Fall Chimney Preparation
Finally, fall is here! The weather is cooling, colors changing, and maybe you’re getting an itch to light up your fireplace and with a nice hot cup of tea. Before you get that first fire of the season, take time to complete the necessary cleaning and safety steps to keep your home healthy. The National Fire Protection Association of America recommends an annual chimney inspection and fall chimney cleaning to remove dangerous creosote buildup before any fires are lit.
Chimney Preparation Steps
During the fall and winter, the build-up of ash and soot coat the walls of a chimney. The build-up sits in the chimney during warmer months and more dirt, pests, and storm debris can collect during inactive months, reaching hazardous levels when fall rolls around.
Chimney Inspection
A professional chimney sweep will check your chimney for cracks or damages that may have occurred due to harsh weather conditions and for creosote build-up that could lead to a house fire. A fall chimney inspection is the best time of year to guarantee fireplace safety for the winter season.
Chimney Cleaning
A certified technician will come to your home and prepare a work area to cover any exposed areas of your home to deter mess during the cleaning process. All technicians use state of the art equipment to capture soot release before it enters your home during the sweep of your chimney. The sweep starts from the roof where a technician will remove harmful toxins from the damper, chamber, and flue. The process usually takes two-hours and home-owners will never see a trace of soot from the cleaning. Fall chimney cleanings only need to be done annually, are affordable, and make home-heating safe for your family.
Chimney Cap Inspection
A damaged chimney cap can cause homeowners thousands of dollars in chimney repairs. Chimney caps are important to the safety of your home by preventing animals from entering your chimney, keeping rain and snow from entering your home, and stopping lit embers from exiting your chimney and landing on your roof. A mortar crown is what attaches your cap securely to the chimney top, insecure mortar crowns will need to be repaired in order to properly protect your chimney.
Address Needed Repairs
Chimney and chimney cap repairs are affordable and prevent larger repair costs or worse safety costs later on. Addressing repairs after the summer season is the best way to prepare your fireplace for winter.
