blocked chimney can happen to any household whether they have a fireplace or not. So those of you that say that this doesn’t pertain to me…well, it does. A blocked chimney pertains to everyone who has a chimney in their home, which is just about everyone that has a water heater and a furnace. Why is this important?

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What is a Blocked Chimney?

A blocked chimney, also known as an obstructed chimney can be difficult to diagnose on your own. A blocked chimney can be caused by nesting, debris and animals, but many don’t realize that snow can be a contributor to a blocked chimney. As we go into the winter season, and we’ve already had an accumulation of snow, we need to be aware that snow/ice-over is just as critical to clear as the other debris.

The Use of a Chimney

Most furnaces, water heaters and boilers vent through a chimney. The reason for venting through the chimney is to allow for flue gasses and exhaust to escape the home so your family, friends and pets don’t breathe in the gasses. When a blocked chimney occurs, it will not properly function. Things like bird nests, leaves, twigs, debris are the most common ways the chimney can be blocked. But it’s not the only things that can cause a blocked chimney. Pieces of the brick or stone from the chimney along with soot are also contributors to a blocked chimney. It’s important to have your chimney checked regularly to ensure the integrity of your chimney.

It’s best to call a certified chimney technician of Superior Chimney to inspect and sweep the chimney.

Signs of a Blocked Chimney

It’s always best to have a professional check the chimney, however, here are a few ways to tell if something is going on.

• Lack of heat
• Your heat is smelly
• The hot water is not so hot
• Your carbon monoxide detector is ringing
• Lots of condensate surrounding the chimney (can mimic a water leak)

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Blocked Chimney Repair

Clearing a blocked chimney is no easy task. It’s best to leave it to the certified technician so nothing gets missed or broken as a result. To prevent a blocked chimney from happening again, please be sure to schedule a yearly sweep and inspection on your chimney so you can ensure byproducts are cleared from your home. Annual inspections will also identify any problems that are developing so they can be fixed before they become dangerous or a larger, costlier, issue.

Installing a chimney cap or replacing a chimney cap that fits snug on the top of your chimney is critical. It will stop debris from coming into the chimney. Give us a call today so we can be sure your winter season is a safe and happy one.

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

Cold draft in the fireplace is a signal that something is wrong with the flow of air through the chimney and fireplace. Traditional fireplaces have an open firebox intended to allow air to go up the chimney – This is the natural draft created by the design of a traditional fireplace. How does a cold draft in a fireplace start?

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What is a Cold Draft in Fireplace?

Cold draft in fireplace is the intermittent times when the fire in the fireplace is out. When the fire has stopped burning and before you light a new one, it is the perfect opportunity for the cold air to come into the home. One solution to help control the flow of cold air is with a chimney damper.

Visiting a Family When the Cold Draft Hits

Here’s a perfect example of a cold draft coming from the fireplace. We were visiting friends over the weekend walking from the family room to the kitchen enjoying food, drink and good company. I noticed our friend’s elderly parent sitting in the family room wrapped up in a blanket watching football. (Yes, she wanted to watch it.) I asked if there was anything I could do to help her feel warmer and she said, “Yes, stop that cold breeze.” I looked around, noticed there were no windows or doors open, nor was anyone walking in or out of the home. I crossed over to the fireplace and there it was. A very cold breeze coming in from the fireplace. I wondered how often she sat there freezing on the couch.

Chimney Damper

Especially in the cold times of the Fall, Winter and Spring seasons, a chimney damper can be of great help. As the CSIA says, the chimney damper is “one of the most misunderstood features of the fireplace.” Easily said, the chimney damper is what seals the fireplace when it is not in use. It’s those in between times when the fireplace is not in use.

Superior Chimney recommends an all-in-one fireplace damper and chimney cap. It is far better than multiple products like a fireplace balloon, fireplace plugs or whatever else is being sold in the market.

We recommend the all-in-one chimney damper as this product is a perfect way to help seal in the heat in the winter, while keeping the cool air inside during the summer. Of course, as all chimney caps, it will keep out animals, bird, inspects as well as all of the weather elements such as our recent snow.

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What About Gas Fireplaces…

If you have a woodburing fireplace, gas fireplace or something in between, getting a chimney damper is still necessary to keep the cold draft in fireplace from entering the home. Remember, cold air falls while warm air rises. Same concept for the chimney. So, we need to help control the cold air, warm air exchange. That’s the beauty of the chimney damper.

