Do you ever get up in the middle of the night to revive your fireplace and then paranoia hits you for a split second because apparently, you haven’t been able to do a chimney sweep for over a year? To keep your chimney working perfectly throughout the winters and away from any damage that could put your entire house at risk, follow some of the tips mentioned below.
Annual Chimney Inspection
To keep your chimney free of obstacles like soot and moisture, invite a chimney inspector into your house for inspection. Ask him to observe the interior as well as the exterior and in case he founds out any bird nests or a pile of dirt, gears him up for a chimney sweep. Once you get done with it, look out for other obstructions that could start a fire and get them checked.
Make Sure Its Airy
Branches can be ruthless sometimes; they often get entangled with the top of a chimney which causes a lot of trouble to exit the smoke. Get the top of the chimney clear of any overhanging branches or ivy.
A Chimney Cap
If you don’t have a chimney cap then you should seriously think about getting one. A chimney cap plays the role of a shield and its only job is to protect the chimney from foreign bodies, mostly including dust, birds, raccoons, leaves, squirrels and garbage which could get in the way of flue gases that reside in the chimney. If you don’t buy it, get ready for chimney contractors visiting your house every now and then to get a well-operated chimney sweep!
Use the Right Firewood
Here is a piece of advice by chimney contractors and we totally agree with it! Always dry out the hard firewood before using for 6 months at least. It will allow the moisture to evaporate hence providing zero chances of house structure damage. Cut Christmas trees or painted scrap lumber totally off your list and go for solid hardwood!
Screens or Doors
Erratic fire sparks might be seen shooting out of the fireplace once you light up the hardwood. These sparks can burn your furniture and other house apparel and to protect it, we recommend you to use glass doors or screens. Make sure the glass doors aren’t closed when the fire is burning, because the smoke will invade your entire house eventually leading you and your folks to health problems.
Smoke Detectors
A very important step towards your safety is the installation of smoke detectors on every single ceiling. Smoke and carbon monoxide can easily be detected through this detector and of course ceiling is the best option to install it because floor is not a convenient option.
Liquid Free Light
If you light up the fire using liquid fire starters including lighter fluid, gasoline, charcoal grill lighter and any other, there is a good chance that these fluids will leave residues at your fireplace and more importantly, they will ignite chimney fire which can practically blow your house down.
The Chimney Structure
The mortar responsible for the making of top of the chimney must always be in a good shape. The chimney must be 2 feet above the point where it exits the roof. The chimney crown must have no cracks and the flue liner must always be visible above the crown. The flashing of chimney must be perfectly tight so that you don’t have to deal with moisture practically ruining your home structure.
Choose the Right Chimney Company
Always do your homework before jumping onto conclusions and eventually weeping over a ton of money spent on the wrong option. Bad decisions can be pretty devastating, people usually end up with a chimney that is leaned to a side or doesn’t have enough space for the smoke to exit from the roof. Search and find the right company for your annual chimney inspection or repair.
If you follow these tips before getting on with the lovely dinner you planned with your family by the fireplace, you will not have to face a single problem from our end. These incredible tips, if followed properly, can help your chimney last longer than you could possibly imagine and suppose if things don’t turn out quite as much, then contact a chimney contractor columbia md to get your problem solved right away!
