5 Ways to Properly Maintain Your Chimney
5 Ways to Properly Maintain Your Chimney
A chimney is essential to a house as it is the only way for smoke and fumes from inside your home to be safely expelled. A chimney must also go through regular maintenance to ensure that it will work properly when needed. Our suggestion is to consult with a Long Island chimney cleaning company regarding all servicing of your chimney. Here are 5 ways to properly maintain your chimney.
1. Have your chimney cleaned at least once per year
A dirty chimney will not operate efficiently when needed, so it is important to consider cleaning it before this happens. Hire a company specializing in cleaning fireplaces and has the proper certifications. They should provide you with an estimate of how much they expect the job will cost you based on the size of your fireplace. The amount of creosote build-up, and the frequency that your fireplace is used.
2. Have your chimney inspected for cracks or damage
Ensure that you safely inspect the chimney’s interior for any cracks after it has been cleaned to ensure no further problems arise. It is particularly important to do this if you had a wood-burning fireplace converted to gas. Extremely high temperatures can cause masonry materials like bricks and mortar to expand and contract with heat causing loose connections leading to cracks over time. If there are any noticeable gaps in the structure, call an expert for repair services immediately because not doing so could lead to more serious damage, such as a fire hazard.
3: Consider having a metal liner installed
A metal liner can be installed inside your existing fireplace to provide a smooth interior surface that won’t catch fire. This also keeps any combustible materials from building up or collecting on the chimney walls, which means less cleaning is required. Many homeowners with older fireplaces choose this option when they decide to convert them to gas-burning units to ensure safer use for their home.
4: Clear out creosote regularly
Creosote is a substance that builds up when wood is burned and causes smoky fires if it isn’t removed. Creosote will accumulate more quickly when the weather is dry and cause smoke and fumes from your chimney to smell stronger than usual and possibly even spark and cause a fire. To avoid these problems and keep your chimney safe, consider having it cleaned out before this happens.
5: Install a chimney cap to prevent animals from nesting inside the flue
Birds and small animals can build nests or burrows inside the flue of your chimney. This can restrict airflow and increase the chance of creosote building up and causing a fire risk. If you notice any damage to your fireplace such as loose mortar or gaps where an animal could easily enter, be sure to contact an expert for repairs right away so that no harm is done to your home. By using these five easy maintenance steps on a regular basis, you can reduce any potential risks with having a fireplace and ensure that it is always running efficiently and safely whenever you use it.
No matter how much you love your fireplace, if it’s not cleaned and serviced regularly it can become a hazard. If you want to keep the entire house warm this winter without worrying about causing an accident or fire, contact us today for more information on chimney maintenance services.