2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc.

3 Reasons to Plan Chimney Cleaning in the Spring

April 30th, 2014

Your fireplace can be an invaluable (and romantic) way of keeping warm in the cold of winter, and even those chilly spring days could benefit from a cozy fire in your home. But summer is definitely on the way, which means that your fireplace probably won’t see a lot of additional use until the fall. That means you should probably plan for a thorough chimney cleaning from a qualified professional. When it comes to chimney cleaning, St. Paul MN residents, and those throughout the Twin Cities have a reliable option to call upon. And frankly speaking, the sooner you can schedule a cleaning session the better.

3 Reasons to Schedule Chimney Cleaning in the Spring

The timing is right. We don’t need to tell you how cold it gets around here in the winter, which means your chimney has doubtless seen a lot of use. That means that creosote has probably built up along the sides of the chimney, along with other detritus such as bird’s nests and the like. Now that you’re not using it as often, you can get all of that cleaned up immediately, which means you don’t have to worry about it when heating season comes around again next fall. Your chimney will be clean and ready to go in September as soon as the air gets chilly.
Bigger problems. Similarly, if your chimney is experiencing more significant problems, such as crumbling masonry or a blockage in the shaft, then a cleaning session is an ideal way to spot it. You can then schedule a repair session and get it taken care of before you need your fireplace again.
You have maximum flexibility. If you wait until the fall, you may need to scramble to get the cleaning in on time. That means rearranging work, school and other parts of your busy schedule to handle it. Here in the spring, however, you have lots of time before you need the fireplace again, allowing you to find a cleaning date that fits your schedule rather than the other way around.

We have the tools you need to do the job right and our skill levels are second to none. Give us a call today!

For more reasons to plan chimney cleaning in the spring, or to schedule an appointment for chimney cleaning, St. Paul residents can call on 2^nd Generation Chimneys, Inc.

Treat Creosote Build-Up This Spring

April 8th, 2014

Creosote is a byproduct of regular fireplace use: a tarry, flammable substance that coats the interior of your chimney. It’s very natural and as long as you have your fireplace maintained regularly, you shouldn’t have any problems with it. Eventually, however, creosote will build up to sufficient levels to constitute a fire hazard, and even when it doesn’t, it can block the flow of air through your chimney, severely reducing the effectiveness of your fireplace. In terms of chimney repair, St. Paul MN has the experts to handle creosote build-up.

If you need to treat creosote build-up, don’t hesitate to give the fireplace maintenance experts at 2nd Generation Chimneys a call. You’ll be glad you did!

Why Spring is Ideal For Treating Creosote

It’s tough scheduling fireplace cleaning in the winter, because it means giving your fireplace a rest during the coldest parts of the year (as well as opening your home to the frigid temperatures outside). As spring blooms, you’ll have the luxury of scheduling a cleaning session at your convenience. It also makes a golden opportunity to clean up any creosote that has built up since last fall, making your fireplace clean, safe and ready to go when the next heating season rolls around.

Furthermore, spring is an easier time than others to tackle creosote problems. Temperatures are warmer and yet the mugginess of summer hasn’t set in yet. Treating creosote is fairly simple, though it requires specialized brushes provided by chimney sweeps a well as the training and experience to make sure the creosote is all cleaned up.

All of which is a round-about way of saying that you should probably treat creosote build-up every spring, not just when you really need it. And if you’re looking to address issues related to chimney repair, St. Paul MN has ready-to-go experts in the form of 2^nd Generation Chimneys. We’ve been in business since 2001 and have built a strong and successful company based on the quality of our referrals. That means quality work performed for satisfied customers, whether it’s creosote removal or something more substantial.

A Brief History of Chimney Sweeps

March 28th, 2014

The job title “chimney sweep” carries with it connotations both romantic and sooty. The first images that pop into people’s imagination when they hear the words “chimney sweeps” are either Mary Poppins or something close to the world of Charles Dickens. However, the chimney sweep in history goes farther back in time than Victorian London. This is an old profession, and a necessary one from the days of the first chimneys up through today.

