The Roof Is On Fire

Posted on September 26, 2012 by Joshua

The last, dead leaf had fallen off of the oak tree just two weeks ago. It was officially winter. No snow, just bitter cold and overcast skies. Fortunately for us, we had kindled a blazing fire to stave off the chill. Just as I was about to leave for work that evening there was a frantic pounding on the door. My dad opened the door to find our neighbor standing there with a wild but urgent look in her eyes. “YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE!!!” she screamed. To which dad replied “no it’s not”. After sufficient proof had been given (flames billowing out of the chimney), dad was convinced.

The wail of the fire engines coming down the street was like the singing of angels. We had quit the building 5 minutes prior to their arrival. Men poured out of the vehicles, unwinding hoses and attaching them to their proper places. Soon streams of countless gallons of water were directed toward the chimney cap causing a pillar of smoke and steam to rise into the cold, November sky.

The aftermath of the event left the house smelling like smoke for weeks. Water had mixed with the soot and was all over the living room floor. We were lucky the house hadn’t burned down however all this could have been avoided had we paid attention to the creosote build up in the chimney

Creosote comes in many forms. In its initial stage, it is flaky and easily removed from the chimney with a bit of light sweeping. The second stage is a hard, brittle substance that adheres to the walls of the chimney a little more tenaciously requiring more effort in its removal. The final stage is worst of all. The creosote is now baked onto the wall of the chimney and is hard and shiny, not too dissimilar from coal.

A chimney fire can be ignited by an average fire of about 1000º F. When ignited at its final stage, the creosote burns long and hot (up to but not limited to 2000º F) and is very difficult to extinguish. The best way to avoid this is to have a licensed professional inspect your chimney every year to ensure that it is safe to burn.

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What To Consider Before Hiring A Chimney Sweep

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Joshua

OK so you’ve got a raccoon in your chimney…first and most importantly DO NOT send your three year old down there to ask it to leave. FIRST…make sure the child is tightly secured to a rope before lowering him or her down into the chimney. We kid, of course but honestly before you go about hiring a service to come and solve a problem like an animal infestation or something as simple as soot and creosote buildup it’s important to consider a few things.

First, you’ll want to make sure that the company or individual you’re looking into has the “cred” to get the job done and done well. Because of the increases in wood burning stoves and fireplaces in homes (back in the 70’s and 80’s) there has been an increase in the demand for folks like us and unfortunately, an increase in the amount of bogus chimney sweep operations out there. Most sweep companies are associated with national trade associations with guidelines for training and services and any individual sweepers can receive certification through local fire safety training centers. In any event best to give them your own personal before proceeding with hiring one. Capice?

Another practical concern is the availability of such noble fellows like us. We are pretty slammed come early October as folks want to be prepared to have fires in front of the Christmas tree….blah blah blah. You might want to schedule a chimney inspection and cleaning in early-mid September and beat the rush…..as it were.

Other warning signs and things to consider are: INSURANCE! Make sure the company is insured both their workers and their vehicles. Hey we’re human…..accidents happen. Also if a company is touting “free inspections” be suspicious. Most likely they’ll magically find something wrong and also the company inspecting your chimney holds the liability so there is going to be a cost to you regardless. There is no such thing as a free (lunch) chimney inspection.

Most of all….go with your gut. Hey you’re smart right? Talk to your friends, family and neighbors. Word of mouth advertising is the best kind of marketing a company can hope for. Don’t over think something you can figure out on your own!

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Dealing With Your Fireplace During the Summer

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Joshua

A fireplace does many help to any home during the winter. If you do not have one, you will experience extremely cold nights which will make you really uncomfortable. You will have nothing to fight the low temperatures. That is why it is very important that you have one at home. Fireplaces have many roles during the occurrence of the cold weather but what will you do to your fireplace during summertime? During the summer season, it is best to spend your time maintaining and restoring your fireplace for the next time you will need to use it. Here are some of the things you can do.

Fireplaces are inactive during the summer and that is why it is best to deal with them during that time of the year. The first thing you can do is to get your chimney checked by chimney inspectors. They can go through your chimney and see whether there are things which need to be fixed. Having cracks and damages in your chimney is very dangerous. That is why it is very important that you have professionals to check on your unit. If they see damages, it will be very good if you call an expert who can help your repair your chimney as soon as possible. Another thing you should do is to make sure that your fireplace damper is closed to avoid problems in the future. Hiring a chimney sweep to clean your chimney is also important. It is not a task which can easily be performed. You can meet many dangers throughout the process. Chimney sweeps can help you remove all the creosote and soot build-up which has accumulated due to your regular fireplace usage. Also, they have the appropriate equipment for the chimney cleaning. But before you hire a chimney sweep, you must make sure that the person you are going to hire is insured, legitimate and is qualified for the job. Lastly, during the summer, you can try decorating your fireplace and turn it into a place which can be one of the main attractions in your home.

