Chimney caps are usually made of metal and act as protective coverings for your chimney opening. They serve the vital purpose of preventing small animals and birds from coming into your chimney and leaving droppings or making nests. If you don't have a chimney cap or it needs repairing, talk to your chimney sweep about helping you address this.
It’s important to remember that your chimney may not only be venting the harmful toxins created by your fireplace. If you use a wood-burning heating appliance, you may find that it operates more efficiently after the chimney is swept.
To draw smoke out of busy bakeries and steamy public bath buildings, the ancient Romans designed and built the first structured chimneys. Private homes continued to rely on central hearths that vented smoke through openings in the roof.
A common misconception about chimneys is that once a metal liner is installed that regular chimney inspections and cleaning services are no longer needed. The truth though is that metal liners still need to be swept and inspected as with any other type of chimney material.
Did you know that more chimney fires tend to occur after warm winters than cold winters? This is because low-temp fires lead to a higher amount of creosote build-up on the inside of chimneys, and why it is important to have a chimney cleaned out even after a warm low-use winter.
A modern fireplace has many parts, the hearth, surround, mantel, firebox, flue, smoke chamber, smoke shelf, damper, spark arrester, chimney cap, and ash dump. While you can maintain the hearth and mantle yourself, a professional chimney sweep is needed to keep everything else running properly.
Cleaning your chimney on a regular basis isn't a fictional need made up by chimney sweeps. The Environmental Protection Agency, Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American Lung Association all agree annual inspection and cleaning is important for your health and safety.
Modern chimney sweeps are not only equipped to clean your chimney of soot and ash, they can also diagnose and repair problems relating to your firebox and damper, and remove the build up of flammable creosote.
While chimney brushes can be used to remove some types of creosote, the more sticky and tar-like creosote residue known as third degree creosote can require specialized heavy duty stainless steel tools to remove the worst of the buildup.
The bottom line is, regular sweeping of your chimney is going to be essential for its safe operation. This is because a clogged chimney can easily catch fire, and a blocked chimney can also prevent smoke from escaping the fireplace, resulting in it entering the home.
How long does it take to have a chimney swept? That depends on the condition of the chimney – simple quick sweeps can take up to about an hour, while sweeps on chimneys that have a lot of accumulated debris - like third degree creosote - can take a couple of hours.
A flue is a channel or passage inside a chimney that vents air to the outdoors. Although most fireplaces have a single flue, multiple flues can nestle inside a single chimney to serve multiple appliances, like a wood burning stove as well as a fireplace.
When burning wood in your fireplace, remember that creosote deposits will eventually form in your chimney. Not only can they cause fire hazards, they can also make your fireplace smell bad during the warmer months of the year.
Did you realize that green wood from fallen branches in your landscape are unsafe to burn in the fireplace -- if they burn at all. When choosing fuel, prefer aged wood or logs manufactured specifically for fireplace use.
Did you know that indoor grilling can include cooking food in your fireplace? There are now grilling setups that make it possible for you to bring your barbecuing activities indoors for the winter months of the year.
One of the main reasons to have your chimney cleaned regularly is the prevention of chimney fires. These are fires caused by dirty chimneys that can start very fast and explosively. Chimney fires can destroy homes if not contained quickly.
One early method of chimney sweeping invented in England involved a heavy lead or iron ball and rope system. This could be used to clean the chimney from the top all the way down to the fireplace. A modern variation of this contraption is still used today.
Did you know that chimney sweeps and pigs are linked in tradition as good luck charms? Many years ago it was customary for a chimney sweep to walk (or carry) a pig through the town’s streets on New Year's Day. Indeed, tradition tells us that people paid a small pittance to make a wish while pulling a hair off of the pig.
Modern safety standards mandate that chimney liners be installed. These are made of metal, clay, or ceramic and serve to protect the walls of the house from the heat of the fire. If your chimney is unlined or the liner is damaged, talk to a chimney professional about getting one installed or replaced.
Most chimneys, as well as chimney flues, are straight. A straight flue creates the best draft so that unwanted gases flow up the flue and outside the home with only minimal loss of heat from the fire.
