Common Chimney Problems in Aging & Historic Homes

Old homes that reflect the architecture and charm of designs from the past have tremendous appeal, but it is critical to address issues that come with an old chimney. In aging and historic homes, chimney problems are inevitable. Read on to learn some of the most common problems associated with the chimneys in old and historic homes.

Dangers of Having No Chimney Liner

Since at least the 1940s, the
absence of a liner in a chimney has been recognized as an imminent danger. Fire safety experts continue to share a quote from that time period in which it was said that not having a chimney liner is hazardous at a near-criminal level.

Chimney liners became mandatory in the U.S. in the 1950s. Historic homes from the 1940s and earlier were usually built with no chimney liner. The following are the primary dangers associated with using a chimney that doesn’t have the protection of a flue liner.

The Threat of a House Fire Due to Pyrolysis

Protecting combustible parts of the home is one of the essential functions of a chimney liner. When a fireplace is used without a flue liner or with a damaged liner, the exposed combustion materials go through a gradual process known as pyrolysis. As a result of pyrolysis, the structures are altered so that they combust at a much lower temperature. With no warning, a house fire will ignite and spread rapidly throughout the home.

Exposure to Carbon Monoxide

Chimney liners also keep the toxic combustion gases from fires contained in the chimney until they escape to the outdoors. Those same gases enter the home in the absence of a flue liner. Carbon monoxide is one of the byproducts of fires. Carbon Monoxide is known as a silent killer because it is odorless, tasteless, invisible, and symptomless and escape from the deadly fumes is often impossible.

Highly Combustible Creosote

Wood fires produce creosote, a highly flammable tar-like substance that is deposited into a chimney every time a fire is lit. If a burning ember floats up the chimney, it can cause the creosote to ignite. Chimney fires are always dangerous but especially when a chimney is not lined because virtually any chimney fire could easily spread throughout the home.

Masonry Damage

Bricks are durable, lasting a century or more if undamaged. Mortar, on the other hand, lasts only about 25 years at best. The mortar should be replaced whenever it begins to deteriorate because one of its primary functions is to protect the masonry system from moisture. If moisture intrusion occurs, winter cycles of freezing and thawing create movement in the bricks that break them down. A chimney will begin to lean and could even collapse when this occurs, though moisture can get in through other avenues besides damaged mortar as well.

Spalling is evidence of masonry damage. Spalling is when the brick face flakes and pops off, and piles of debris around the chimney or the ground below provide evidence that the destructive process is occurring.

Settling

Normal settling of a house doesn’t necessarily cause foundation damage. With older homes, there is a greater chance of damage caused by a shifting foundation. Cracked masonry is one of the symptoms of settling, and it is also one of the reasons to call a chimney sweep specialist to provide masonry repair.

Contact Northeastern Chimney Today

Connecticut has four centuries of homes, and the CSIA-certified chimney sweeps at Northeastern Chimney have the skill and experience to provide top-quality chimney services for old and historic homes. Schedule a chimney inspection, chimney liner installation, chimney cleaning, and all other chimney services by calling 860-233-5770 today.

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

How can we have both?

Here we are in March.  We have been using our chimney and fireplace for months, and we still have a month or two of use ahead of us.  While we are amid high usage, it is imperative to keep in mind that our warm, cozy fireplaces must be kept clean and safe. Please find our top tips for maintaining safety.

