Once summer progresses closer, heating for homes is probably the last thing on the minds of homeowners. During off seasons there is a greater chance that other factors such as debris, and rainfall could have worse effects on your chimney and fireplace before the actual time to use them comes closer.
The best thing you can do with fireplaces at times when they are not in use is to schedule a time for its proper cleaning and maintenance. With professional maintenance services on a timely basis, you can ensure that you can light up your fireplace in the cold days with complete peace of mind, and ensure that your family remains safe. It also reduces the chances of risky fire outbreaks due to a poorly maintained chimney.
So how can professionals help you when it comes to chimney and fireplace maintenance?
Inspection and the Cleaning Process
With the help of professionals, you can rest assured that they will decrease the buildup of creosote. They take their time to inspect the fireplace, and check whether any part of the chimney cap is broken, and whether it requires sweeping or not. With regular repairs, proper chimney caps ensure that unwanted animals stay away, as well as other factors like rain and debris.
If you are the sort that rarely uses their chimney, then a routinely maintenance service may only require cleaning of the chimney. The cleaning process ensures that excess soot and creosote leaves the flue lining of the chimney. However, regular use of chimneys in winter days should require the sweeping method for cleaning. This includes the use
of a rotary brush with a drill, which rotates around the chimney and flue to ensure that it scours the lining of the chimney and removes any buildup of soot.
You should be aware of the fact that each time you light up a flame in your chimney, creosote will form in the chimney lining, which is highly flammable. If you ignore the time for maintenance, then sparks from your next fire could lead to fire hazard in chimney and eventually spread into your home.
What Else Do Professionals Inspect?
During the entire inspection process, professional chimney cleaners take their time to inspect the entry of water. Depending on the type of chimney you have in your home, professionals check whether water is entering the chase of the chimney. In case there is a brick that takes up a lot of water in the cold days, there are high chances that it would expand, this consequently damages the brick and chimney. On the other hand, if the firebox is a metallic one, constant water dripping could cause the buildup of rust. The job of professionals here to make sure the system operates efficiently without such problems.
Professionals also inspect the chimney top and its rain cap, which is more like a rooftop. The entire area of the top is usually spacious enough for water to get into the chimney. As a tip for homeowners, it is best that you pay attention to the smell that comes when you light up the fireplace. A good fireplace system should direct the fumes and wood burning smell up the chimney and not inside your home.