Chimney sweeps are still with us, and they may not be as soot-covered as before, but they’re still ready to keep your chimney clean and safe. You can find some of the finest chimney sweeps at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. Call on us for fast and effective chimney inspection and chimney cleaning in Eden Prairie, MN.

The Chimney Sweep in History

The ancient Romans usually receive credit for the invention of what we would call a chimney. Since the Bronze Age, homes and palaces used large central hearths vented through a hole in the ceiling to heat rooms. But the Romans started to use fires in individual places of a dwelling that vented out a brick stack. Cleaning this was crucial to making sure the exhaust left the room and didn’t enter it, although there was not yet a single profession dedicated to the job.

It was during the 16th century in England that fireplaces with chimneys developed toward their modern versions, with fireplaces built in each room of a house to spread warmth more evenly. When the Crown levied a hearth tax in the 17th century on the number of chimneys in a house, homeowners would build complex tunnels systems of vents to all connect to single chimney. Coal also started to replace wood as the main fireplace fuel. Now homes were riddled with twisty channels choked with coal soot—and the task of keeping them clean was so large that a new profession arose to deal with it: the full-time chimney sweep.

This was an often hazardous occupation. Soot is dangerous for lungs, and the sweeps were frequently up in high places or required to squeeze up difficult narrow shafts. Orphaned children were often placed into indentured servitude as sweeps in exchange for food and lodging. (The term “light a fire under you” comes from a master threatening a frightened child sweep to continue to climb up a long chimney to complete the cleaning.)

In 1864, this abusive practice thankfully ended when Parliament passed a law to stop child labor as chimney sweeps. New inventions also allowed for much easier cleaning of chimneys.

Today in the U.S., chimney sweeps are highly specialized professionals certified to work to keep people’s fireplaces safe using the finest modern equipment.

For quality chimney cleaning in Eden Prairie, MN from a professional chimney cleaning service, contact the experts at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. Give us a call today to schedule your next service appointment!

3 Common Problems Found in Old Chimneys

March 21st, 2014

It’s not uncommon for chimneys to endure beyond the buildings in which they stand; a solid masonry chimney can survive for over a hundred years with the right care and attention to problems that might develop. If you live in a home with an older chimney, take care to look for repairs that it may need. We’ll list three of the more common troubles that can afflict a chimney that has vented smoke for many decades.

2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. is your one-stop service for all your needs for chimney restoration in St. Paul, MN. We handle fireplace installation, repair, and maintenance as well.

Here Are 3 Problems We See With Old Chimneys

Leaning chimney:
No, it’s not an optical illusion. The strange slant you see on the chimney that you never noticed before is the chimney beginning to lean away from the house. The cause of this is usually deterioration in the chimney’s foundation, and it will require masonry work to prop it back up. This is an urgent job: a leaning chimney places enormous stress on the side of your home, and when the chimney does fall, it can take large chunk of the wall with it. Of course, a collapsing chimney is immensely dangerous as well to anyone who might be nearby when it happens.
Cracking in bricks and masonry:
No matter how sturdy bricks or masonry may appear, the ravages of weather, heat, and moisture can damage them. The most insidious problem they encounter, especially in Minnesota with our snow-covered winters, is moisture entering into the flue and seeping between bricks. Even without sub-freezing temperatures, water can cause cracking in bricks; but it’s much worse when the water turns to ice and expands, forcing gaps in the bricks and masonry. Make sure you have regular maintenance on your old chimney to see if it needs restoration due to cracked bricks. You should also invest in a chimney cap to keep away moisture.
Cracks in the chimney liner:
The liner of the inside of a chimney is crucial for how it vents. Older chimneys often do not have liners, and you should have installers put one in. As the chimney ages, older liners can fall apart because of creosote damage, and this can lead to heat getting through the exposed bricks and into places it shouldn’t. Have certified chimney reliners take care of this for you.

