Fires are beautiful, relaxing, and they add a wonderful ambiance to that one room in your home. Oh, and they keep you toasty warm too! Did you know that you need to have your chimney cleaned and inspected every year? Did you know that the best time to do that is before you light your first fire of the season?
Here are 5 reasons why you should schedule your chimney repair, cleaning, and inspection before your light that first fire:
Fire
We are not talking about the fire in your fireplace, but the fire that can start from too much creosote or debris inside your chimney. You may think that your chimney is clean, but it can be hard to tell exactly how much creosote is inside. Plus, it is almost impossible to know if a cute little animal built their home somewhere in your chimney.
Safety
Safety is very important when it comes to using your chimney and a chimney professional can let you know if your flue, damper system, or anything else is posing a safety risk. This damage can be easily repaired to prevent major destruction in the future.
Deterioration
Moisture and an abundance of soot can cause certain surfaces to deteriorate over time. This deterioration may cause the chimney to collapse over time.
Efficiency
The whole point of lighting a fire is to keep your house warm, but if your chimney is not working properly, you’re going to be cold. Besides not being warm, an inefficient chimney can cause smoke to billow into your home along with harmful gases. There is nothing worse than having soot all over your walls and furniture. Trust us, we’ve seen it and it’s not pretty or easy to clean!
Insurance
Many insurance companies are now requiring homeowners to clean their chimneys at least once a year. If your chimney happens to catch on fire and you do not have proof that it has been cleaned within the last year, the insurance company may not cover the damage that incurred.
Having a chimney cleaned is not at the top of anyone’s list, but it is something that we recommend that you have done before the cooler temperatures arrive. We want you and your family to be safe as you light that first fire of the season and the numerous others in the months to follow.
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.