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Avoiding Fireplace Hazards

Posted on September 3, 2012 by Joshua

Having your own home is really convenient. You get the chance to decorate your own place. You also get to set your own rules unlike when you are only renting an apartment, condominium or a bachelor’s pad. You have to follow the rules set by the management, by the caretaker or by any person who is in charge of that place. Also, you get the chance to bring anyone you want to visit your place. No one would have the right to barge in to your business. Having your own home gives you the freedom to do anything you want as long as you do not offend other people. However, having your own home requires you to have a greater sense of responsibility, as well. This premise becomes more real if you have your family living at home with you. You do not only need to think about the welfare of the house itself. You also have to think about the safety of the people living with you. That is why, it is very important that you know how to manage, monitor and maintain all the properties you have at home.

Fireplaces are very essential for every home. However, if they are not well-maintained, they can be harmful to your household. Therefore, as a home owner, you should know how to take care of it to be able to avoid fireplace hazards such as creosote and soot build-ups, having animals living in your chimney and having different forms of cracks and damages in your chimney flue. With all these facts stated, you must be able to have your chimney and your fireplace cleaned up and repaired at least once a year. Ideally, this must be done before the winter season comes. Cleaning your chimney by your own can be a little time and effort-consuming and dangerous. Fortunately, you can just hire a licensed, trained and skilled chimney sweep to deal with your problem. To be more assured with the condition of your chimney and for you to see all of the flaws and damages in your chimney, it would be best for you to hire trusted chimney inspectors to do the task for you.

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Cost of Chimney Repairs

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Joshua

Keeping your home safe is one of the best things you can offer to your family. In the world today, it is already hard to protect your family from different forms of danger. Crime rates and the number of incidents related to different kinds of accidents are still rising and your home is not exempted on this. You must always make sure that you give you best if you want your family to be fully shielded from all harms and dangers. When protecting your family, you have to spend and invest on different devices which can help you with home security. Burglars and other types of criminals can visit your place anytime they want and just take the life of one of the members of your family. You should be well-equipped and prepared all the time to prevent any unwanted incidents from happening. However, there could also be accidents which can originate from your home.

Chimney fire accidents are one of the things which can greatly endanger the life of your family. Chimneys, when not properly used, can be dangerous. One of the things which can contribute to this is creosote build-up which is brought about by the use of unseasoned wood when lighting the fireplace up. Different animals living in your chimney can be risky, too. The most dangerous problem you can have is having cracks and damages in your chimney. This does not only make your chimney smelly. This can also contribute to the formation of large chimney fires. That is why, it is very important that you have your chimney repaired as soon as you have discovered those damages, especially if the winter season is approaching. Chimney repairs can be costly but after that, you can be sure that your family can be safe. Chimney replacement and rebuilding can cost you a thousand dollars and up. Other companies who offer such service can even ask for up to $3000. Just make sure that you hire professionals and experienced people to do the job for you to ensure the safety of your family and the efficiency of your fireplace. Never settle for those who offer cheap rates but will only give you unsatisfactory service.

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Guide to Hiring Chimney Sweepers

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Joshua

Having a fireplace at home gives you the privilege of feeling warm and cozy during the winter. It also acts as a gathering place for your family while relaxing from a long day. If you have one at home, you can be sure that you will have some quality bonding time with your loved ones, especially when the weather starts to turn colder. On the flip side, there are many problems that can lead to dangerous circumstances with a fireplace in your home. One of the things that you must do if you have a fireplace is to see to it that it is clean and that it is performing well. To make sure that your chimney is clean is to make sure that your home is safe. That is why getting a chimney sweep to inspect your chimney is of the utmost importance. However, when hiring a chimney sweep, there are many things that you have to consider.

When getting a chimney sweep, make sure that they are licensed to do the job at hand. Make sure that they can provide with some references of work they have done. You do not want the money you are spending to go to waste. Also, make sure they are listed with the state of better business bureau, and check out their reviews. Also, ask them if they have business liability insurance. You do not want your belongings to get damaged only to find out that they will never be replaced.

Also, always check with the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) to see if they are certified in their trade. The CSIA recommends that you do an annual inspection of your chimney.  Another question to ask is how long they have been doing business. Training may be a good sign, but experience can be just as important.  Lastly, ask for their rates. Compare them to others and see whether the price they are offering seems too good to be true or if they are overpricing. When it comes to dangers such as a fire destroying your home, or carbon monoxide poisoning, you don’t want to skimp on finding a qualified chimney sweep for your home inspection.

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Cleaning Your Gas Fireplace

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Joshua

A lot of people find it easier to own a gas fireplace rather than wood fireplaces. There are many reasons why it is more convenient. The latter sends a lot of ashes that can be very dangerous. Gas fireplaces only require a minimal fire from any source so it can function properly. They are also easier to maintain. You do not have to worry about the ashes that might come into your house. It releases nothing but smoke. You do not have to clean the ashes that might fall while it is burning. In line with this, there are standards that you have to do before saying that your gas fireplace is functioning well. One of these is keeping it clean.

