What Protects Your Chimney?

Your chimney is a cozy and stylish feature of your house that keeps your family warm and makes you feel cozy and secure. Have you ever thought about the importance of your chimney’s safety and security, though? There are many chimney components at work that protect it from becoming unstable or malfunctioning. This, in turn, keeps you safe from common fireplace hazards. Today, we’ll go over some of the chimney components that protect your chimney.

Are you interested in getting your Boston area chimney inspected or serviced? Boston’s Best Chimney is a one stop chimney service company specializing in every aspect of chimney maintenance and repair. Click here or call (781) 893-6611 to get in touch with us!

Now, we’ll discuss the important components that protect your chimney.

Protective Chimney Components

Chimney Flue

Smoke and exhaust leave your home through the chimney flue, making it essential to your chimney’s safety. It is important that your chimney flue is lined to help to keep you safe when your heat is on. If your chimney cracks and you do not know it, fumes and carbon monoxide can leak out. A flue liner can help protect you from this. Be sure to have your chimney flue inspected and swept annually by professionals.

Chimney Crown

A chimney crown covers most of the chimney. It plays an essential role in keeping  your chimney system safe by protecting it from outside rain, ice, snow, and sleet. Chimney crowns also protect the chimney’s masonry.

Chimney Cap

Not to be confused with the chimney crown, the chimney cap is a small hat that covers the chimney. Its function is to keep leaves, branches, and other debris out of the chimney. It can also prevent small animals from entering your chimney. In addition, chimney caps are like spark guards, protecting your home against fires. Check out our Ultimate Chimney Cap Guide to learn more about this important component of your chimney.

Bricks

As the foundation of your chimney’s stack, bricks are responsible for the integrity of your chimney’s structure. If the bricks are old or deteriorated, water can seep through and mold can grow over time. Getting your chimney inspected annually gives professionals the opportunity to detect if your chimney’s bricks are in poor condition or in need of replacement. Besides having your chimney inspected by professionals, we recommend staying ahead of your fireplace and chimney maintenance in between regular cleanings and inspections.

Damper

Dampers often become damaged or worn out over time. Their role is to control airflow in and out of the chimney and they are supposed to remain closed when you are not using your chimney to avoid drafts. Being aware of the state of your damper is essential to ensuring that your fireplace and chimney are in proper working order.

Protect Your Boston Area Chimney

Taking the right steps to care for your chimney regularly will allow you to enjoy it over time without worrying about the safety of your family or the condition of your chimney. At Boston’s Best Chimney, we recommend having your chimney inspected once a year and cleaned annually or as needed. Our reputation of integrity has made us stand out in the Boston and Greater Boston, Massachusetts community since 1989. If you would like to get in touch for a chimney cleaning, inspection, or service, click here or call (781) 893-6611.

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There are three main reasons why you may need a chimney liner: if your chimney doesn’t have clay tile chimney liner, the clay tile is damaged and if you need additional safety especially when you are installing a new heating unit.

When you need a new chimney liner you should contact a chimney professional to come and install it. If your old liner has been damaged the professional should be able to undertake a chimney inspection and find out the faulty areas that need to be addressed.

Categories of chimney liners

There are three categories of chimney liners that you can go with: heavy, high performance and light. The heavy category is the thickest and strongest and the most expensive. Your chimney liner professional should choose the most ideal category to install.

To ensure that you are on the same page with the professional, you should ask him/her why he/she has made the choice. Before you part with your money to buy the liner the professional should give you a solid reason why he/she made the choice.

You should note that stainless steel liners may have to be insulated for them to fit the chimney flue. To do this the chimney professional may have to remove the existing clay flue tiles. To avoid misunderstanding you should enquire about this beforehand.

Guide to buying chimney liner

As mentioned, you should work closely with your chimney expert when installing the chimney liner. It’s also recommended that you buy the liner while in the company of the expert. If the professional isn’t around and you have to buy the liner on your own, you need to be cautious and ensure that you buy the right one.

One of the factors that you should consider is the size of your flue. Before making the purchase you should take the flue measurements and ensure that the liner you buy is the right size. You should note that buying a smaller liner might result to smoke getting back to your house thus making the house uninhabitable.

To get a refund in the event the liner develops problems, you should buy chimney liners that have a warranty. You should note that these liners require that they are installed by a certified chimney contractor.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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

Your chimney and fireplace are designed to withstand the test of time if properly maintained and looked after. One of the most notorious variables in determining your chimney and fireplace’s longevity is its level of moisture resistance. A chimney with poor moisture resistance can mean costly repairs to your chimney and your home, time without your fire, and even the need for a complete rebuild!

