There’s something grand about buying a new home. When you finally get to moving into the house of your dreams, you will have a sense of euphoria for sure. However, before you settle in for too long, consider the fireplaces. If you have at least one fireplace, make sure that you take time to look at a few considerations about this, mainly in regards to maintenance, longevity, and property value. This is especially true if you’re going to have an external chimney that is made of brick and carries up towards the roof.
The Lining (Inspection)
As you move into the home, schedule an appointment with me at Lou Curley’s chimney sweeping service. I will look at the lining that you have in place, and see whether or not it needs cleaning, or replacement. You will find that the lining is one of the most neglected parts of many fireplaces. If you do not inspect this and you just start a fire, you may find that the debris, and elements that are left behind from previous owners could combust. It could also cause smoke, fumes, and so much more. An inspection can help you not only replace things, but also clean and give you a bit of peace of mind.
Chimney Damper Repair
One of the most important elements of your fireplace is that of the damper. This will allow you to keep heat in whenever you are not burning a fire at all. If you aren’t moving forward with burning any wood or synthetic logs, you will want to ensure that the heat in your home isn’t escaping. If you do not consider your damper, you could end up losing a lot of heat, and spending more money on your power bills. Heating can cost you an arm and a leg, and it’s important to not pay more when this can be easily fixed. Damper repair, replacement, and an inspection are easy things to consider when you purchase your home to ensure that you have quality elements in place for value and safety.
Masonry or Brick Repair
When you purchase a home or you live in a home for some time, you may not climb on your roof and look for loose bricks or issues. Brick repair is important as far as your chimney is concerned, as well as flashing, waterproofing, and other elements. You do not want the masonry and bricks to rot or get loose. If they break apart, or start getting soft, you could have exterior damage that could end up causing a problem in the interior as well. Don’t risk this, make sure that you call a service to not only inspect, but also repair issues with a good sealant, new bricks, and perhaps even a new chimney setup.
Call a Certified Chimney Sweep
These are a few things that you should consider when purchasing a home that has a fireplace. Without doing a little due diligence, you might run into problems with your chimney. Even if you aren’t going to use your fireplace often, it’s imperative that you get an inspection and consider whether or not there’s issues with the lining, bricks, damper, and much more. It’s a simple thing that you can check and ensure that you are not going to run into problems down the line. The last thing you want to deal with is issues related to your chimney, fireplace, or roofing around it. When those things get really bad, the cost of repair skyrockets, so to avoid that, get an inspection every six months or so to ensure that you do not deal with a variety of common issues. Call me at 610-626-2439 to discuss your chimney issues or to schedule a consultation.