Winter is finally over in the Minneapolis-St. Paul MN area, and that means one thing for homeowners with chimneys: time to clean. An annual chimney cleaning service can help you keep ahead of build-up and other potential problems, and doing it in the spring leaves your chimney ready to go when fall rolls around and you want to get a fire going again. But not all chimney cleaning services are alike and indeed, which service you need depends on specific circumstances. Here are 3 types of chimney cleaning that you may want to consider this spring – part of keeping your chimney well-maintained.
Level 1 Inspection
A level 1 inspection is similar in many ways to a maintenance session. The chimneysweep examines the chimney very carefully and recommends any repairs or upgrades. This often involves cracks or fissures in the masonry itself, but can also involve problems on the inside of the chimney. A level 1 inspection helps you identify big problems when they’re still small and get a jump on them when repairs are still comparatively cheap.
Animal Nests
Birds, squirrels and other animals often find chimneys to be excellent places to build nests, especially in the spring when the weather warms and life returns to the world. The sooner you can address such problems, the easier it is and the fewer problems the nesting animal will cause. Animal nests are a year-round concern for chimney owners, but this time of year in particular requires constant vigilance.
Flue Cleaning
The flue lining and other components may have suffered damage during the winter, especially if you used your fireplace often. A flue cleaning will spot such problems and correct them before the summer rains have time to cause further damage, keeping the repair bill small and your chimney in good working order.
If you live in the Twin Cities area and have a fireplace with a chimney, give the experts at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. a call! We have the skills and experience to keep your chimney in great shape!