• Fireplaces should not be used for heating purposes. Use a fireplace for a short-duration fire — no longer than five hours.
• Keep the glass open to allow air to be drawn in to fuel the fire, but keep the screen closed to prevent sparks from jumping onto the flooring.
• Never leave a fire unattended when children are in the house. Adults, even if near, should not allow children to play near or with fire tools and equipment.
• Open a window if your fireplace becomes smoky. The air coming in from the window will go up the chimney.
• Before making a fire, open the glass doors, pull aside the screen curtains, and place the kindling, newspaper, and logs inside. Next, open the damper to access the flue. You can check to make sure the smoke will go up the chimney properly by rolling up newspaper, lighting the end on fire  and holding in the damper frame area.   Watch to see if the smoke goes up and out.  You can also hold here for a few minutes to create an updraft before lighting.  It’s called warming (or priming) the flue.
• If you do not have a hearth extension, keep a nonflammable rug or hearth pad (available at fireplace-supply stores) in front of the fireplace so that sparks will not melt or otherwise damage your floors.
• Use a chimney cap to prevent water damage, keep animals from nesting, and keep debris from blocking the chimney and causing carbon monoxide to flow into the house.
• Glass doors may develop tough stains from flames and heat. To clean them with common household items, make sure the glass doors are cool, then scrape off any thick gunk deposits with a razor blade. Add a squirt of liquid dishwashing detergent or a cup of vinegar to a gallon of warm water. Spray or sponge the cleaner on, and then wipe it away with newspaper.
• Fireplace coals can remain hot enough to start a fire for up to three days, so always wait at least that long before removing the ashes. At that point, close the damper to prevent cold air in the flue from stirring up excess dust while you are removing the ashes. Be sure to wear a dust mask and open a window in the same room as the fireplace to prevent negative air pressure. Use a shovel to scoop the ashes into a metal container. Store the container far from combustible materials and surfaces, and wood floors.
• Clean the firebox (the area where the logs burn) at least once a week during the months you use it when ash builds up, but it is wise to leave about an inch of ash because it acts as insulation, allowing the coals to heat faster and retain the heat easier. Keep the firebox completely clean during the months when the fireplace is not in use.
• To clean an exterior slate hearth, wash, dry, and coat it with olive or lemon oil every six weeks to make it shine. For cleaning exterior brick hearths, you can find concentrated brick cleaner at a fireplace shop or hardware store.

Have a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean the chimney regularly.  Ask us about operation and how you can check it yourself in between servicing, too. The chimney should be professionally inspected at least once a year or after about 80 fires. Feel free to call Boston Best at 1- 781 -996- 5400 or even schedule your appointment here!

The post Fireplace Warmth and Safety appeared first on Boston's Best Chimney.

To avoid fire and maintain your chimney in great shape you should regularly clean it. While the process is easy and straight forward, many homeowners tend to make a number of chimney cleaning mistakes. Here are some of the most common:

If you can’t see it, it’s fine

If creosote levels aren’t too high, you most likely won’t notice it. While this is the case, it doesn’t mean that the creosote levels aren’t dangerous to you and your family. Remember that even a small creosote coating has the potential of causing fire.

To avoid the danger that comes with it, you should hire a professional chimney contractor who will inspect the chimney and determine whether it should be cleaned. The cool thing with working with the contractor is that the professional will also sweep and repair the chimney if it’s in a dreadful state.

Going for the cheaper option

People are attracted to cheaper products and services. There are many chimney cleaning professionals who take advantage of this and distribute flyers advertising their cheap services. While there are many homeowners who are caught in the trap of cheap chimney services, you shouldn’t.

Remember that you get what you pay for; therefore, if you pay cheap, you will get cheap service. A common feature is the inability of the cheap contractor to properly inspect, clean and repair the chimney thus putting you at the danger of fire and chimney collapse. Most of the cheap chimney cleaning professionals don’t offer insured services; therefore, when something goes wrong, you are left on your own.

Before you enter into an agreement with the cheap professional you should ask yourself whether money is more important that your life and that of the people that you love.

Ignoring the contractor credentials

Studies have shown that many homeowners don’t check the credentials of the contractors that they hire. This means that the chimney repair professionals can easily lie to the homeowners and get away with it.

To be on the safe side you should be strict when hiring. As rule of thumb you should ask the professional to give you all the documents that prove that he/she is certified, insured and allowed to work in the area. To know how the contractor handles his/her work you should ask him/her to give you a list of the homeowners that he/she has worked with.

To protect your property, your life and that of your loved ones you should never work with a chimney professional who doesn’t have the necessary credentials.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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

Did you even wonder which chimney articles were fan favorites? Okay, I was wondering what everyone thought. I reviewed articles from the past few years and here’s the most popular. Everyone loves a bit of humor. We had plenty of those. Take a look at the Top 7.

1. The One that Got Away…with Encouragement Plenty of chuckles on this article. How often can you get a picture of a critter in mid-flight?

