2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Chimney Inspection’ Category

Why Most Prefabricated Fireplaces in Cambridge Cannot be Installed Using the Existing Chimney System

Thursday, March 22nd, 2012

If you are looking to add a charming touch to your home, or just supplement your current heating system, you may be considering installing a fireplace. Since building a new fireplace is often costly and requires a lot of masonry work, many people are opting for prefabricated fireplaces instead.

Prefab fireplace units are nice, because they are convenient, they look charming and they work well. However, some people assume that because they already have a chimney in their home from a previous system, adding a prefab system will be easier and not require a new chimney. Generally, though, this is not true.

Most prefabricated fireplaces are sold as a unit along with an accompanying chimney, and they often will now work with another chimney system. There are a few reasons for this, such as:

  • Rigorous fireplace inspections and testing is a must for each home to ensure that they are safe to use. This testing is done along with the included chimney, so both are rated as safe together. The fireplace is not necessarily tested to be safe with any other configuration.
  • The specifications for air space and insulation in a fireplace are exacting, because of the volatile nature of the combustion process. Because a prefabricated fireplace and chimney are engineered to work together, you can be sure they meet the proper specifications.
  • The chimney and fireplace have been designed to work together for maximum efficiency, so any other setup could affect the performance of your fireplace and therefore the warmth of your house.
  • Because of the necessary clearance measurements mentioned above, wood is kept a certain specified distance away from the chimney. If a prefabricated fireplace is used with a different chimney, this clearance may be too short, which can cause chimney fires or other unsafe conditions.

Even with all this in mind, a prefabricated fireplace may still be the best option for you. It is just important to know up front that trying to save money be using an existing chimney system will not work and you are better off purchasing the whole bundle as sold.  If you have any questions about your fireplace please call 2nd Generation Chimneys.

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Common Chimney Repairs in Plymouth

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

Your chimney in Plymouth may seem like a simple component of your house, but it needs a lot of maintenance and even with regular checkups, you might find yourself in need of one of these common chimney repairs.

Cracking or Falling Bricks

During the colder winter months, your chimney absorbs water and then freezes, holding that water inside, causing the mortar and bricks to expand. The water then thaws and the bricks are weakened. Enough cycles like this and the bricks will start to crumble and fall out of the chimney. To stop this from happening, a contractor will place water sealant on the bricks in your chimney to keep them from succumbing to water damage. If properly done, this stops 99% of all moisture from entering your chimney.

Crown Problems

The crown on your chimney can be insufficient or not sealed properly, resulting in water coming through onto your fireplace or mantel or leakage in the firebox. If you notice any moisture inside your home, either along the chimney structure itself or on the firebox or mantel, it is most likely an issue with the crown.

Flashing

When the roof is done on your home, flashing is placed around the chimney to seal the joints between masonry and shingles. This keeps any water from getting between the two and leaking into your home. If you notice water on your ceiling or on any walls adjoining the chimney, this may be the problem and can be fixed relatively easily by a roofer.

Flue Damage

Even with the right flue lining installed, damage can occur over time from regular use. The flue liner can crack or break or it can become blocked by creosote or other debris over time, especially if you don’t have a chimney cap to block things from entering on top of your house. Regular flue liner cleaning should take care of these problems.

If you are concerned about your chimney or the chimney liner, make sure to call 2nd Generation Chimneys to inspect it for these or other possible problems. Most chimneys will have small, easily repaired problems over their lifespan – no need to let them get any bigger.

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Happy Valentine’s Day From Your Twin Cities’ Chimney Inspection Company, 2nd Generation Chimneys

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012

We wish you a very happy Valentine’s Day! Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to show your appreciation to everyone who makes a difference in your life. Even a small gift, like a batch of cookies or a homemade card, can really make someone feel special. Your friends, your family, and your significant other will all have a fantastic Valentine’s Day if you take a moment to let them know how important they are to you.

Calling us for a chimney inspection might seem like a usual gift, but it can actually be something that benefits your whole family. Being secure in the safety of your chimney can make the time you spend by it more enjoyable, and the small problems that you can catch with our video inspection can save you a lot of money by avoiding larger problems in the future. Our chimney cleaning and inspection services will ensure its usability on days you need it most, like Valentine’s Day.

If you have any questions about chimney inspections or fire place installations, give 2nd Generation Chimneys a call today! And to help you celebrate this sweet holiday, here is a recipe for Chocolate Mint Cookies

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 36 chocolate mint wafer candies

Directions

  1. In a large pan over low heat, cook butter, sugar and water until butter is melted. Add chocolate chips and stir until partially melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until chocolate is completely melted. Pour into a large bowl and let stand 10 minutes to cool off slightly.
  2. At high speed, beat in eggs, one at a time into chocolate mixture. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients, beating until blended. Chill dough about 1 hour.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  4. Roll dough into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes. While cookies are baking unwrap mints and divide each in half. When cookies are brought out of the oven, put 1/2 mint on top of each cookie. Let the mint sit for up to 5 minutes until melted, then spread the mint on top of the cookie. Eat and enjoy!

For more details, visit allrecipes.com.

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Minneapolis Chimney Care Tips: Chimney Video Inspections

Monday, February 13th, 2012

In Minneapolis improperly lined chimneys, deteriorating interiors or blockages from creosote buildup or animal debris can all be dangerous for you and your family and in some cases present potential fire hazards. To avoid these problems without having your chimney cleaned more often than is necessary, chimney video inspection allows you to see what is happening inside your chimney at an affordable cost.