Water Intrusion & Your Chimney

Whether you have a Pre-Fab or Masonry unit, your chimney is constructed of many materials, all of which are adversely affected by moisture. This means that if water penetrates your chimney’s exterior, it can destroy it from the inside out. A leaky chimney can result in:

• Rusted chimney and fireplace components (damper, chimney flue, utility flue, gas line/valves)
• Deteriorated metal or masonry firebox assemblies
• Rotting internal or nearby wood framing
• Water stained walls and ceiling
• Stained chimney exterior
• Decayed interior and exterior mortar
• Cracked or deteriorated flue lining system
• Collapsed hearth support
• Tilted or collapsed chimney structure
• Compromised chimney stability

A leaky chimney, if not repaired in a timely fashion, can cause immense damage to other areas of your home as well. Beyond the costly repairs that a leaky chimney can create, it can also create breathing/respiratory issues for family members; both with and without a history of respiratory problems. Once the moisture has made its way in, and warmer months set in, your home is now susceptible to mold/mildew/unwanted growth.

What You Should Do

Listen for the sounds of running water near your fireplace and chimney during heavier rains. Conduct your own visual inspection around the exterior of your chimney, from the ground, and take note if you notice any sort of discoloration or growth. If you hear or see evidence of water intrusion, call our office today so we can schedule your chimney and fireplace inspection!

What Southern Chimneys Will Do

Southern Chimneys will come out and conduct a full, 18-point inspection on your entire fireplace and chimney system. We will trace the water intrusion and we will get the issue resolved! We work alongside a team of skilled roofers and siding contractors, so in the chance that your water intrusion isn’t directly linked to the chimney, we will get you in contact with one of our partners!

The post What is all this rain doing to your chimney? first appeared on Southern Chimneys. This post first appeared on https://southernchimneys.com

A leaky chimney can be confusing, dangerous and possibly quite expensive to fix if the problem isn’t taken care of in the early stages. When getting estimates to have your chimney leak repaired, consider working with licensed, certified chimney professionals, who bring a wealth of knowledge to every job.

Here’s some of that knowledge.

What causes a leaky chimney?

Chimney technicians generally consider any situation in which water is infiltrating the chimney system a “chimney leak.”  This includes water coming in from the top of the chimney due to damaged or missing chimney cap or water getting into bricks and mortar.

Here are some common direct and indirect causes of chimney leaks:

• Damage to the masonry
• Issues with the chimney cap or no cap in place
• Cracked chimney crown
• Warped or deteriorated chimney flashing
• Earthquakes, house-settling, major hail storms
• Improperly built chimney footing
• Chimney fires
• Gale-force winds
• Ice dams around the chimney base

Get chimney leaks fixed quickly

What starts as a small leak in the chimney system will eventually turn into a major problem that could include widespread masonry deterioration as well as damage to building materials of your home near the chimney structure.

Leaky chimneys don’t get better – they get worse. Fortunately, a skilled chimney services professional can perform a thorough inspection and determine why the leak is happening, where it’s centered and what will be required to resolve it.

Spotting a leaky chimney

If you notice any of these common chimney-leak signs, now is the time to address the problem:

Water in the firebox – could be from major leaks in the masonry or water coming into the top of the flue

White staining on exterior bricks – usually means that water is penetrating the bricks, possibly through cracks

Crumbling mortar on the roof near the chimney – mortar-joint damage doesn’t necessarily mean the chimney is leaking, but it means it may start to before long

Damp sections of walls and ceiling – could point to a leak within the chimney system or some part of the roof

Musty smells coming from the fireplace – creosote and soot inside the flue will give off strong odors when excess moisture is present in the chimney liner

Chimney leak repair

Professional chimney companies have a variety of methods they can use to address and solve chimney leaks including:

• Chimney waterproofing
• Tuckpointing to replace compromised sections of masonry
• Brick repair or replacement
• Flashing repair or installation
• Chimney cap repair or replacement
• Chimney chase top repair or installation
• Chimney crown repair or reconstruction

Start with a chimney inspection

If you notice any of the signs of a leaky chimney we listed above, your first step is to schedule a chimney inspection with a licensed professional. Do this prior to using your fireplace again.

Chimney inspections will zero in on the leak, and they also will spot other types of damage or malfunction within your chimney system that you may not know about. A good inspection is like a scorecard: it tells what’s working, what’s not and what it will take to get everything running safely and efficiently.

