You’ve gone all season without using your fireplace. But as temperatures continue to drop, the holidays wind down, and snow falls around your home, you feel compelled to enjoy a cozy night relaxing near the fire.
2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Chimney’ Category
Think You’re Ready to Use Your Fireplace? Do This First!
Monday, January 4th, 2016Book a Chimney Sweep for the New Year
Monday, December 28th, 2015The New Year is a time to make plans to have fun, improve your health, save money, and live better. It’s the smallest details that make these New Year’s resolutions achievable, like taking the steps to protect your home and make it a safer, more comfortable, and more enjoyable space. Schedule chimney cleaning with a qualified chimney sweep in the new year, and you’ll feel more comfortable using your fireplace with the knowledge that your home is safe from the possibility of chimney fires.
It’s the Holiday Season! Make Sure Your Chimney Is Prepared
Monday, December 21st, 2015When the holiday season comes around, it’s more important than ever to make sure that your chimney is clean—and not just because you want to impress Santa Claus. When you use your fireplace, creosote gets left behind in the chimney. This tarlike black substance isn’t just unpleasant for Santa to look at; it’s also very dangerous if left unchecked.
How Can You Tell You’ve Chosen a Qualified Chimney Sweep?
Monday, December 14th, 2015Unfortunately, there are companies out there in nearly any field that will take your money and sell you a poor quality service or product. An unsafe chimney is a major threat to any home, and the potential for a fire is simply not worth the risk involved with hiring amateurs for an inspection or cleaning. Below, we offer some advice on how you can find a quality chimney sweep in any area.
Smoke from the Chimney: 5 Possible Reasons for Drafting Issues
Monday, December 7th, 2015A properly sized chimney is designed to pull air, smoke, and other byproducts up and away from the home. Unfortunately, homeowners often call us to complain about a chimney that sends smoke back into the home, either initially at startup or constantly as you attempt to use the fireplace. The source of the trouble can be a surprising number of issues, and we’ve listed a few of them here. If you’re having trouble with your chimney, be sure to contact your local chimney and fireplace experts.
White Deposits around the Chimney: Is Efflorescence a Big Deal?
Monday, November 30th, 2015If you’ve noticed a crystallized white substance or a whitish (or even brown, yellow, or green) powder around your chimney, you’re not alone. This is a common experience for homeowners with masonry chimneys, especially very old ones. And the substance itself can generally clear away just by brushing it, or it may even clear away on its own as the weather changes.
Is It Time for a Chimney Inspection?
Tuesday, October 27th, 2015Your chimney may seem to be in good condition from the outside, but looks can be deceiving. It’s likely that your chimney has some amount of wear and tear from the previous year’s use and a period of no use over the summer months. Whether that’s a small amount of creosote built up inside of the chimney or damage to the masonry, it could mean a fire risk in your home.
Don’t Fall for a Chimney Cleaning Scam
Monday, October 26th, 2015Whether you use your fireplace most nights or only a few times during the winter, chimney sweeping is so important to your home safety. Cleaning the chimney rids it of creosote and other harmful deposits that could lead to a chimney fire. During the initial inspection, the chimney sweep may discover an issue with your chimney that needs prompt repair, protecting your home from danger. But some companies prey on those who know little about chimney cleaning or have never had it done professionally before, scamming customers and putting their homes in further jeopardy. Look out for these scams so that you know your next chimney cleaning is completed properly.
Is Your Chimney Finally Out of Commission?
Monday, October 12th, 2015You may have been told by a home inspector that your chimney should be capped and remain unused. A damaged chimney cannot properly vent hazardous combustion byproducts away from the home, such as carbon monoxide. Cracks in the chimney liner or in the masonry can also allow fire to spread to the home quickly, which is why an impaired chimney should never be used. However, when you get in touch with a chimney professional, you may find that there are a couple of options available to you.
3 Questions You Should Ask your Chimney Sweep
Monday, October 5th, 2015No matter how often you use your home’s chimney, regular chimney inspections are a key part of keeping your home safe. Whether you use your fireplace several times a week, or you only light a fire when company is in from out of town, your chimney could be filled with debris, creosote, or wear and tear that may damage your home and risk your safety the next time you use it. When you hire a chimney sweep to clean and inspect your chimney and fireplace, you’ll want to ensure they have the proper qualifications to do the job right. Here are a few questions to ask your chimney sweep before a cleaning and inspection.