Our staff at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. has extensive experience and the proper certification to relieve your worries about chimney restoration or chimney repairs in St. Paul, MN. We are certified chimney reliners and members of the Chimney Safety Institute of America. Call us today for any concerns you have about your home’s chimney or fireplace.

Benefits of Installing a Chimney Cap

March 7th, 2014

An improvement to your chimney that you should consider having installed (if you don’t have one already) is a chimney cap. These covers on the top of your chimney won’t impede smoke exhaust, provided you have regular cleaning done, and can prevent some serious troubles that might lead to damage to your home or make it necessary to have expensive repairs done.

2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. performs chimney cap installation in Maple Grove, MN. We’ve seen first-hand the benefits homeowners can receive from a chimney cap. Here are the three main ones:

Keep animals out of the chimney: Animals often enter chimneys and try to use them as nests or lairs. This makes sense from the point of view of an animal: chimneys are warm, sturdy, protected spaces. Birds and squirrels are among the most common intruders into chimneys, but raccoons are increasingly becoming an issue—and are the most difficult and potentially dangerous to remove. Since trying to “smoke out” animals from a chimney can backfire, the best method to deal with animals is to keep them out in the first place with a chimney cap.
Protection from rain: You may not think that rain could pose much danger to something as durable as a masonry chimney. However, when moisture starts to gather inside the chimney, it can enter between the cracks in bricks and eventually cause them to crack. This is especially problematic in Minnesota, where freezing temperatures in winter cause water in the bricks to turn into ice and expand. A chimney cap will keep out most of the rain out.
Prevent downdrafts: Downdrafts in a chimney can blow the smoke from the fireplace in the hearth back into your home. If you live in an area where you encounter powerful winds, these downdrafts can become intense, and a chimney will help stop them from polluting the air of your home.

There are a few drawbacks to chimney caps as well, although most of these you can avoid with regular professional chimney maintenance. For example, caps can become clogged with soot and creosote, but routine chimney sweeping will eliminate this problem.

There are very few reasons not to get a chimney cap. As long as you take good care of your fireplace and chimney, the cap will not pose any serious trouble to the fireplace’s performance and will stop major problems that could plague it.

Contact 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. for chimney cap installation in Maple Grove, MN, as well as the maintenance, cleaning, sweeping, and repairs that will keep the cap—and your fireplace—in superb shape. Give us a call today to schedule your next chimney service in Maple Grove.

The 3 Levels of Chimney Inspection

February 19th, 2014

Chimney inspection is an important part of maintaining a safe and attractive fireplace in your home. We often need to remind people that a fireplace poses no greater danger to your home than a heating system like a furnace or boiler…as long as it receives regular inspections and necessary cleanings and repairs.

When it comes to inspections, you should entrust the work only to certified professionals. The organization that certifies chimney inspectors and technicians is the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). In January 2000, the National Fire Protection Association adopted three levels of inspection to solidify the methods of inspectors. The CSIA has adopted these three levels, and all certified inspectors now use them.

2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. has CSIA-certified inspectors on staff with extensive training to provide all three levels. We also offer chimney sweeping, repairs, and the necessary masonry services in Eden Prairie, MN, for your chimney should an inspection identify problems that need remedy.

An Explanation of The 3 Levels

The levels of chimney inspection are a hierarchy: the first level is the simplest inspection, while the third is extensive and necessary if it appears there are serious issues. Which one will you need?

If you haven’t had trouble with your fireplace’s venting and have no plans to make any changes in the near future, then a Level 1 inspection is the place to start. According to the CSIA, “A Level 1 inspection is recommended for a chimney under continued service, under the same conditions, and with the continued use of the same appliance.” The inspector will examine parts of the chimney that are easy to access to check for construction soundness and flue integrity, as well as look for any obstructions.

