Everyone knows that after a cold spell, they should make plans for chimney cleaning. You don’t have to d it immediately after winter, but you certainly should not wait until the next on is near. Many people make the mistake of leaving it until just before cold season starts. Often they find that creates a difficult situation. Here are some good reasons why you should not wait until cold weather reaches your area before making a service call.
Reduce the Risk of Fires
When you are done using your chimney for the winter, what you have in your home is an actual fire hazard. The gases produced by wood burning leaves creosote deposits in the chimney. This could be set alight the next time you get a fire going in the fireplace. Fires can also be caused by debris that has fallen into the chimney, or birds’ nests.
Protect Your Flue
One reason for the regular inspection and cleaning of the chimney is to safeguard the flue. Poor maintenance can significantly affect the performance of this piece of equipment. Sometimes moisture gets trapped under the creosote deposited on the flue. This will lead to corrosion, and prevent the flue from opening or closing properly. If heat escapes through the flue when you are not using the fireplace, your heating bills could rise. If it fails to open fully when you use the fireplace, dangerous fumes could fill the home.
Better Heating
A clean chimney vents smoke and gases, and this helps the fire to burn better. This provides more efficient heating, with less smoke. A hotter fire makes the wood burn properly, so you will make better use of your fuel.
Dealing with Damage
If your chimney inspection takes place early enough you can deal with damage such as cracks or a rusting flue. You will not know what is happening inside the structure unless without the help of a technician. It is unwise to use the chimney before carrying out repairs, so get this out of the way before next winter.
You will no doubt be busy with a variety of home maintenance jobs before the cold season starts. Your chimney should be a priority, so you don’t have a problem when the weather is too bad to do any repair work.
Give us a call at 610-626-2439 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. Our chimney experts at Lou Curley’s Chimney service are CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America) Certified. You’re sure to get the best quality care when you call us for a consultation, chimney inspection, chimney cleaning, or chimney repair.