fireplace inspection
Your Fireplace? Avoid Problems With Regular Fireplace Inspections!
Many homeowners love their fireplaces … yet are unaware of their hazards
if not properly kept up. More than 25,000 house fires in chimneys and fireplaces happen every year in the U.S.
Most of these fires are (caused by|linked to} creosote accrual (from burning wood) or flue obstructions. Nearly all could be avoided by a fireplace inspection and cleaning – an investment whose payback can’t be calculated in just dollars and cents.
A fireplace and chimney inspection usually takes two hours, at most. It’s a thorough process of several steps. Hiring an experienced company such as Butler Chimneys, a longtime fireplace and chimney cleaner in CITY, STATE, ensures the job is done right.
The process begins with a visual examination of the fireplace, flue and chimney, to determine if cleaning is needed. If so, a specialized cleaning technique using flexible rods, a drill and whip head is used to aggressively remove creosote deposits from the surface of the flue system.
A video scan of the fireplace, and into the flue, can show structural cracks and gaps connected with a multitude of factors – the worst being a hostile chimney fire. These voids, or patches of missing mortar, are places where smoke and dangerous creosote can escape the flue system – an unwelcome situation in any home.
Are other appliances venting into the chimney? A chimney inspection identifies if they are and, if so, functioning properly. In the attic, an inspector will seek out structural voids that can leak deadly carbon monoxide into a home. They will also check for proper clearance from flammable materials such as wood joists or faced insulation.
A fireplace and chimney inspection concludes on the roof. Elements of the rooftop chimney structure – caps, rain guards, flashing, tiles or bricks – are checked for structural integrity, and potential for water penetration into a home.
All are barriers against the outdoor elements. Deficiencies such as a crack in the crown can allow water seepage. If interior-exterior joints aren’t sealed, water can pool and freeze, or soak into drywall. Ten years of hairline cracks can leak sufficient water to topple the top 15 layers of brick on a chimney.
Planned fireplace and chimney inspections are about more than avoiding fires. They also spot deterioration in the fireplace system and connecting structure. Early diagnosis helps avert costlier repairs in the future.
Wisconsin’s climate doesn’t help. In winter, cold flue tiles are continually exposed to heat from fires, looks at the flue system to ensure tiles are correctly aligned, with no voids or imperfections. Creosote often waits in the chamber beyond, making it critical that heat be channeled properly.
Likewise, the brick structure of the smoke chamber should have a refractory covering to keep smoke moving along and out. Masonry voids here can allow smoke and embers to leak into places they’re not welcome, leading to a high risk of structure fires.
Annual fireplace inspection and cleaning is recommended by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), particularly for homes with wood-burning appliances. Late spring is ideal. If needed repairs are identified, the weather is usually manageable to get them done … and to beat the fall rush.
Be sure to have your fireplace and chimney inspected (and maintained) by a qualified fireplace cleaning and inspection company such as Butler Chimneys. All its personnel are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). Consistent training prepares them for any challenge.
Ready to take a major step for safety and fireplace performance? Contact Butler Chimneys to plan a chimney and fireplace inspection and cleaning. A fireplace is easy to love – and even more so when one doesn’t have to worry about risks or dangers.