fireplace inspection

Your Fireplace? Prevent Problems With Regular Fireplace Inspections!

Many homeowners love their fireplaces … yet are unaware of their risks if not properly kept up. More than 25,000 house fires in chimneys and fireplaces happen every year in the U.S.

Most of these blazes are (caused by|linked to} creosote buildup (from burning wood) or flue blockages. Nearly all could be avoided by a fireplace inspection and cleaning – an investment whose return can’t be calculated in just dollars and cents.

A fireplace and chimney inspection typically takes two hours, tops. It’s a detailed process of several steps. Hiring an experienced company such as Butler Chimneys, a veteran fireplace and chimney cleaner in CITY, STATE, ensures the job is done right.

The process starts with a visual examination of the fireplace, flue and chimney, to determine if cleaning is required. If so, a specialized cleaning procedure employing flexible rods, a drill and whip head is used to aggressively remove creosote deposits from the surface of the flue system.

A video scan of the fireplace, and into the flue, can show structural cracks and gaps connected with a multitude of factors – the worst being a hostile chimney fire. These voids, or patches of missing mortar, are spots where smoke and dangerous creosote can escape the flue system – an unwanted situation in any home.

Are other appliances venting into the chimney? A chimney inspection identifies if they are and, if so, functioning correctly. In the attic, an inspector will look for structural gaps that can allow deadly carbon monoxide into a home. They will also check for proper clearance from flammable materials such as wood joists or faced insulation.

A fireplace and chimney inspection finishes on the roof. Parts of the rooftop chimney structure – caps, rain guards, flashing, tiles or bricks – are checked for structural integrity, and potential for water penetration into a home.

All are barriers against the outdoor elements. Flaws such as a crack in the crown can permit water seepage. If interior-exterior joints aren’t sealed, water can collect and freeze, or soak into drywall. Ten years of hairline cracks can leak enough water to topple the top 15 courses of brick on a chimney.

Routine fireplace and chimney inspections are about more than preventing fires. They also detect deterioration in the fireplace system and connecting structure. Early diagnosis helps avert costlier repairs later on.

Wisconsin’s weather doesn’t help. In winter, cold flue tiles are continually exposed to heat from fires, potentially causing) stress cracks. A fireplace inspection closely {examines the flue system to ensure tiles are correctly aligned, with no voids or imperfections. Creosote often lurks in the chamber beyond, making it critical that heat be channeled properly.

Similarly, the brick structure of the smoke chamber should have a refractory coating to keep smoke moving along and out. Masonry voids here can allow smoke and embers to leak into places they’re not welcome, leading to a high risk of structure fires.

Annual fireplace inspection and cleaning is advised by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), especially for homes with wood-burning appliances. Late spring is ideal. If needed repairs are spotted, the weather is usually cooperative to get them done … and to beat the fall rush.

Be sure to have your fireplace and chimney inspected (and maintained) by a qualified fireplace cleaning and inspection company such as Butler Chimneys. All its personnel are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). Ongoing training prepares them for any challenge.

Ready to take a huge step for safety and fireplace performance? Contact Butler Chimneys to plan a chimney and fireplace inspection and cleaning. A fireplace is easy to love – and even more so when one doesn’t have to fear risks or dangers.