There are many steps you can take to protect your chimney from leaks and water damage. Improvements such as waterproofing and professional-grade chimney caps can really make a difference.
If you don't have a cap on your chimney, it's possible that you can have animals in your chimney. We can help you remove anything blocking your chimney safely. Let us handle it, it's not as easy as you might think to encourage them to leave.
Modern chimney sweeps can be found all over the world. They care for traditional wood burning fireplaces, but also systems that use heating oil, natural gas, coal, and pellets for heat.
Fireplaces and chimneys that haven’t been properly cleaned and maintained can actually cause several problems in the home. This includes improper venting of smoke and an increased risk of a chimney fire.
Although the Internet may provide no shortage of information on how to clean your own chimney, this is a maintenance task truly best left to professionals. Not only is getting on the roof hazardous, but it’s easy to miss issues with your chimney when you aren’t experienced.
Modern chimney sweeps understand the dangers of creosote and gases released from combustible fuels. They still use the traditional brush, but have many more modern tools to keep them safer.
The US Department of Energy shows that a fireplace that isn't maintained can lose as much as half of its heat-transfer efficiency with only a fraction of an inch of soot in your fireplace and chimney.
Legend has it that, in 1066, a chimney sweep pushed King William of Britain out of the path of a runaway carriage. William declared sweeps to be lucky and in gratitude, he granted them the right to wear top hats, a privilege reserved for the gentry.
Indoor fireplaces have been used since the Middle Ages. Homes of all sizes, as well as castles relied on fireplaces for warmth and cooking. Fireplaces in modern homes are more often used for ambiance than cooking dinner.
Have you ever noticed that your chimney produces a stronger unpleasant odor during the summer months than the rest of the year? This is often a sign that you have too much creosote in your chimney and it’s time for a cleaning.
Creosote is formed from the smoke that travels up in your chimney, adhering to the walls and eventually causing a blockage and/or reducing air flow. It’s important to have the creosote periodically broken up and removed, as it can cause a real fire hazard.
Did you know that you should only use a special type of brick called firebrick for fireplaces? This is because normal bricks cannot withstand the continued high heat inside a fireplace and tend to crack.
If you have a fireplace, the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CHIA) says you should have it cleaned annually or whenever there is the presence of creosote. In fact, most chimney sweeps recommend (as does the CHIA) that even a small presence of creosote (1/4 inch or less) should be cleaned to prevent a potential fire hazard.
Here are some top safety tips when using your fireplace: Use aged wood; prefer small fires to large ones; and remove all flammable items from around your hearth before starting a fire.
Did you know that there are four basic methods used to clean a chimney, delineated by the approach to the chimney? Two of them involve the use of brushes. In the rod method top down, a brush is used to clean from the top of the chimney, and in the rod method bottom up, the sweep starts at the fireplace and works up.
While chimney sweeps are most often associated with cleaning out accumulated creosote on the inside of the chimney column, keep in mind that chimney sweeps are also essential for removing natural debris like leaves and bird nests, which may be in the chimney too.
Soot buildup from an uncleaned chimney can be acidic, which means that its can corrode your chimney system and leave it vulnerable to still more problems. Having your chimney cleaned will prevent these problems keep your chimney working like it should for years to come.
Creosote and soot are byproducts of the chimney process. Creosote coats the interior of the chimney and hampers air flow and is flammable on its own. Creosote fires can cause major damage which is why they should be swept.
In 1864, Parliament passed the Act for the Regulation of Chimney Sweepers, prohibiting the use of children to climb up and down chimneys to keep them clean. At this time, various devices were invented to do the work instead.
In the 1700s and 1800s, chimney sweeps were often young children. This is because they were the only ones small enough to be able to go up inside a chimney and clean it out. A chimney “master” taught the children how to chimney sweep as a trade and was responsible for housing them as well.
Remember, you can’t assume that a chimney is clean when you move into a new residence. If there is no evidence that the chimney has been recently cleaned or inspected, be sure to have these services completed before using your fireplace.