2. Crates as a Chimney Cap? Love the creativity of homeowners.

3. Have You Ever Experienced Rain in 4D?

4. The Simple Science of Lint Balls & the Dryer Vent Our technician has been a real trouper as we reused this lovely picture of him a couple of times.

5. Chimney Sweep for the Non-Chimney User

6. If the Musty Smell Isn’t Socks…What Is It?

7. A Chimney Holiday – For and From the Kids – The Holiday Favorite.

Now that we’ve all enjoyed a good laugh, keep us in mind when you need a chimney sweep, water leak repair or the dryer vent cleaned.

#chimneyarticles #firelacearticles #chimneycap #chimneyleak #fireplacelead #dryervent #dryerventcleaning #chimneysweep #gasfireplace #woodburningfireplace #mustysmell #fireplacesmell #illinoischimney

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

If you love fireplaces but either don’t have one or you do have one that isn’t performing as you wish it would, a new gas or wood zero-clearance (ZC) fireplace might be exactly what you need in your home.

Here are three of the most popular reasons homeowners purchase new fireplaces.

1. Upgrade from an existing masonry fireplace

Traditional open masonry fireplaces might look nice, but they’re not great at producing enough heat during our long, cold Connecticut winters.

Because the system is “open,” the majority of the heat produced by a masonry fireplace goes right up the chimney, never to return. A closed-combustion system, on the other hand, as found in modern zero-clearance fireplaces, greatly minimizes heat loss.

Gas and wood ZC fireplaces retain as much as 80% and more of their heat and make it available to keep you warm. By comparison, most masonry fireplaces are lucky to preserve 20% of their heat – and often the percentage is much less.

You’ll notice the difference the first time you fire up your new fireplace and wonder why you didn’t make the switch sooner.

2. Changeout of an old factory-built fireplace

Another popular reason for purchasing a new fireplace is to replace an older zero-clearance unit that no longer performs up to expectations or is laboring under years of wear and tear.

By finding a model that uses the same fuel and is generally the same size as your current fireplace, doing a changeout is a simple operation when performed by trained installers.

If you desire to move up to a larger, more powerful gas or wood fireplace, it’s still a simple process as factory-built zero-clearance fireplaces can be installed easily in virtually any wall in your home. Heavy-duty insulation allows these units to be placed in close proximity to walls, insulation and other home building materials without the risk of fire or damage.

ZC fireplaces come with their own vent system, so you won’t need to construct a chimney. This further simplifies the process, whether it’s a changeout or a first-time installation.

3. Enhance your home’s aesthetics

If your home is lacking a fireplace, you’re missing out on a significant decorative centerpiece. Modern factory-built fireplaces come in a wide range of colors, finishes, shapes and styles to enhance the décor of any room or home.

When visualizing your home with a fireplace, don’t stop with the appliance. Consider a handsome raised hearth, a lovely surround that brings more personality and zest to the fireplace area and a beautiful set of fireplace tools. In a very short time, you can literally transform your room from drab to dazzling.

Get the fireplace you want

The fireplace experts at Northeastern Chimney of West Hartford, CT, would love to help you in choosing the perfect new gas or wood-burning fireplace. We’ll make sure you go with a unit that matches your heating and performance needs as well as your own particular unique decorative tastes.

We’ll then install your new fireplace in a way that’s safe and in compliance with all local building and fire-safety regulations. When our experienced team installs a fireplace, it’s done right the first time.

 

Talk with a hearth professional today at (860) 233-5770.

 

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

A house fire isn’t just something that happens to other people. It can happen to anyone. Fortunately, by engaging in safe practices with your fireplace or stove, you can dramatically reduce the odds of your home ever being subject to a devastating fire.

Here are nine valuable fire-safety tips.

1. Don’t smoke while in bed

Everyone who takes a cigarette, cigar or pipe to their bed thinks they won’t fall asleep, but every year, many people do just that. Make it a habit to never smoke in bed.

2. Turn off or put out fires when leaving the house

This goes for fires on your cooking stove as well as in your heating stove or fireplace. The only flame that should be burning when you’re gone is that from a pilot light for the hot water heater or heating appliance.

3. Don’t use flammable fluids to start a fireplace fire

It may seem easier to get your fires started by dousing the logs with lighter fluid or charcoal starter. You’ll get the fire started fast, all right, but you may cause an explosion or do damage to your fireplace/chimney system. Only dry wood logs should ever be burned in a fireplace or stove.

