Table Of Contents
About Us
Ceramic Pine Cones
Clean Out Doors
Email
Home
Kettles
Return Policy
|
American Chimney Sweeps Providing Quality Products And Accessories For Fireplaces!
Chimney Maintenance The proper way to have a good working fireplace is to have it inspected, and cleaned on a regular basis. You should set up a regular cleaning schedule with your local chimney sweep on a yearly or semi yearly basis. By having your chimney serviced and maintained, you will know that your chimney is in good working order for the next burning season. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! If you prefer to inspect the fireplace by yourself, first take a flashlight and look into the smoke chamber, above the damper, and see how much soot has accumulated inside this area, if you have more than an eighth of an inch of soot, it is time to clean. Also check the outside of the chimney for structural cracks, and signs of deterioration from water damage. If you notice damaged brick, a cracked flue liner or water leakage, contact a sweep in your area for an inspection, and have the repairs done. We find that after the rains have come and gone every year, the fireplace (if left un-maintained), can have water damage, (effervescence) caused by water penetrating the chimney exterior. This can be caused by water seeping through the crown, or mortar cap, or by the exterior brick being soaked from hard driving rains, or by water entering the flashing. If you have this problem, call a professional chimney sweep to evaluate the problem and have it corrected, this will save you money down the road. If your chimney does not have a rain top, or (spark arrestor), and you have a masonry chimney with a wood shake roof, it would be wise to buy a chimney cap and install it on your chimney, this will prevent your roof from catching on fire and also prevent water from entering the flue which also contributes to the inside firewall deteriorating If you have water coming in to the chimney and it is affecting the ceiling area around the fireplace, then you could possibly have a leaking flashing, and the flashing would have to be repaired or replaced to correct the problem. If you have water entering the fireplace, or floor of the firebox, then you most likely have a leaking crown, the area around the flue liner at the top of the chimney exterior. (masonry chimney's) If leaking, have the crown sealed and then water seal it to prevent further damage. Diagram For Pre-Fabricated fireplaces that have water problems, first check the chase cover on top of the chimney exterior, if you see signs of rust or holes, have it replaced, also check the cap for areas where water can penetrate, and also check the flashing. Now that fall is upon us, it is time to have your chimney inspected and cleaned. It is very important to maintain your chimney, or woodstove every year so you do not risk having a chimney fire or catching your house on fire. And for safety it is a good idea to buy smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide alarms, for your home. If you do not like to clean those ashes out of your fireplace, then take a look at our Ash-Vac and see how you can easily clean your ashes with no mess! If you are interested in obtaining a spark arrestor for your fireplace, and you don't know what size or what kind to get, send us email, and we will help you. If you need other products and accessories, we have those too, just let us know. We offer secure online ordering on our site, and we are always updating our site with new information and products. Please feel free to look around at all of the fireplace products that we carry, and please have a safe burning season. SWEEPS LUCK! Other links Answers to frequently asked questionsWhat to do when your chimney is smoking For customer service or sales please email us at customerservice@americanchimneysweeps.com or sales@americanchimneysweeps.com
|