fireplace inspection
Your Fireplace? Avert Problems With Routine Fireplace Inspections!
Many homeowners love their fireplaces … yet are unaware of their dangers if not properly maintained. More than 25,000 house fires in chimneys and fireplaces occur every year in the U.S.
Most of these blazes are (caused by|linked to} creosote accumulation (from burning wood) or flue obstructions. Nearly all could be prevented by a fireplace inspection and cleaning – an investment whose ROI can’t be calculated in just dollars and cents.
A fireplace and chimney inspection typically takes two hours, at most. It’s a thorough process of several steps. Hiring an experienced company such as Butler Chimneys, a longtime fireplace and chimney cleaner in CITY, STATE, ensures the job is done correctly.
The process begins with a visual inspection of the fireplace, flue and chimney, to determine if cleaning is required. If so, a specialized cleaning technique using 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 divulge structural cracks and gaps caused by a range 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 uninvited situation in any home.
Are other appliances venting into the chimney? A chimney inspection identifies if they are and, if so, operating properly. In the attic, an inspector will seek out structural voids that can allow deadly carbon monoxide into a home. They will also check for proper clearance from combustible materials such as wood joists or faced insulation.
A fireplace and chimney inspection finishes on the roof. Elements of the rooftop chimney structure – caps, rain guards, flashing, tiles or bricks – are analyzed for structural integrity, and potential for water penetration into a home.
All are barriers against the outdoor elements. Deficiencies such as a crack in the crown can allow water seepage. If interior-exterior joints aren’t sealed, water can gather 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.
Planned fireplace and chimney inspections are about more than preventing fires. They also catch deterioration in the fireplace system and connecting structure. Early diagnosis helps avert costlier repairs down the road.
Wisconsin’s climate doesn’t help. In winter, cold flue tiles are continually exposed to heat from fires, looks at the flue system to ensure tiles are properly 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 gaps 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), particularly for homes with wood-burning appliances. Late spring is ideal. If necessary repairs are spotted, the weather is usually manageable 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). Consistent training prepares them for any challenge.
Ready to take a big step for safety and fireplace performance? Contact Butler Chimneys to book a chimney and fireplace inspection and cleaning. A fireplace is easy to love – and even more so when one doesn’t have to be concerned about risks or dangers.