Fluesbrothers Chimney & Fireplace of Kansas City, KS, provides CSIA-certified chimney sweeping, chimney inspections and all types of leaky chimney repair and other repair and rebuilding services. Talk with a chimney expert today at (913) 236-7141.

 

The post What the Pros Know About Chimney Leaks appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.

Chimney and chimney cleaning are popular topics and just like other popular discussions, they are marred by many myths. Here are some of the most common chimney myths:

Pine and other soft woods cause excess creosote

Although, softwood may result to more creosote buildup than hardwood, it doesn’t mean that softwood is the main cause of excess creosote buildup in the chimney. Studies have shown that the main cause of the buildup is burning wood (softwood or hardwood) before its ready for burning.

Chimney contractors recommend that you should ensure that the wood that you burn is dry and seasoned. This way the wood will burn effectively and with less creosote regardless of whether it’s hardwood or softwood.

You don’t need to inspect the chimney if you haven’t been using it

While many people may feel that their chimney is in perfect condition and doesn’t require inspection as they haven’t been using it for a long time, this is wrong—you need to undertake regular chimney inspection whether you have been using the chimney or not.

Even if you haven’t been using it, animals may build nests, the chimney liner may develop cracks, and water may damage the chimney. To be on the safe side you should contact a chimney expert to take a look at the chimney and have a look at it.

You can easily clean the chimney by yourself

While the internet has many valuable videos and tutorials on how to clean the chimney, it’s not as easy as you read or see it in the videos. You need to ensure that you use the right tools to achieve ideal results. You also need to be cautious and keep your house clean throughout the cleaning process. To achieve a clean chimney you need to rent or buy the right chimney cleaning tools. You also need to put in a lot of time and energy into the work.

To avoid this trouble, you should seek professional chimney cleaning services. The chimney cleaner will not only clean the chimney, he/she will also repair chimney defects that might be present.

Conclusion

There are many more myths surrounding chimneys and chimney cleaning that can derail you. Always remember that you should inspect and clean your chimney regardless of whether you have been using it or not. To achieve ideal results, always hire an experienced chimney cleaning company to do the cleaning work for you.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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

If you live in a home that was built without a fireplace, there are many practical reasons to install one in your home. Fireplaces are like individual works of art that not only add character to a living space all year long but provide much-needed warmth and comfort during the winter. Fireplaces have also improved considerably and are now more energy-efficient than ever before.  There are energy-efficient wood, pellet, gas, and electric fireplaces. There are also zero-clearance and ventless fireplaces for living spaces that are too small for a traditional fireplace. With energy costs on the rise, a fireplace can reduce your home heating costs when you need it the most. Here are a few more reasons to install a fireplace in your home.

Ambiance

Fireplaces are a charming focal point of the room that naturally draws people into its warm and inviting atmosphere. They are available in a wide assortment of shapes, sizes, styles, and even colors, allowing homeowners to create the perfect ambiance in their home. Whether it’s a traditional wood-burning fireplace, modern gas or pellet fireplace, or a sleek electric fireplace, they are an architectural element that will add character to any living space.

Lower Heating Costs

According to a recent study, Kansas has the 23rd highest utility rates in the country. Installing an energy-efficient fireplace can reduce heating costs and dependency on the utility during the winter. Fireplaces can also be used for zone heating. Instead of heating the entire home with a central heating system, fireplaces warm the occupied rooms. Depending on the model, a fireplace can heat up to 1,000 square feet or more of living space.

Affordability

Fireplaces are more affordable than many people may realize. Just like any other home improvement project, the cost can vary depending on a variety of factors such as location, whether a chimney or vent is required, and type of fuel, for example. While a traditional masonry fireplace is often the most expensive option, pre-fab fireplaces and fireplace inserts are lower-cost alternatives making the addition affordable for any budget.

Increases Home Value

A fireplace is a desirable feature that may even increase your home’s value. A 2016 Angie’s List survey of real estate agents found that a fireplace can increase a home’s value from $1,000 to $4,999.  In a recent home buyers survey, the National Association of Realtors stated that heating and cooling costs were the most important environmental feature. Also, The National Association of Home Builders found that 51% of home buyers consider a gas or wood-burning fireplace to be a desirable home feature.

Stay Warm During a Power Outage

Winter storms and power outages seem to go hand-in-hand. If your home relies on central heating, your ability to stay warm goes out until the power is restored. On the other hand, gas and wood-burning fireplace don’t require electricity and will keep your space warm and cozy and give some light to the room during a power outage.

The post Reasons to Install A Fireplace appeared first on Fluesbrothers Chimney Service.

