Chimneys the part of the house you have to have and probably one of the more important parts that should be working properly. If you have regular maintenance and inspections of your chimney you can catch small problems and take care of them before they turn into big problems that are costly. Preventative care is one of the better choices when it comes to protecting your home though, and with the proper preventative care for your chimney you can potentially avoid issues all together.
Below you will find a short and to the point list of the top four small steps you can take to protect your chimney.
- Keep that chimney clean – By maintaining a clean and debris free chimney you lower the risk of chimney related fire occurrences. A clean chimney will also decrease your chances of falling victim to carbon monoxide poisoning due to debris and dirt blocking the ventilation.
- Reline your chimney – You may not have even realized this was a thing, but I assure you it is. Your chimney liner is meant to prevent your chimney from catching fire as well as keep toxic gases flowing through the chimney and out into the air rather than getting back into your home. These two reasons should be enough to make you want to either repair your current liner or completely replace it just to be on the safe side.
- Chimney Cap – These handy little caps will help keep rain water as well as wandering critters out of your chimney thus preventing a whole other host of problems related to each. You could also opt for an energy saving top-sealing damper as well.
- Brick and Mortar – chimneys are often made from bricks or stones and mortar of some form or another. Mortar is naturally vulnerable to water damage and should be inspected and maintained regularly. You could do this by having your chimney professionally waterproofed; it will help to keep your chimney from absorbing the water from the weather.
It is highly recommended you seek the opinion and assistance of a CSIA Certified chimney professional for all your chimney repair, replacement, and inspection needs rather than do them yourself. A professional chimney sweep, like the ones here at Lou Curley’s Chimney Service, knows exactly what to look for to avoid major problems. Not to mention hiring us saves you from having to climb on top of your home and risk injury.
Give us a call at 610-626-2439 if you would like to schedule your post-winter chimney inspection and cleaning now that we’re facing warmer spring weather. We’ll ensure that your chimney and flue weren’t damaged over the course of the winter. We can also discuss weatherproofing measures that will continue to protect your chimney through the upcoming spring showers and summertime thunderstorms.