fireplace inspection
Your Fireplace? Avoid Problems With Routine Fireplace Inspections!
Many homeowners love their fireplaces … yet are oblivious of their risks if not properly kept up. More than 25,000 house fires in chimneys and fireplaces happen annually in the U.S.
Most of these blazes are (caused by|linked to} creosote accumulation (from burning wood) or flue obstructions. Nearly all could be prevented by a fireplace inspection and cleaning – an investment whose return can’t be assessed in just dollars and cents.
A fireplace and chimney inspection generally takes two hours, tops. It’s a detailed process of several steps. Hiring an experienced company such as Butler Chimneys, a veteran fireplace and chimney cleaner in CITY, STATE, ensures the job is done correctly.
The process starts with a visual examination of the fireplace, flue and chimney, to determine if cleaning is needed. If so, a specialized cleaning procedure 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 expose structural cracks and gaps connected with a range of factors – the worst being a hostile chimney fire. These voids, or patches of missing mortar, are spots 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 determines if they are and, if so, operating properly. In the attic, an inspector will seek out structural voids that can allow deadly carbon monoxide into a home. They will also check for proper clearance from combustible materials such as wood joists or faced insulation.
A fireplace and chimney inspection finishes 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. Shortcomings such as a crack in the crown can permit water seepage. If interior-exterior joints aren’t sealed, water can gather and freeze, or soak into drywall. Ten years of hairline cracks can leak enough water to topple the top 15 courses of brick on a chimney.
Regular fireplace and chimney inspections are about more than avoiding fires. They also catch deterioration in the fireplace system and connecting structure. Early detection helps avert costlier repairs down the road.
Wisconsin’s weather doesn’t help. In winter, cold flue tiles are continually exposed to heat from fires, potentially causing) stress cracks. A fireplace inspection closely {examines the flue system to ensure tiles are properly aligned, with no voids or imperfections. Creosote often waits in the chamber beyond, making it critical that heat be channeled properly.
Similarly, the brick structure of the smoke chamber should have a refractory layer to keep smoke moving along and out. Masonry voids here can allow smoke and embers to escape 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 necessary repairs are discovered, the weather is usually cooperative 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 professionals are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). Ongoing training prepares them for any challenge.
Ready to take a huge step for safety and fireplace performance? Contact Butler Chimneys to book a chimney and fireplace inspection and cleaning. A fireplace is easy to love – and even more so when one doesn’t have to be concerned about risks or dangers.