2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc.

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.”

The Benefits of Regular Chimney Inspection

December 20th, 2013

If you’ve ever seen pictures of old, deserted towns where many of the wooden buildings have long since crumbled away, you’ll notice that the only parts that survive are the chimneys. These towers of stone and brick are the sole reminders that, perhaps a century past, houses stood in those spots. Chimneys are as sturdy and durable as almost any part of your home.

However, this hardiness doesn’t mean you can leave your chimney alone and without regular inspections. A chimney can cause problems if it doesn’t receive care from professionals and routine cleaning. We’ll explain how you can benefit from scheduling regular inspections for your chimney.

When you need a trained and knowledgeable chimney inspector in Minneapolis, MN, call 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. Our name speaks for our years of experience.

Why you should have regular chimney inspection

Creosote detection: The number one threat to your chimney and fireplace is creosote. This is the unburned wood energy that builds up because of poor venting and the burning of green wood. Even with excellent venting and care, creosote can still develop inside your chimney. Creosote is highly combustible, and can cause fires to break out in the upper parts of your home, such as the second floor, and most worrisome, the roof. If an inspector finds too much creosote accruing along the interior of your chimney, you will know it’s time for thorough cleaning.
Finding problems with flue dampers: You should open the flue damper when you have a fire going to allow smoke to vent, and close it when the fireplace is not in use so heat from your home won’t escape. If the damper becomes damaged, it may have trouble opening and closing all the way, leading to improper venting. Inspectors will catch this and know how to repair it.
Locating issues with flue lining: The lining of your chimney, which is made from clay, ceramic, or refractory cement, is responsible for containing the combustion byproducts of the fireplace and properly venting them to the outside while protecting the rest of the chimney from fires or corrosion. Damage to this lining can lead to fire and poor venting. Chimney inspectors will locate places where the lining needs to be replaced.

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends you have an annual inspection done for your chimney from a certified CSIA chimney sweep. 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. has a staff of CSIA-certified inspectors to take care of your chimney. When you need a Minneapolis, MN chimney inspector, make us your first call.

Common Causes of Chimney Fires

December 14th, 2013

The title of the post might sound a touch scary. “How often do chimney fires happen? Should I even have a fireplace?” You don’t need to worry unnecessarily, since a fireplace in a home is no more dangerous than any other heating system you may have installed, such as a furnace or a boiler. If you take care of your chimney with regular sweeping and the necessary repairs, it will pose no serious danger to you, your family, or your home.

But accidents still happen, and poor chimney maintenance will make them more likely to happen. Here are the most common reasons for fires to start in chimneys. To prevent any of these from occurring in your home, rely on the professional services of 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. for chimney cleaning in Saint Paul, MN.

Here Are Some Causes of Chimney Fires

There is one main cause of chimney fires, although there are many reasons for it to develop. The cause is creosote, and it is Enemy #1 for your chimney and fireplace. Creosote is the name for that shiny, tarry, flaky residue that will start to coat the masonry of your fireplace and chimney after burning wood. Creosote is basically unburned wood energy, the by-product of combustion, and it is highly combustible itself. If it starts to layer the bricks of your chimney too thickly, not only will it restrict the escape of flue gases, but it will pose the risk of igniting and causing fires that can reach the upper floors or roof of your house. The more creosote builds up, the longer it can sustain a fire. Creosote will build up because of poor venting in your chimney, or excess smoke from burning unseasoned wood.

To help prevent creosote build-up, make sure that your chimney is properly vented. Build smaller, hotter fires that will burn completely and produce less smoke that will encourage creosote. Make sure that the chimney receives regular cleaning—once a year is recommended.

Only rely on CSIA-certified chimney sweeps

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends that you call a chimney sweep with CSIA certification to handle cleaning because they are regularly tested on their understanding of the complexities of chimney and venting systems. At 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc., all of our sweeps are CSIA certified, so you know that when you have your annual sweeping done, you will get the proper care that will keep creosote away and other dangers. You can enjoy your cozy fireplace all through the year without needing to worry about fires starting where they don’t belong. Contact us for your chimney cleaning in St. Paul, MN.

How Often Should I Get Chimney Sweeping?

December 4th, 2013

Chimney sweeping is an occupation surrounded with myths—many of them from Mary Poppins and other movies and books about Victorian London. These are benign myths, of course, and amusing for modern chimney sweeps. But there’s another myth about chimney sweeping we encounter too often, and it’s a far more dangerous one: “your chimney only needs cleaning every five years or so.” This is not remotely true, even if you only use your chimney during the winter. Regular chimney sweeping is important for both the attractiveness of your fireplace, and for your safety. You should consider the fireplace in your home as part of your heating system. Just as your heating system should receive yearly maintenance, your chimney and fireplace should receive yearly cleaning.

