Tuesdays Tips

 

Chimney Maintenance

With the recent cold weather here in Savannah fireplaces were in good use. There is nothing better than sitting by the fire, letting the warmth melt away the stress of a day during the cold weather. However with warmer weather right around the corner it is important not to forget about our fireplace. It is a great opportunity to put the chimney at the top of your spring home projects list. The EPA recommends that you have your chimney professionally inspected and cleaned each year or every 60 burns to remove the creosote and keep it in good working condition. This is not an easy DIY job so you may want to consider hiring a professional chimney sweep to tackle this job. This is a very physically demanding job, and a professional really knows what to look for during the inspection.

The annual cleaning and inspection is so important because unseen creosote and soot can buildup in the chimney flue and ignite causing a fire in the chimney. One chimney fire, or a series of chimney fires, can cause unseen structural damage to the chimney and can eventually cause adjacent flammable materials (joists. studs, wall paneling, roofing, wallpaper and mantel) to catch on fire. In

addition to the creosote buildup, there could be cracks or holes that have occurred since the last inspection. These cracks and holes should be repaired as the next fire you build could be dangerous. Sparks generated by the fire could go through the cracks or holes into the surrounding framework and cause a serious house fire.  During the inspection the sweep will look for signs of chimney deterioration, improper draft, blockage, and buildup of soot in the flues. This is when any recommendations will be made for repairs that are necessary for proper maintenance of your chimney.

Even if you have a gas fireplace it’s still important to have your chimney inspected. Today's natural gas systems typically burn clean. The flue rarely needs to be swept. It does however require annual inspections. During the inspection the sweep should check for any blockages in the flue as well as check the integrity of the chimney liner. Old unlined chimneys don't always hold up well to the byproducts, especially the high moisture, emitted from these high efficiency heating systems. While the rush was on to convert homes to energy conserving systems, the chimney was often overlooked.


Don’t forget to maintain the exterior of your chimney. Often vines can grow up the chimney and grow in such a way as to separate the material between the bricks causing cracks that impact not only the structure but the draft. So make sure to keep those vines off the exterior of the chimney.