You will need a Level 2 inspection if you have made any changes to your fireplace or venting: a new fuel source, construction, or appliance addition. It’s also required upon sale or transfer of property, or after any occurrence that might have damaged to chimney and liner. A Level 2 inspection includes everything in Level 1, but also investigates other areas of the chimney exterior plus the attic and crawlspaces.

A Level 3 inspection is necessary if either of the other levels identified the possibility of hidden hazards. Inspectors will often need to remove some chimney components to access areas that could have sustained damage.

In Case You Need Chimney Repair

Fireplaces and chimneys are durable and do not often require repairs. But it’s vital that they receive them when they need them: there’s danger of fire escaping or structural collapse. Call for 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. when you need your chimney inspected in Eden Prairie to find out its current state, and if you’ll need our professional masonry services to restore it.

Other Anniversaries of Valentine’s Day

February 14th, 2014

For more than a hundred years, people in countries around the world have marked the 14th day of February as a time for lovers to give each other gifts and for children to write cards to each other and eat heart-shaped candy. But Valentine’s Day isn’t the only important event to occur on February 14th. There are many other anniversaries to mark on this day. Here are a few:

1400 – The death of King Richard II: The same English king whose engagement resulted in the first love poem mentioning Valentine’s Day (from court poet Geoffrey Chaucer) dies in prison in Pontefract Castle after his cousin Henry overthrows him. He probably starved to death, although another famous author, William Shakespeare, would portray his death as murder.

1859 – Hello, Oregon: The Oregon Country is admitted to the United States of America as the 33rd state.

1876 – Who invented the telephone? Alexander Graham Bell applies for a patent for his new invention, the telephone. Another inventor, Elisha Gray, applies the same day for a similar device, sparking a long controversy over who invented what first.

1912 – Hello, Arizona: Continuing the statehood tradition that Oregon established, the Territory of Arizona is admitted to the U.S. as the 48th state. Women are granted the right to vote in Arizona the same year, eight years before the rest of the nation.

1929 – The world’s most infamous mob hit: Unknown assailants shoot down seven people in Chicago, IL. Six of the dead are gangsters in the mob of Bugs Moran, an enemy of Al Capone in the business of selling Prohibition bootleg liquor. No one is ever arrested or charged for the crime—but there isn’t much doubt who masterminded it.

1931 – “I am… Dracula”: The most influential vampire movie ever made, and the start of Universal Studio’s famous monsters series, Dracula starring Bela Lugosi, premieres in theaters. Universal cannily uses Valentine’s Day to promote the film as “The Story of the Strangest Passion the World Has Ever Known!”

1961 – The Periodic Table becomes larger: The 103rd chemical element, Lawrencium, is discovered at the University of California. The name comes from the laboratory where it is synthesized, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

2005 – Now it’s easy to watch funny animal videos: A group of college students launch a video sharing website call YouTube.

Even if Valentine’s Day itself isn’t a major holiday for you, February 14th has many reasons to celebrate—unless you are a member of Bugs Moran’s gang or a supporter of Richard II. All of us at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. would like to wish you a happy Valentine’s Day, however you observe it.

Signs You Need Chimney Restoration in Minneapolis

January 19th, 2014

In the cold weather we’re currently having, a good fireplace is one of the best features you can have in a home: a cozy central spot that gives you the direct warmth you usually can’t get from a standard home furnace or boiler.

However, if the chimney that vents your fireplace has damage, that cozy spot might become hazardous. Although chimneys are built to withstand many stresses, they sometimes need restoration work. Here are some signs that you may need to contact a company like 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. to restore your chimney in Minneapolis, MN.