Chimney dampers are easy to use as there is a cable that reaches down into your fireplace. All you need to do is pull down to close, or release to open. This allows the flow of air to to be controlled.

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

As we enter the holiday season, we want to express our gratitude for you and wish you a blessed Thanksgiving and an abundance of great health and joy.

Talk about crazy new England weather! Do we put a fan or the heat on? The way it’s been we could do both in any given day. However, we all know it is Mid November and the temperature will drop, and we will have winter.

With energy prices expected to skyrocket this winter, local fire officials are urging home heating safety for residents who plan to use fireplaces, wood stoves and other solid fuel heating appliances at home.

Massachusetts fire officials issued a home heating safety reminder after recent reports showing a major jump in oil, natural gas and electricity prices during this winter heating season.

We expect that more people will use their fireplace, wood stove or other solid fuel to heat their homes this winter.

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Here are your best defenses against the rising costs:

Make Sure You Have a Working Damper

A damper is a lever or pulley activated door within your chimney and must remain open while the fireplace is in use.  There are conventional throat dampers that sit right above the firebox or a top sealing damper. Top sealing dampers mount on top of the chimney and seals with a rubber gasket. There is a cable that runs down the flue attaching in the firebox for access. Top sealing dampers are favored because they can save you money on heating and air conditioning costs and help prevent debris from entering.

Proper Venting for Your Heating System

When it comes to chimneys, it’s not “one size fits all” concerning venting your heat or hot water. Most homeowners upgrade their heating equipment for the promise of savings on the fuel costs, but the savings aren’t always there if you’re plugged into an outdated structure.   Whether you’re heating and hot water equipment is months old or years old, retrofitting your venting system is a long term cost-saving decision.

Install a Wood Stove

The design and technology that goes into creating modern wood burning stoves is quite a bit different from that which was found in the stoves of yesterday.

Today’s wood stoves are excellent heat sources as well as being quite nice to look at. The biggest advantage homeowners have with a wood burning stove is the quality of heat the unit gives off. Woods stoves operate on the principal of radiant heat, which warms an area faster and more efficiently than warm air being blown through a home’s vent system. The powerful heat from a wood stove radiates from all sides of the unit as well as the top, sending warmth in all directions.  Want to heat an even bigger area?  Add a blower for even more circulation.

Have the Fireplace Lining Checked

A chimney liner is, in fact, a lining that goes in the flue of the chimney. The flue is a tunnel or passageway located within the chimney structure.  A flue lining is made of clay, ceramic, or metal conduit and is intended to contain the burning products and direct them to the outside atmosphere while protecting the chimney walls from heat and corrosion (similar to an exhaust for a car).  Making sure that your flue lining is intact will improve efficiency within the system.

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Get A Gas Insert

Gas fireplaces are making a major comeback. Let’s consider a fire that needs no tending, requires minimal cleanup, and provides heat for your home. That’s what you get with today’s gas fireplaces. Modern versions are very realistic. They have glowing red embers and tall orange-yellow flames that dance and flicker around ceramic-fiber logs molded from the real thing. Gas inserts are very efficient and quickly contribute added warmth to any space.

The post Rising Fuel Costs – What Are Your Best Defenses? appeared first on Boston’s Best Chimney.

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It is widely known that gas fireplaces are more efficient than traditional fireplaces. Many people buy homes that already have traditional fireplaces, however, or opt for traditional fireplaces because of their beautiful, classic look. The good news is that all types of fireplaces add value to your home and that there are several ways to make traditional fireplaces more efficient. 

Today, we’ll share our pointers on how to make traditional fireplaces more efficient, so that you can enjoy your home’s fireplace without worrying about it wasting your home’s energy. 

 We offer chimney sweeps, chimney inspections and much more. 

Now, we’ll dive into our traditional fireplace efficiency tips. 

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How to Make Traditional Fireplaces More Efficient

Here are some ways that you can ensure that your fireplace is not wasting energy. 

Know When to Close Your Damper

You need to open your chimney damper in order to start a fire. This is an important safety measure that facilitates proper airflow and lets smoke out of your house. When the fire is completely out (with no more embers burning), however, it is best to close the damper to prevent warm air from escaping your home. 

We also recommend having a top sealing damper installed, rather than a conventional damper. Top sealing dampers seal tightly, keeping cold air out during the winter and warm air out during the summer, thus saving you energy. 