Chicago weather… You never know what to expect. One minute we get reminded what sunshine looks like, and the next, 4-foot snow drifts up against the garage door.

We spoke with a couple of our certified technicians as to what to look out for with all of the recent snow, sleet, freezing temperatures and the little bit of sunshine.

Q: What does the winter freeze-thaw cycle mean? Why is that important for a chimney?

A:  According to the CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America), the freeze thaw cycles is most damaging when water absorbs into the brick and mortar joints, freezes then expands. Then the freeze-thaw cycle happens again and again until cracks form causing the bricks and mortar joints to chip, spall or crumble into small pieces.

Q: Wow, is there a way to stop it, or slow it down? We get a lot of the freeze-thaw cycles here in Chicago.

A: Yes, waterproofing a chimney with a high-quality product will help to protect the chimney from the freeze thaw cycle. Superior Chimney uses a Chimney Saver solution that prevents water from penetrating the bricks and mortar but still allows them to “breathe”.

Q: We get so few days of sunshine it seems. But when we do, the snow begins to melt. What do homeowners need to watch for with melting snow?

A: Leaks are important to identify and repair quickly. One of the most common areas where leaks occur is at the flashing. Flashing is the metal that covers the gap where the chimney protrudes through your roof. If snow/water gets behind the flashing, the water can go directly into your home.

Another area for concern is the chimney crown. The chimney crown is the cement slab right on top of the chimney. When there’s even just a hairline crack, water can make its way into the home.

Q: What are the signs of a water leak in the chimney?

A: If water begins to penetrate the chimney system, you’ll notice signs such as:

• Water dripping into the firebox
• Stains on your interior walls
• Bad odor or a damp smell coming from the fireplace
• Broken pieces of the flue tiles
• Or the white powdery substance called efflorescence outside on the chimney’s bricks.

Q: Can masonry repairs be done in the winter?

A: Some cannot, however, there are many preventative measures that can be implemented until more ideal weather/temperature arrives… these can help to prevent further deterioration and escalated repair costs through the remaining winter months. There are times when chimney repairs cannot be avoided such as large cracks where moisture is easily flowing through the chimney and into your home, or if the chimney is at risk of falling.

The best way to avoid all of these problems is to get an inspection on your chimney annually as advised by CSIA (the Chimney Safety Institute of America), NCSG (the National Chimney Sweep Guild), NFPA (the National Fire Protection Association) and IRC (International Residential Code) due to our geographic freeze and thaw cycles of winter and regardless of gas, wood or frequency of use.

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

One of the most effective ways of maintaining your chimney is sweeping it. Sweeping gets rid of all the carbon and other waste products that might have accumulated in your chimney putting your home at the risk of fire.

Chimney sweep professionals recommend that you should sweep your chimney at the beginning of autumn. This is a great time as the soot has had time to dry during summer and is hard and brittle. Hard soot is easy to remove.

Hiring a professional chimney sweep

While you can sweep your chimney, there are many benefits that come with hiring a professional chimney sweep. These benefits include:

Professional cleaning: chimney cleaners are highly trained and know how to not only clean the chimney, but also how to professionally sweep it. This means that you don’t have to worry when you hire a chimney sweeping technician as you are ensured of the best service.

Chimney repair: in addition to cleaning your chimney, the technicians are also able to identify any faults that might be on your chimney. For example, if there are any cracks in your brick chimney the technicians will identify and repair them at just a small extra charge.

If your chimney is old, they will help you in installing a chimney liner that will prevent your chimney from collapsing. There are many types of liners in the market that you can go with. The most common are:

Concrete: here the chimney professional will install an inflatable template within the full height of the chimney stack and then pours concrete around it. Once the concrete hardens, the technician removes the template leaving a smaller concrete flue that can’t collapse.

Ceramic and clay: it’s expensive to install the ceramic or clay liner as you have to remove sections of the old chimney to install the liner. While the liner is expensive, it’s long lasting.

Stainless steel: here the chimney repair technician installs the liner by dropping it down the existing chimney and capping it off at the top and bottom. To assist with the pull of smoke from the fire and keep the liner in place, the technician insulates around the liner. While this option is cost effective, it’s temporary as you have to reinstall the liner after 10-20 years.

Conclusion

Chimney sweeping is very important for your home. To ensure that it’s done properly you should hire a certified and experienced chimney cleaning expert.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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

A chimney damper is a unit that seals off the chimney when it’s not in use. This ensures that the cool or warm air remains in the house. Chimney dampers come in different designs and you can install them just above the fireplace or at the top of the chimney using a chimney damper cap.