Signs to look for that indicate a need for chimney repair

Smoke or fumes entering your home: If your chimney starts to shows signs that it has venting trouble, and the issue isn’t related to a closed damper or obstructions like animal nests, then you may need to have restoration done to flue to make sure it has the proper lining and sealing. Relining is often necessary to avoid having to fully re-build a damaged chimney.
Leaning chimney: It may at first look like an optical illusion, but if it turns out that your chimney is indeed starting to tilt, you need restoration work immediately to right it. A leaning chimney will put heavy stress on the building material of your home and will tear the lining and possibly allow fire and exhaust into the upper levels.
Missing bricks and stones: Although chimneys are built to handle both weather and internal heat, over time their mortar can begin to wear down and the bricks loosen. If you notice missing bricks or stones on your chimney, restoration is necessary—and it needs to be done soon, because each missing brick will cause the structure of the chimney to weaken even further.
Spalling bricks: When water enters a brick or stone and causes the surface to peel or flake off, it’s called “spalling.” If you notice bits of masonry falling off your chimney, then it’s probably spalling. If this continues without repairs, it could cause the whole chimney to collapse.
Damaged wallpaper: One of the best ways to recognize a chimney that is leaking excess moisture is to look at the wallpaper in the areas near the chimney. If you notice lumps, warping, or peeling, then you should call for chimney repair right away, since this moisture could come from damaged masonry or broken liners.

Please don’t allow the apparent sturdiness of your chimney to make you think it can survive without repairs. No one has yet built an invincible chimney that can resist all the effects of time and weather. Chimney repair requires experts in venting and masonry, so hire only certified chimney reliners approved by the Chimney Safety Institute of America for the job. If you want skilled chimney restoration in Minneapolis, MN, call on 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc.

New Year’s Traditions Explained

December 31st, 2013

2014 is almost upon us, and with the coming of the New Year, we thought we’d take a brief look at some of the more popular traditions associated with this holiday. It’s been around for at least 4,000 years: as long as we’ve figured out how long it takes for the seasons to come and go. Here’s a quick discussion about some of our more modern traditions and where they started:

Auld Lang Syne. The famous song began in Scotland, where it was published by Robert Burns in 1796. He claims he initially heard it sung by an elderly resident of his hometown, which suggests it has traditional folk origins even before that. It became even more popular when big band leader, Guy Lombardo, started playing it every New Year’s Eve, starting in 1929 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City.
The Dropping of the Ball in Times Square. The tradition of dropping the ball in Times Square started in 1907. It was made out of iron and wood with light bulbs located on the surface, and the ball originally “dropped” over the offices of the New York Times at One Times Square. Dick Clark famously broadcast the event every year from 1972, until his death in 2012.
The Rose Parade. The Tournament of Roses Parade has been held in Pasadena every year since 1890; taking advantage of California’s warm weather to present a parade of floats, bands and horses. A football game was eventually added to the festivities in 1902, when Michigan dominated Stanford’s team by a score of 49-0
Baby New Year. The use of a baby to signify the New Year dates back to Ancient Greece, where it symbolized the rebirth of Dionysus (the god of wine and parties). Early Christians initially resisted the pagan elements of the story, but soon came to adopt it since it matched the traditional Christmas symbol of baby Jesus in the manger. Today, people of all faiths and traditions refer to the New Year as a baby, representing new beginnings.

Whatever traditions you choose to celebrate, we here at 2nd Generation Chimneys wish you the very safest and happiest of New Years. May 2014 bring you nothing but the best!

Wishing You a Happy and Safe Holiday Season!

December 25th, 2013

It’s the holiday season once again, and everyone at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. wishes the very best for you, your family, and your friends. We hope that whatever brings you joy fills these last days of the year.

We’d like to thank all of our customers for giving us the opportunity to provide you with services that improve your lives and help you better enjoy this time with your loved ones. You are the reason that we exist as a company, and that’s something we always keep that in mind. We are eager to work with you in the coming year.

Here’s something to remember for the season: many companies in our industry are very busy on service calls during December—it’s one of the most crowded times of the year. If you need service, make sure you schedule it as soon as possible so you can continue to enjoy the pleasures of this time of year.

Lastly, we at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. want to conclude with a thought from the late Earl Nightingale to help remind us all that we do not need to wait for a holiday to have a reason to enjoy or celebrate ourselves, our lives or our family:

“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.”