4. Teach children that fire is not a toy

Curious children are attracted to fire, and it’s up to parents to instill in them the importance of never playing with matches, lighters or fires in the fireplace. Many house fires every year are started because children had access to some kind of flame or flame-producer.

5. Have your fireplace and chimney inspected annually

Annual inspections are the best way to keep a fireplace and chimney running safely and efficiently. Your inspector will spot early signs of damage or malfunction that could lead to a fire and recommend the right repairs before the problem turns dangerous.

6. Have your chimney cleaned once a year

Smoke produces creosote, a flammable substance that clings to the walls of your chimney liner and easily can catch fire. Most chimney fires are started by ignited creosote, so make sure to have a professional chimney sweep clean your flue every year.

7. Install and maintain smoke detectors

Smoke detectors save lives. Your home should be outfitted with several of these devices placed strategically throughout. It’s a good practice to test the detectors monthly and replace the batteries every year, whether or not this is needed.

8. Keep fire extinguishers handy

Fire extinguishers also save lives. Make sure everyone in your home knows how to use them. Good places for fire extinguishers include the kitchen, near the fireplace and
in the garage.

9. Make an evacuation plan

Write out a specific plan of action to take should your house catch on fire. The plan should include the route or routes for each person to safely exit the house and the location of valuables you may have enough time to collect and remove to safety.

High’s Chimney Service of Gaithersburg, MD, supports wise fire-safety practices. We’re here to help keep your chimney and fireplace safe with certified chimney sweeping, fireplace and chimney inspections and all types of repair work for chimneys and fireplaces. Speak with a fire-safety expert today at (301) 519-3500.

 

The post Keep Your Home & Family Safe with these 9 Fire-Safety Tips appeared first on Highs Chimney.

Having a fireplace not only adds value to your home, but it also serves a focal point in whichever room it is located. That is why having beautiful fireplace decor year-round is a must! Baskets are a great way to decorate your fireplace when it’s not in use, and today we’ll show you different basket and decor combination ideas.

Is your Boston area fireplace safe and clean? It is important to make sure that your fireplace has been swept and inspected in the past year before decorating and any combustible decor should be at safe distances from the fireplace opening . Click here or call (781) 893-6611 to get in touch with us about your chimney needs.

Now, we’ll share some beautiful fireplace decor ideas!

New England Fireplace Basket and Decor Ideas

Putting a wicker basket near your fireplace is a must! It can be the finishing touch in tying together the overall look of your fireplace. Luckily, there is a wide variety of basket styles that go with just about any look that you are going for. Here are a few themes that New England homeowners love.

Nautical Fireplace Decor with a White and Tan Basket 

Going with a nautical theme is a natural choice for many New England homeowners given Massachusetts’ proximity to the ocean. There are endless decor ideas when it comes to the ocean. You’ll see in the photo above that The Frugal Homemaker combined lanterns, star fish and other decor items with a white, tan, and teal color palette when decorating her fireplace. She tied the look together by filling a rectangular white and tan wicker basket with a sand colored throw blanket and white throw pillows, evoking the colors of the beach.

Farmhouse Fireplace Decor with Striped Oval Baskets

Whether or not your home is in the country, farmhouse style decor is in. The simple beauty of this decor works year-round, making it so that you do not need to redecorate with each season. A simple shift of the decor when in use will allow you to go from stylish to safeguarded with ease. This fireplace, featured on 33decor.com, combines simple greenery with two oval colored, striped baskets for a calming, symmetrical theme. The baskets pick up the black in the candlestick holders and blackboard styled farm sign, while adding a pop of darkness to the light colored room.

Classic Fireplace Decor with a Textured Woven Basket

If your New England home is historic or classical style, you can mix and match interesting pieces of art on the mantle. This intricate fireplace featured on Good Housekeeping combines framed prints, a sculpture, a decorative box and interesting lighting fixtures on the mantle with a thickly woven basket filled with wood beside it.

Care for Your Boston Area Fireplace and Chimney

Fireplace basket decor transforms the look of your fireplace from boring to beautiful. Whether your home has a nautical, farmhouse, or classic flair, there are countless amazing ideas to draw from. Remember to always focus on fireplace safety when decorating to make sure that your creativity does not compromise the safety of your home.