2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. has CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America) certified technicians on staff to provide you the cleaning and other services you need for a safe and beautiful fireplace. Make us your first choice for chimney sweeping in Minneapolis, MN.

Schedule annual chimney sweeping

The National Fire Protection Association Standard 211 states: “Chimney, fireplaces, and vents shall be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits, and correct clearances. Cleaning, maintenance, and repairs shall be done if necessary.” It will almost always be necessary to clean your chimney: even if you don’t use your fireplace often, deterioration can still occur and animals can build nests inside it. The CSIA recommends that even an 1/8” of soot build-up needs sweeping—and if it starts to develop into shiny creosote, it should be cleaned up sooner than the yearly visit because that is enough combustible material to constitute a fire hazard.

What if you use gas to heat your fireplace? Does that mean you need yearly cleaning as well? Absolutely. Even though gas burns cleaner than wood, you can still have trouble with damage from weather, debris, and animal nesting. Damage to the lining of the chimney from these infestations can turn into a serious fire hazard. You should have an annual inspection done on any type of fireplace.

Call for professional chimney sweeps

You can’t effectively clean a chimney on your own: there’s a reason that the profession “chimney sweep” exists in the first place. The task requires experience, training, and special tools. Removing dangerous creosote is a top priority during chimney sweeping, and you need this potentially dangerous substance scrubbed away as thoroughly as possible. Call 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. for chimney sweeps that will keep you safe and make your fireplace a source of comfort and coziness all through the winter.

Can a Mason Fix My Cracked Fireplace?

November 26th, 2013

Fireplaces often cause unnecessary worry in homeowners: they feel concerned about the safety of having open flames in their house, whether from burning wood or gas logs. However, a fireplace is no more or less safe than any other heating system you can have in your home. As long as you take care of it and have repairs done as soon as they are necessary, your fireplace should pose no major hazard to you or your family and instead do its job of creating a cozy setting for the winter.

An important part of fireplace safety is sealing up cracks. Cracks will not only lead to dangerous conditions—especially if they occur in the firebox—but they will also prevent your chimney from burning fuel effectively. These gaps and holes allow heat to escape, and they expose other construction material to the high temperatures inside the hearth.

To take care of this job, you should seek out masonry services in Eagan, MN that specialize in fireplace and chimney repair. 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. has many years of experience with installing, repairing, cleaning, and maintaining fireplaces throughout the Twin Cities area.

Masons are experts with sealing up damage in stone work. They have knowledge of how bricks are made and which types work best for heating insulation inside a fireplace. They can properly mix the kind of mortar that your fireplace needs to seal up the cracks and then layer it on with the correct tools. Masonry is a specialized skill, and requires training to do it properly. Make sure you entrust your fireplace repairs to technicians with the appropriate masonry skills.

When you have a mason over to repair cracks in your fireplace, you should also have him or her inspect the fireplace and the chimney for additional damage, such as repair needs for the damper or an excessive build-up of creosote. If you hire a company with a wide range of chimney inspection and repair experience, you can find out all the potential troubles and have them fixed before the heavy winter snows sweep in.

As our name states, 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. has two generations of experience working on all kinds of chimneys: standard wood burning hearths, fireplace inserts with gas logs, freestanding wood and pellet stoves. If you need chimney repairs in Eagan, MN, or if you are thinking of having an insert put into your old hearth, call 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. today to schedule an appointment.

Do I Really Need to Clean My Fireplace?

November 18th, 2013

No matter how often you use your fireplace—every day, or only a few weekend evenings during the holiday—you need to have it cleaned regularly. People often think that fireplaces don’t require regular cleaning because they are accustomed to the idea of a chimney and hearth having soot all over them. It seems almost… natural. However, it isn’t—and it can lead to hazardous conditions for you and your family. Fire safety experts recommend annual cleaning for fireplaces and chimney in order to avoid potential dangers.

We’ll explain a bit more in this post why it’s important to schedule yearly fireplace cleaning in St. Paul, MN. For comprehensive cleaning for fireplaces and chimneys, as well as installation, repairs, and inspections, call the experts at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. today.

Why You Need Your Fireplace Cleaned

The number one reason fireplaces need regular cleaning is creosote. You’ve seen creosote before: it’s the shiny black substance that starts to appear on the bricks of the hearth and chimney after burning wood. Creosote is unburned energy from wood, and it is highly combustible. Only a small flame can cause creosote to ignite. This is a major safety hazard, as it can lead to fires getting into the upper floors of your house and your roof.