Burn the Right Types of Wood

Choosing the correct type of wood to burn will produce more heat and less creosote (a tar-like chemical build-up that needs to be removed from all active chimneys regularly). 

Some woods that we recommend include oak, maple, and birch. All of these are hard woods that burn slowly. Check out our blog about the best woods for firewood for more information! 

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Start Your Fire Correctly

Doing this will create a better, safer fire and prevent energy loss. Here are the steps to starting a fire:

1. Open the damper all of the way so that smoke does not enter your home. 
2. Stuff crumpled newspaper below the grate.
3. Stack your wood in two rows in a criss cross pattern. 
4. Add kindling on top of the stack. 
5. Prime the chimney flue. Light a newspaper and hold it above the damper to do so. This will prevent cold air from flowing down into your house because of negative pressure, saving you energy. 
6. After the draft is reversed, you can light the newspaper to begin the fire. 

The post How to Make Traditional Fireplaces More Efficient appeared first on Boston’s Best Chimney.

With winter coming up, now’s the time to prepare your home for upcoming snowstorms. Chimneys can be susceptible to damage from snow and ice during the colder months, and it’s important to prepare to make sure you can relax by the fire all season long. Here’s how to keep snow out of your chimney and protect it during the winter months.

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Keeping Snow Out Of Your Chimney

During particularly heavy snowstorms, snow can fall from your roof directly into your chimney. This is because your chimney needs to remain open in order to let smoke out. Snow falling into your chimney will make it very difficult to use your fireplace, and it can also cause water damage.

The best way to keep snow out of your chimney is to install a chimney cap. A chimney cap is a small covering made of metal mesh that sits on top of your chimney. It lets smoke and air out, but the mesh is small enough to prevent snow from getting inside.

Keep Animals and other Debris Out

Chimney caps are also very helpful for keeping debris and even animals from making their way into your fireplace. If you want to light a fire on a particularly cold, snowy day, you’ll need to make sure to prime the flue first. To do this, light the end of a rolled-up newspaper or magazine and hold it just above the flue. The warm air will eventually force the air to rise properly.

If you don’t prime the flue, the air and smoke from your fire won’t rise and the flame won’t stay lit.

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Preparing Your Chimney For Winter

It’s very important to make sure your chimney is prepared for winter to avoid water damage. When snow and ice build up on your roof and in your chimney, the moisture will eventually make its way in between the bricks and mortar of your chimney. The water will then contract and expand as it freezes and melts, causing the bricks and mortar to shift over time. Additionally, if snow and ice don’t drain properly, the excess weight can cause damage to your roof.

Before it starts snowing, have your chimney and fireplace professionally inspected. A professional chimney sweep can identify potential problems with your chimney and instruct you on ways to use your chimney safely during winter. Ideally, your inspection should happen earlier in the year to allow time for repairs if necessary.

However, having your chimney inspected at any time of year is better than skipping it. It’s particularly important to make sure you have flashing on your roof. Flashing is made from thin sheets of metal and creates a seal between your roof and your chimney to prevent water from leaking inside.

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

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Fireplaces are designed to provide beauty and warmth. You will expect that there are no smelly odors in your home from the fireplace. You will really encounter bad smells, but for a couple of reasons. The majority of issues that cause an odor to emit from the fireplace can be resolved if you hire chimney cleaning services to inspect and repair your chimney.

When you have chimneys, you will realize that the small issues can be a sign of something serious that is already brewing that can lead to future repercussions. Therefore, if there are unusual scents that come from your fireplace, you must help them discover the main cause of the issue before selling it on the market.

Buildup of Creosote

During the yearly chimney inspection, the excess buildup of creosote is removed, which allows proper airflow. However, if you regularly use your fireplace, then the buildup of creosote becomes quicker compared to homes where the fireplaces are occasionally used. This extra layer can fill your home with bad barbeque or asphalt. Even if a layer of creosote and soot is natural when your fireplace is working, keeping your chimney clean helps reduce the possibility of having this odor that is wafting in your home.

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Nesting Animals

When the cold weather is coming, animals look for shelter in any way they are able to. Most of the time, this leads to them visiting your chimneys for warmth. The unfortunate thing is that some pungent scents will start to spread through surrounding areas because of that. When it comes to moisture, a chimney cap prevents any animals from visiting your chimney.