What You Are Looking for

Chimney video inspection services are designed to catch little things that would be otherwise impossible to see with the naked eye. These include:

  • Poor construction
  • Fire damage
  • Poor gas appliance connections
  • Missing Tile Liners or Mortar Joints
  • Missing or Hidden Breachings
  • Blockages
  • Thimble Holes
  • Bad Connections

All of these things can require chimney repairs liner and present danger to you and your family if not properly fixed but many of them cannot be easily seen from inside the house without a video line. The easy solution is to look in the chimney.

When to Get a Video Inspection

Video inspections are useful in many situations. You may opt to have a video inspection done before you buy a home for the first time or before you have a new heating system installed to ensure there are no hidden costs you’ll need to pay.

Insurance adjusters and fire inspectors use video inspection after a fire to determine what caused it; you should be proactive and use the same technology before anything like that can occur. Even if you find nothing during a video inspection of your chimney, you will have the peace of mind knowing that your chimney is in good shape, ready to prevent any potential future problems for years to come.

The last thing anyone wants is a bum chimney leaking acidic liquid into their home or posing a fire hazard. Use video inspection to avoid these problems and you’ll be set.  Call 2nd Generation Chimneys with any questions.

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Blaine Residents Ask: What is the Difference Between the Different Levels of Chimney Inspections?

Friday, February 10th, 2012

When needing a chimney inspection, many Blaine homeowners balk upon seeing the different levels involved.

How do I know which one to get? Which one s right for me? What is the difference?

To help answer those questions, let’s briefly describe the the levels of chimney inspection defined by the National Fire Protection Association.

Level 1

Also known as a visual chimney inspection, this is the most basic level. This inspection includes looking at all parts of the chimney that are readily accessible, both on the interior and exterior. The visual inspection is generally just done by eye, with no video equipment involved.

The idea is to inspect the overall soundness of the chimney and fireplace or stove installation. You would opt for this inspection if your system has been serviced frequently and you haven’t made any changes to the ventilation system or how you use your fireplace.

Level 2

As you would expect, this inspection is more involved. For this, an inspector will look not just at the readily accessible interior and exterior portions of the chimney, but also less accessible segments. This may include having access to an attic, basement or crawl space. This inspection is usually recorded on video.

You would need this type of inspection if you had made any change to your system, such as getting a new fireplace or changing the ventilation. A Level 2 inspection is also highly recommended when selling your home.

Level 3

The Level 3 inspection is the most thorough and involved. In addition to checking all the same areas in the first two levels, this inspection essentially means inspecting the entire chimney inside and out to determining if you need any chimney repairs.

This type of inspection is really only necessary in cases where the chimney has been or may have been damaged, such as in a house fire, chimney fire or natural disaster. So, with any luck, you will not have to have a Level 3 inspection ever performed on your chimney.

Please keep in mind that these are only general guidelines. The actual definitions of the inspections are much more complicated. If you have any doubt as to which inspection level is appropriate for your situation, call 2nd Generation Chimneys to make sure.

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Plymouth Chimney Tips: The Importance of Chimney Screens, Caps, and Dampers

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

Improper ventilation and moisture inside your chimney can create a number of problems, including hazards, such as chimney fires and carbon monoxide leaks. Installing and maintaining chimney screens, caps, and dampers will help to reduce the necessity of  chimney cleaning.

Here at 2nd Generation Chimney, we have all of your chimney and fireplace needs covered, and we offer quality and durable products that are made to last. Call us for the best chimney repair in Plymouth.

Chimney Screen

Chimney screens are installed mainly to prevent animals from nesting or getting trapped in your chimney. Birds and other rodents like to use chimneys for nesting sites, especially raccoons since their natural nesting sites are inside hollow trees. Animals nesting in your chimney can create health hazards in addition to restricting airflow. Animals don’t just damage your chimney system when they nest in it; they can also get through cracks in the masonry and walls and chew through insulation and wiring inside your home. It’s also a good idea to install metal screens for your roof vents, since many small animals are able to chew through vinyl roof vents.

Chimney screens are also referred to as exterior spark arrestors because they help keep sparks from wood-burning appliances from drifting out of the chimney. Sparks from wood-burning stoves and fireplaces have been known to start brush fires and other damages to the roof. Make sure you talk to a chimney professional about installing the proper screen for your wood-burning appliance.

Chimney Cap

Modern chimney caps are typically manufactured with a screen attached, and in addition to animal protection, these also help protect the chimney crown. While not all caps will completely cover the crown, they do deflect much of the rainwater. Over time, crowns can crack and allow moisture inside the mortar joints and bricks below. Properly sealing your chimney with a permeable sealant will help prevent water damage, but it’s also a good idea to install a cap and screen that is large enough to cover the entire crown. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so call us if you would like to know more about the chimney caps we offer.

Chimney Damper

In addition to preventing heat loss when you aren’t using your fireplace, dampers can also provide extra moisture protection. Water inside a chimney flue can create many problems. When moisture mixes with any kind of combustion material, it can become corrosive. This can cause important chimney components to break down over time.

There are a variety of products on the market to help keep your chimney flue free of debris, animals, and water. You can help protect your Plymouth home from chimney fires and carbon monoxide intrusion by calling 2nd Generation Chimney to ask about our chimney products and installation services.

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