Boston’s Best Chimney has been serving the Boston area since 1989. We have earned a reputation as a trustworthy, full-service chimney company and we are here to serve you. If you need a chimney inspection, sweep, or installation, we are here for you! Click here or call (781) 893-6611 to contact us.

 

The post New England Fireplace Decor Ideas appeared first on Boston's Best Chimney.

Chimney flues and fireplace dampers both are related to venting and drafting a fireplace. While they engage in similar processes, flues and dampers are very different, with each having its own maintenance needs and potential damage issues. Let’s look at these two important components.

Your fireplace damper

Just above the firebox in your fireplace sits the damper. Essentially, it’s a plate system that opens and closes with a handle or device you can control conveniently. The purpose of the damper is to open fully to allow the right amount of air (oxygen) to be pulled into the fireplace for proper combustion and drafting.

When your fireplace isn’t being used, the damper should be closed tightly to protect your warm or cool inside air from cool or warm outside air coming down the chimney.

Dampers also seal off the pathway for bugs, insects and small animals who might want to take a look around your home and establish new living quarters.

Common problems with dampers include rusting, warping and general disrepair from old age. This component is part of a comprehensive chimney inspection and can be repaired or replaced, if and when necessary.

Your chimney flue

The internal area of your chimney contains tubing or a pipe that provides the channel for smoke to move from your fireplace to the outside air. This is your flue. Most modern flues contain flue liners, or chimney liners, which can be made from stainless steel, clay tiles or a poured-in-place compound.

Your chimney is only as safe as its flue. A cracked or broken flue will expose vulnerable materials of your home to fire and damage from smoke and acidic compounds such as creosote.

A compromised flue or chimney liner also can allow toxic combustion gases including deadly carbon monoxide to seep into the living areas of your home.

Flue obstructions

As noted, your chimney flue is the path for smoke to leave your fireplace. Various things can hinder this process. Falling leaves, twigs and fruit from nearby trees as well as the nests of small animals like squirrels and birds can create venting obstructions and lead to sluggish fires and backdrafts of smoke and toxins.

Obstructions can easily be prevented by having a secure full-width chimney cap installed or by repairing
a damaged cap.

Creosote buildup

Chimney flues also are susceptible to accumulations of creosote, a flammable compound that forms when smoke condenses inside the flue.

Most chimney fires are started because of ignited creosote. Some chimney fires are brief and go out on their own; others destroy chimneys and parts or all of the home, depending
on their severity.

The only way to address creosote issues is with the services of a licensed, professional chimney sweep, who uses a variety of tools and solvents to remove the substance. Annual chimney cleaning is recommended by all fire-safety and hearth-industry agencies.

Have your chimney inspected

As you can see, while both dampers and flues are involved in smoke-drafting, each has its own unique needs and potential problems to solve or prevent. If it’s been more than a year since your last chimney and fireplace inspection, now is a good time to arrange for one.

High’s Chimney Service of Gaithersburg, MD, is a Certified Chimney Reliner, and our lead chimney sweeps carry professional certifications from the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). We provide flue and damper service as well as complete chimney inspections and repairs and rebuilding work year-round.

Talk with an expert today at (301) 519-3500.

The post Chimney Flue & Fireplace Damper: Is there a Difference? appeared first on Highs Chimney.

A chimney that receives regular maintenance should give many years of safe and efficient service. But once a chimney passes into “old age,” i.e., 50 or 75 or more years old, certain problems should be expected. Still, with proper repairs and maybe some alterations, chimneys in historic homes can work as well as their much younger counterparts.

The chimney structure

The bricks and mortar that make up historic chimneys are old. That means there may be signs of cracking and decay in parts of the masonry or throughout the system.

Loose, deteriorated bricks (called “spalling”) can eventually cause an older chimney to begin leaning to one side and possibly collapse. So can decayed mortar that holds the bricks together.

A professional chimney inspector can tell you if your chimney has masonry damage needing
to be addressed through repairs such as brick repair, tuckpointing or chimney rebuilding.

