fireplace inspection
Your Fireplace? Avoid Problems With Regular Fireplace Inspections!
Many homeowners value their fireplaces … yet are ignorant 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 blazes are (caused by|linked to} creosote accumulation (from burning wood) or flue blockages. Nearly all could be avoided by a fireplace inspection and cleaning – an investment whose ROI can’t be measured in just dollars and cents.
A fireplace and chimney inspection usually 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, makes certain the job is done right.
The process opens with a visual examination of the fireplace, flue and chimney, to determine if cleaning is required. If so, a specialized cleaning procedure employing 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 caused by a variety of factors – the worst being a hostile chimney fire. These voids, or sections of missing mortar, are areas where smoke and hazardous creosote can leak from the flue system – an unwanted situation in any home.
Are other appliances venting into the chimney? A chimney inspection finds if they are and, if so, working correctly. 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 combustible 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 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 allow in enough water to topple the top 15 courses of brick on a chimney.
Routine fireplace and chimney inspections are about more than averting fires. They also catch deterioration in the fireplace system and connecting structure. Early detection helps avoid costlier repairs in the future.
Wisconsin’s climate doesn’t help. In winter, cold flue tiles are continually assaulted by heat from fires, looks at the flue system to ensure tiles are correctly aligned, with no voids or imperfections. Creosote often lurks in the chamber beyond, making it imperative that heat be channeled properly.
Similarly, the brick structure of the smoke chamber should have a refractory covering to keep smoke moving along and out. Masonry voids here can permit 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), especially for homes with wood-burning appliances. Late spring is ideal. If needed repairs are found, 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 staff are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). Regular training prepares them for any challenge.
Ready to take a big 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 fear risks or dangers.