Moisture

If there is water inside your chimney, it causes a musty and unpleasant odor. You can eliminate moisture in the chimney by installing a chimney cap. Without a cap, rainwater will get inside the chimney. Aside from causing odor, moisture causes the damper to become rusty and fail to properly open. When it mixes with creosote, moisture damages the flue lining, which results in the need for expensive but unnecessary repairs.

Accumulation of Debris

You might not be thinking that leaves and twigs go into the chimney and they cause unpleasant smells, but this is a common issue. When the outdoor debris becomes trapped in the chimney, it will begin to decompose over time leaving behind a rotting and unpleasant scent. This is another reason to fit chimneys using a cap.

Negative Air Pressure

Even if you have an installed chimney cap, a clean fireplace, and a chimney, you will still smell unpleasant odors if your home has a negative pressure inside. This normally happens in newer homes that are sealed tightly. How will negative air pressure cause bad odors to come inside your house?

There are a lot of pathways that allow air to go inside your home. It can be doors, dryers, windows, dryer exhaust vents, stove range, and roof ventilation, but the most prominent is the chimney. Air is always moving. It will go out of your house through some of the pathways and it is replaced by air that enters through the pathway with little resistance, which is normally the chimney.

Water

If you can smell a musty odor that comes from your fireplace, it could mean that water entered your chimney.

Water causes bad odors, but it can also cause the damper to rust, and damage the flue lining that generates repairs.

A chimney cap will stop the water from going inside your chimney.

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The post Causes of Chimney Odors first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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

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Most chimney owners know that inspections are essential to keeping your chimney in safe, working order. Many get confused when it comes to the different levels of inspections, however. We frequently receive calls from people asking questions such as, “What is a level 2 chimney inspection” and “What are the different types of chimney inspections?” Chimney owners can opt for level I, II, or III chimney inspections. Today, we’ll dive into the details of level 2 inspections, discussing what they include and when they are needed. 

Some of the residential and commercial chimney services we provide include chimney inspections, chimney sweeps, chimney repairs, chimney masonry work, chimney installations, commercial chimneys, and more. 

Now, we’ll go into the details of level 2 chimney inspections. 

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What Is a Level 2 Chimney Inspection?

In a level 2 inspection, a chimney company will inspect all accessible areas of the chimney from the inside and outside, including attics, basements, and crawl spaces. In addition, they will check all accessible appliances connecting to the chimney. This is commonly done by video scanning the internal venting system. 

The inspection process is as follows:

1. Examine the chimney and venting systems from every access point
2. Climb onto the roof to check for any damage that might not be visible from the ground (as long as weather, roof pitch, or chimney height conditions do not make this impossible)
3. Inspect all accessible areas such as basements, crawl spaces, and attics 
4. Inspect the interior of the chimney using a camera

When Is a Level 2 Chimney Inspection Needed?

If you are buying or selling your home, a level 2 inspection is required and must be performed in compliance with the National Fire Protection Association standards. If this is you, be sure to check out the Chimney Safety Institute of America’s video about getting a chimney inspected in a hot real estate market! 

Level 2 inspections are also used when you are adding or removing connected appliances, replacing appliances with ones that have a different input rating or efficiency rating, or have just experienced damage due to a malfunction or external event. 

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Other Frequently Asked Chimney Inspection Questions

Some other chimney inspection questions that we often receive include the following:

How do you know If your chimney needs to be inspected?

You should have your chimney inspected annually if you are buying or selling your home or if you are having chimney issues. Click here to learn more.

What’s involved in a chimney inspection?

As we mentioned, there are three different levels of inspections: 

• Level I inspections are completed before a chimney flue is swept or when a chimney vent appliance is replaced. These mostly involve visual inspections.
• Level III inspections are only needed in certain circumstances. When performing a level III inspection, a chimney company will remove parts of the chimney as needed. All aspects of level I and II inspections must be completed before level III inspections can be performed. 

Read our blog for more details. 

How often do you need a chimney inspection?

If you have not had your chimney inspected in the past year, you should have it inspected. Also, if your chimney is having performance issues, if you are buying or selling your home, or if you suspect that something is wrong with your chimney, it’s time to book an inspection. Learn more about chimney inspection timelines.

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The post What is a Level 2 Chimney Inspection? appeared first on Boston’s Best Chimney.