In addition to conserving energy, chimney dampers also serve other functions. For example, they also aid in keeping birds, animals and debris from getting into your home through the chimney flue.

If you install the damper at the top of your chimney, the damper will prevent large animals such as raccoons from accessing your home.

According to chimney technicians, dampers also aid in preventing rainwater from getting into your house.

Guide on how to clean your chimney damper

Just like any other part of your house, the damper gets dirty from ash and other debris. To maintain the damper in good working condition you should clean it as part of your regular routine.

You should start by sweeping out the fireplace using a small broom. You should remove all the ashes and any debris that might be there.

You should then line the floor of the fireplace with old newspapers and then remove the chimney damper plate. You should note that there are many ways of installing chimney damper; therefore, you should be keen when removing it.

If your damper is connected to its support using screws or cotter pins, you should carefully remove the screws and then slowly pull the damper out of the chimney. If there are any ashes you should remove them from the plate and damp them in the trash.

Once you are done you should hold the damper over the newspapers and scrape it with a wire brush in order to remove the large chunks of soot. You should clean the inside and outside of the damper to remove all the soot. Once clean you should rinse it with clean water and replace it back into the chimney.

Conclusion

To conserve energy, it’s wise that you consider undertaking chimney damper installation. For it to give you the right results you should ensure that it’s installed by a professional. For it to last for a long time, you should regularly maintain it by cleaning. It’s also wise that you hire a chimney repair professional to take a look at your chimney at least once a year.

The post Blog first appeared on First Class Chimney Services.

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

In the right scenario – which we’ll look at below – a fireplace can be an excellent supplemental heating appliance. A good fireplace can do a great job at heating the room it’s in and even some other areas proximal to the room.

Here are five things to consider if you’re thinking of buying a new fireplace or hoping to get more out of the one you have.

1. Not all fireplaces are the same

What we call a “fireplace” can actually be three different appliances:

•  Traditional open masonry fireplace
• Gas or wood-burning fireplace insert
• Gas or wood factory-built fireplace

Each type of unit functions differently and brings different levels of cost-efficiency.

2. Heat-efficiency ratings

In simple terms, heat-efficiency ratings are given to heating appliances to show how much heat they’ll produce in your home versus how much heat is lost in the combustion process.

For example, traditional masonry fireplaces often are rated at 10% to 20% efficiency, which means 80% or 90% of their heat never enters your home. Modern zero-clearance (ZC) fireplaces and fireplace inserts (which are self-contained units that fit into an existing firebox) come with efficiency ratings of 60% and as high as 90%.

If you’re after cost-efficient heating, you’ll get the most “bang for your buck” with a ZC fireplace or fireplace insert.

3. The size of your home

Fireplaces if built well and working properly should be able to bring warmth to the room they’re in. But no single fireplace will effectively heat a large home.

If you have multiple rooms within your home, you might consider adding a second or third fireplace for zone heating. Zero-clearance fireplaces come in many sizes and BTU outputs and can be safely installed in bedrooms, dens, kitchens and even bathrooms.

4. Condition of the fireplace and vent system

For any kind of fireplace to work in a cost-effective manner, it’s critical that it is kept maintained and that its vent system (especially for wood-burning units) is clean and in good repair.

Even a standard masonry fireplace will perform better when the chimney is clean and free of drafting obstructions such as built-up creosote and outside debris like leaves, twigs and small-animal nests.

Gas and wood zero-clearance fireplaces and inserts should be inspected annually by a certified chimney or fireplace technician to ensure that they’re working as they should. All venting systems for wood-burning appliances should be swept (cleaned) once a year to prevent fires and to keep the smoke path open and clear.

5. The condition of your home

If you home has small areas where cold air is coming through, the efficiency of your fireplace will be reduced. During these frigid winters we have in Connecticut, even keeping doors open too long while entering and exiting can allow large amounts of cold air into the home that will have to be warmed.

Obviously, you can’t avoid opening doors, but you can caulk around window frames, install double-pane windows, make sure the attic is well-insulated and perform other tasks to conserve energy and heat.

So the answer to the question – is a fireplace a cost-effective way to heat your home? – is yes, if you have the right kind of fireplace, don’t expect it to do more than it’s capable of doing and keep it in top shape through chimney cleaning, inspection and repair.

Northeastern Chimney of West Hartford, CT, can help you choose the ideal new fireplace for your home and install it safely and correctly. We also offer complete chimney sweep services, chimney and fireplace inspections and all types of appliance and vent system repairs.

Speak with a certified hearth expert today at (860) 233-5770.

 

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