One of the main benefits of having your chimney cleaned is in the fire prevention this service provides. Using a chimney sweep on a regular basis will keep dangerous soot and creosote from building up in your chimney, which in turn will reduce your risk for a fire.
So when is the best time to have your chimney cleaned? In general, it is a good idea to schedule your chimney inspection at the end of the summer or in early fall, before you consider using your chimney or furnace for heating, as this is an important fire prevention measure.
A smelly fireplace is a common problem in the summer. This is often caused by creosote that developed during the cold months and was not properly cleaned.
Fireplaces designed to help heat the home should have an insert. This is a steel or iron box, generally with insulated glass. The heat is kept in the box and radiates into the home. It also needs to be cleaned and inspected regularly.
While many home maintenance tasks are good candidates for handy homeowners, cleaning and maintaining your chimney isn't one of them. What do-it-yourselfers may not know is that there are sometimes thin layers of flammable material building up inside your flue or cracks that it would take professional equipment to detect.
According to the National Fire Protection Agency’s criteria, a Level 1 or general chimney inspection should be conducted by a certified chimney sweep, who can confirm the structure is sound and free of blockages or flammable deposits like creosote.
Did you know the National Fire Protection Association recommends having your fireplace, chimney and vents inspected once a year? Doing so in advance of the cold weather season will help you catch potential problems before they start.
If you have a fireplace that uses gas logs, it is a good idea to clean them once a month with a soft-bristle brush, making sure they are completely cooled before cleaning.
The Chimney Sweep Institute of America is the standard for sweeps training in the US. Certified sweeps are trained in cleaning and repairing chimneys and vents. You know your chimney's in good hands when you trust a CSIA trained professional.
Today’s chimney sweep brush is nothing like those of the past. Modern brushes come in flexible sections, so that the sweep can add a new section as needed while pushing the brush head up and down the chimney to dislodge stuck-on soot and debris.
Creosote and soot come from unburned residue from incomplete combustion. But creosote is not issue you should be aware of. If you don’t have a rain cover on your chimney, birds, dirt, and other contaminates could get into your chimney.
The National Fire Protection Association Standard 211 states that, "Chimneys, fireplaces, and vents shall be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits, and correct clearances." A professional chimney sweep can do all this and more.
Regular chimney cleaning can increase your chimney’s overall efficiency. In fact, having your chimney cleaned annually can ensure the proper burning of fuels and help make sure that your home is heated more effectively. Chimney sweeping also removes unpleasant odors that may have built up as a result of accumulated dust, soot, and debris.
Today’s chimney sweep brush is nothing like those of the past. Modern brushes come in flexible sections, so that the sweep can add a new section as needed while pushing the brush head up and down the chimney to dislodge stuck-on soot and debris.
Creosote and soot come from unburned residue from incomplete combustion. But creosote is not issue you should be aware of. If you don’t have a rain cover on your chimney, birds, dirt, and other contaminates could get into your chimney.
Is it possible to prevent the formation of creosote on the inside of chimneys? Unfortunately no. If you burn wood, creosote will gradually accumulate in the chimney column. You can however reduce the amount of creosote produced by sticking with dry seasoned wood for your fireplace.
The National Fire Protection Association Standard 211 states that, "Chimneys, fireplaces, and vents shall be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits, and correct clearances." A professional chimney sweep can do all this and more.
Regular chimney cleaning can increase your chimney’s overall efficiency. In fact, having your chimney cleaned annually can ensure the proper burning of fuels and help make sure that your home is heated more effectively. Chimney sweeping also removes unpleasant odors that may have built up as a result of accumulated dust, soot, and debris.
Today’s chimney sweep brush is nothing like those of the past. Modern brushes come in flexible sections, so that the sweep can add a new section as needed while pushing the brush head up and down the chimney to dislodge stuck-on soot and debris.
Creosote and soot come from unburned residue from incomplete combustion. But creosote is not issue you should be aware of. If you don’t have a rain cover on your chimney, birds, dirt, and other contaminates could get into your chimney.