Issues in the flue

Chimneys in homes built in the 1800s and early 1900s did not have chimney liners or flue liners. Commonly made of clay tile, stainless steel or a cast-in-place compound, chimney liners protect the interior masonry from mold-causing moisture and damage from heat and acidic compounds such as creosote, a byproduct of wood combustion.

With no chimney liner, toxic flue gases may seep into parts of the home where people and pets can breathe them. Of particular concern is carbon monoxide, which is invisible and odorless – and known to be potentially fatal when inhaled.

If your historic chimney has no liner or one that’s been in place for many years, a certified chimney services technician can perform installations and repairs of all types of liners.

Chimney damage from house-settling

Houses settle periodically, and homes in the “historic” age bracket have done a lot of settling over the years. This seemingly subtle movement can cause cracking within a chimney’s masonry, leading the way to water infiltration.

When moisture moves into gaps in bricks and mortar, freezing temperatures will make it expand and cause larger cracks and greater decomposition. The freeze-thaw cycles common in southern New Hampshire and other cold-weather regions ensure that damage continues until the chimney is at risk of collapse.

Problems with the chimney footing also can cause shifting of the structure – an issue often uncovered when servicing historic chimneys.

Obstructions and creosote buildup

Chimneys of all ages can harbor dangerous drafting obstructions and excess creosote, but older chimneys are particularly problematic in this area.

Without a sturdy chimney cap, debris from nearby trees as well as the nesting material of small animals and the animals themselves when they die in the chimney can block the smooth drafting of smoke.

Creosote, which forms every time a wood fire is burned, is highly flammable and responsible for most chimney fires in the U.S. each year. Creosote also can build up to the point that it causes venting problems.

Professional chimney sweep services performed annually will significantly reduce the amount of creosote in your historic chimney’s flue. Having a quality chimney cap installed will keep debris out of your chimney.

Historic chimney inspections

If it’s been more than a year (and certainly if it’s been decades) since your historic chimney was last inspected, now is the time to arrange this service. Your inspector will evaluate the entire system and its components and let you know what chimney repairs are needed to restore safety and top performance.

Black Moose Chimney of Antrim, NH, provides CSIA-certified chimney sweeping, chimney inspections and historic chimney restorations and repairs. Get the right solutions by calling New Hampshire’s fireplace and chimney experts at
(603) 525-7905.

 

The post Common Problems with Chimneys in Historic Homes appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.

Almost every home has a chimney. There is also a lot of information about chimneys both online and offline. The unfortunate thing is that many homeowners make a lot of mistakes with their chimneys. This prevents their chimneys from lasting for a long time. It also puts the homeowners at great risk of fire. Here are some of the chimney mistakes made by many homeowners.

Ignoring unused chimneys

An unused chimney is clean, right? Quite the contrary.  When you are not using your chimney you attract birds and other animals to stay in the chimney. Birds build nests that clog the chimney putting it at the risk of fire.

Regardless of whether you are using the chimney or not you should clean the chimney regularly.

Most chimney sweeps recommend that you should clean the chimney at least once a year. If you are using coal you should clean the chimney twice a year. If you are using wood you should clean it four times.

Hiring the wrong chimney cleaning professional

There are many chimney contactors in the market thus you have many choices to make. Many homeowners go for the cheapest chimney cleaner that they find thinking that they will get cheap, high quality services. Just like anything else in life, you get what you pay for.

For your chimney to be professionally cleaned, you should hire an experienced and certified chimney contractor. While you will pay more for the services, you will get excellent results.

Cleaning the chimney by yourself

If you can clean the house you can also clean the chimney, right? While you can do it if you have the right tools and skills, you won’t achieve the same results as those of a professional.

In addition to cleaning your chimney, a chimney contractor also undertakes chimney inspection where he/she inspects to see if there are any damages, whether the chimney is leaning and if the bricks need re-pointing. If the chimney is damaged the professional undertakes chimney repair.

Burning the wrong wood

Research has shown that up to 80% of homeowners with wood burning fireplaces use the wrong fuel. Many homeowners have been shown to use softwood which not only burns slowly, but also gives a lot of soot which increases the number of times that you need to clean the chimney. A lot of creosote also puts your chimney at the risk of fire.

To be on the safe side you should use hardwood such as oak, elm, hazel, and birch.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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