Lou Curley's Chimney Service in red letters with man sitting on chimney in white on the righthand side
Request An Appointment
CALL 610-626-2439

Chimney Inspection and Repair are Essential Parts of Homeownership

by | Aug 16, 2016 | Chimney Inspection

 

When you buy a house, you need to be prepared to spend the time and money necessary in order to keep it looking nice and in good working order. Certain items like chimneys need to be inspected, cleaned or repaired, so that they continue to work when you need them to. If you do not do any preventative maintenance on your chimney, you are taking a risk when it comes to the safety of your family.

Here are 5 reasons why chimney inspections and repairs are necessary:

  1. If there is any creosote built up inside your chimney, it can cause a chimney fire or house fire that will spread very quickly.
  2. A small animal may have found its way into your chimney and got stuck and you will not be aware of it until you have the chimney cleaned. Any objects that obstruct the chimney can block air flow. If the air cannot get through the chimney to the outside, smoke may billow back into your house when you light a fire in the fireplace.
  3. If the damper is rusted or cracked, it will need to be replaced. The rust or cracks means that it has been exposed to a lot of moisture and you will want a chimney professional to inspect the rest of the chimney for possible damage.
  4. Cracked bricks or crumbling mortar is not something that is normal for a chimney. If you see any cracks or other damage, you will need to have the chimney inspected. This damage is caused by moisture and while you might not think that it is a safety concern, it really is. A damaged chimney can tilt or collapse onto the house and cause significant damage.
  5. In order to prevent moisture from entering the chimney, you may want to consider having a chimney professional use waterproofing on the outside of your chimney. The waterproofing will assist in keeping any recent repairs safe from both water and excess moisture.

Homeownership means taking preventative measures on everything in the house, just like you would with a car or your health. Even though you might not think it is necessary to check certain things in the house, you really need to in order to ensure that your family and house is safe. Give us a call here at Lou Curley’s Chimney Service at 610-626-2439 if you would like to schedule an appointment with our CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps.