The lazy days of summer will soon be behind us and that means that it is almost time to kick things up a notch and begin our fall chores. Yes, we know that you are not ready and we are not ready either, but these jobs are necessary if we all want to make sure that are homes are ready for the colder weather.
Here are 4 fall chores that need to be at the top of your list:
Clean Your Chimney
Cleaning your chimney is very necessary, so that you can light a fire and not have to worry about your chimney starting on fire or smoke entering your home. Oftentimes, you will not be aware if debris is stuck inside your chimney or if the creosote buildup is enough to catch on fire. Therefore, we recommend that you have your chimney cleaned and inspected once a year.
Check Your Roof
If your roof is leaking, it can cause major damage to your home. You can either climb up there on your own to check for damage or you can call a professional. If you go up on your roof, you will want to look for cracked shingles, missing shingles, and curled shingles, as well as damage to the flashing near your chimney. Any water that seeps into your home can damage your ceiling and walls and if it gets in near your chimney, your chimney can deteriorate too.
Purchase Seasoned Wood
You should only burn seasoned wood in your fireplace, so you will want to purchase it now to get the wood that has been drying the longest. We recommend that you store the wood properly, so that it does not get wet before you use it. If you are unable to purchase completely seasoned wood every year, we recommend that you store the partially seasoned wood for one year until it is dry enough to use.
Check Your Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
It is necessary to replace the batteries in these items and check them to make sure that they are working. If any of your detectors are more than a few years old, we recommend that you replace them with a newer model.
These are only four of the dozens of fall chores that we all need to do at this time every year, but they are the ones that can have devastating results if they are not taken care of.
The chimney sweeps here at Lou Curley’s Chimney Service are CSIA Certified and we have years of experience under our belts. We strive to continue our education as often as possible so we’re always in the position to offer you the best possible chimney services in Drexel Hill and all along the Main Line. Call us at 610-626-2439 to discuss your chimney needs or to schedule an appointment for a chimney cleaning, chimney inspection, or chimney repair.