Your fist option in cleaning the place is to call a professional to take over the entire work. They know what is best for your fireplace. This will be easy for you because all you have to do is to show them the way to your place. They will do everything right. Some governments have their own agencies for these special types of people. However, that will be costly and will take a lot from your time. You have another option and that is to clean the fireplace yourself. This will not take a lot of time. You only have to put on the right suit first. The elements that you are going to deal with may be dangerous for your health. Always wear a gas mask that will protect you from inhaling the smallest debris that may be found in the fireplace. Also use heavy duty gloves so that you will not have blisters when you accidentally touch some harmful materials. Always see to it that there is no debris that will be left. These are very dangerous if they are left in that kind of situation. See to it that you go through the entire chimney so that you will see if there are other foreign materials that were trapped in it. Yes, chimneys are not included as main parts of the fireplace but they are still important because they are directly connected to the fireplace.

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Chimney Safety Essentials

Posted on August 5, 2012 by Joshua

You will not like it once your chimney falls short of its function. Its duty of taking smoke from the fireplace to the surrounding area and not to areas inside the house is really an important and a big task.  A really unexpected event may take place when this happens. Your entire house may even explode due to chimney malfunctions. Houses that are put down into ashes are most likely a product of chimney fires. Avoid this by knowing the safety essentials you should do for your chimney. Here are a few simple tips for you to eliminate this problem.

Never lose communication with the people educated in maintaining the chimney. They will be your last and most valuable resorts when you know that all else will fail. You can also use them to check your chimney and know its current state. They can go through the chimney to inspect whether your chimney still has strong walls. They can also find out whether it is still vulnerable to sets of smokes coming from the fireplace. Another important thing to recognize is the piling up of the most dangerous carbon present in the homes of people – the creosotes. These are the leading reasons why a chimney fire will occur. Clean these up before things get worse. You can contact a really tough neighbor for this job if you think you cannot do it by yourself. Some other employment companies offer these kinds of people and you may contact these professionals through them. Before entering the chimney, always make sure that you are wearing the right attire. Do not just go there without any protective suit. Wear a mask to protect yourself from the foreign materials that may enter your body and may affect your health. Also, put your appliances away from the fireplace. Although the fireplace is no longer a part of the chimney, it is still important to take proper care of it. Appliances may cause sparks and may light up the entire house.  When a chimney fire occurs, call the fire department immediately for help. Saveyou’re your loved ones first before saving material things.

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Chimney Liner: Masonry Or Metal?

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Joshua

There are things that you should take note of when you are trying to build your chimney. From the very start, you have to list down all the possible things that will comprise your chimney. It is important to take note of the best materials that may help prolong the life of your chimney. Consulting to different sets of professionals will help you do the work. You can also search by yourself. A lot of resources are present on the books in the library and even online. There is a lot of information you can use to arrive at the sturdiest chimney. Use this to be able to get what you really want.  Play with the combinations that are available for you.

Professionals agree that two of the best materials to use for a chimney are stainless steel and the old clay that households normally use. It is good to weigh their advantages and disadvantages first before even trying to make your chimney. According to Golden Flue, there are some known agencies in this field suggests that stainless steel proves to be a better material than the old clay. Putting it as a liner will help greatly as an insulator and not a conductor. It can shield the entire chimney so that it will not easily collapse. There are still no known disadvantages of using stainless steel for liners in the chimney. The disadvantage of old clay used by a lot of previous household is that it can be a great absorber of heat or cold. Thus, it will be vulnerable to cracks. It may break down easily if weather changes from time to time. Its advantage, on the other hand, is that it is cheaper and it is tested to be effective. It can also fit the design of the chimney so well. Its color will blend in with the bricks that were used to build the entire chimney. You can further consult specialists for this matter. You can always contact them. Some are offered at government agencies and some of these will charge you nothing, not even a single penny.

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Check Chimney Caps Regularly

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Joshua

Chimney caps are really important. They serve as protection to your chimneys. Without them, water would be able to enter your chimney. Its performance could deteriorate. It can even create damages which would eventually lead to the destruction of your chimney. If this happens, you would be forced to give it up and spend money for its replacement. Also, chimney caps are great for protecting your chimney against animals which like to live inside them. Having them living inside them is not the only problem. Another is strategizing how to remove them from there. That is not an easy job. If it is just possible to make them live in there, it would be okay. However, you really have to remove them from that place because you will be using your chimney and when you do so, you have to create a fire. As soon as they inhale and get suffocated with the smoke, they would die easily.

Those are just the reasons why chimney caps are important. They are very beneficial. In line with that, you should also be able to check your chimney caps regularly. Always see to it that your chimney caps are still present. There could be instances when strong winds and other external factors would displace and damage your chimney cap. That is why it is always important to seal your chimney cap in there so you can avoid unwanted instances from taking place. Also, make sure that they are not rusting. They might not be able to do their job well if they are already rusting. They can also produce chemical reactions which could be harmful. If this is the case, replace your chimney cap immediately to avoid accidents. Lastly, make sure that your chimney caps are clean and unclogged by creosotes. Clean it as regular as you can, depending upon the frequency of your usage. Remove all those materials which hinder it from doing its purpose. Also, if you are unable to remove all those creosote, chimney fires may take place without your knowing. Chimney caps can offer you great help but still, you have to do your job to make them long-lasting.

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