Cleaning will also take care of problems with the flue and its lining. The flue does the job of channeling smoke from the fireplace to the outside, and the inside lining of the flue serves as a thermal barrier between the heat inside the flue and the building material around it. A layer of creosote along the flue will increase the heat and lead to dangerous conditions.

“But what if I don’t burn wood logs or wood pellets in my fireplace?” some people may ask. Well, you still need fireplace cleaning if you use gas logs, because problems with the ventilation can lead to smoke or gas getting into your home. The vents can become blocked with animal nests (a common issue in St. Paul) or outside debris.

Finally, a clean fireplace is a beautiful fireplace. Aside from all the safety benefits you’ll receive from fireplace cleaning, you will also have your fireplace looking its most inviting for the winter season.

Hire Professionals Fireplace Cleaners

Most homeowners know very little about the proper care of fireplaces and chimneys. They may seem simple, but modern chimneys are designed with numerous safety measures that require care to make sure they protect you and your home. Make sure that you hire only experienced chimney cleaning technicians to take care of your keeping your family’s hearth beautiful and safe. Trust to 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. and our many years of experience with fireplace cleaning in Saint Paul.

Benefits of Chimney Sweeping

November 15th, 2013

Chimney sweeping evokes images of cockney street urchins, stovepipe hats and Dick Van Dyke. But the principles involved haven’t changed in 150 years, and while today’s chimney sweeps use modern equipment and techniques, the work they do isn’t all that different from those of their predecessors. Chimney sweeping in St. Paul is a particular necessity, owing to our numerous older homes with fine brick fireplaces.

The benefits of chimney sweeping are numerous and obvious.

Safety. Smoke from your fireplace carries creosote into the chimney, which can coat the walls and ultimately become a fire hazard (it will ignite very easily). Creosote build-up can also prevent carbon monoxide from escaping your home, constituting another hazard.
Comfort. Build up inside the chimney can prevent smoke from escaping as quickly as it should, meaning that more of it could back up into your home. Clean chimneys also improve the amount of heat your fireplace projects into your home, making it more efficient as well as comfortable.
Longevity. Over time, the acidic qualities of soot and other debris can damage your chimney, forcing expensive and unnecessary repairs. A regular cleaning session can prevent that damage and extend the life of your chimney.

A good chimney sweeper understands the benefits of chimney sweeping, but also knows who to deliver them safely and effectively. That means paying close attention to new methods and techniques. Qualified chimney sweeps are licensed, bonded and insured to protect against accidents. They also work with the cleanliness of your home in mind, and guarantee their work once it’s completed.

For chimney sweeping in St. Paul, the professionals at 2^nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. are ready to help. We’ve served the Twin Cities area since 2001 and offer complete programs for inspecting, installing and maintaining your chimney. We’re available 24 hours a day in the event of emergencies, and our trained experts have earned the trusted of over 52,000 loyal customers. If you understand the benefits of chimney sweeping and want to set up a regular maintenance session to help keep yours clean, pick up the phone and give us a call today.

All I Know About Chimney Sweeping I Learned from Mary Poppins: What Else Should I Know?

November 8th, 2013

The romanticized image of the chimney sweep comes to us from the Disney movie Mary Poppins, where we learn that chimney sweeps are always coated from head to toe with soot, know fantastic dance moves, and say “guv’ner” at the end of every sentence. That’s all good to know if you live in a fantasy version of Victorian London. But if you live in contemporary Minnesota, you need to know the more practical side of keeping a chimney clean so you can enjoy it all through the winter in comfort and safety.

At 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. we have decades of experience with chimney sweeping in St. Paul, MN. When you want to go past thinking about getting your chimney cleaned and actually get it clean, contact us.

Here are some jobs that chimney sweeps—well, chimney technicians—perform that you won’t learn about from Disney movies:

Creosote cleaning

The black shiny substance that will start to cover the bricks of your chimney after burning wood and coal in the hearth is called creosote. Basically, it’s unburned wood or coal energy. It is highly combustible and poses a serious fire hazard to your home because it can cause flames to vault up the chimney to the upper floors of your home and the roof. Thick creosote (level 3 creosote) requires special equipment and techniques to remove. You need chimney technicians armed with more than brooms to take care of this problem.

Chimney flue cleaning

The flue serves an important safety and comfort function: it allows smoke from a fire to escape out the chimney when it’s open, and it keeps drafts from entering your home when closed. Damage and soot build-up can become a major issue for the flue, and so it’s one of the important components that technicians inspect when they come to clean your chimney.

Animal removal

Mary Poppins has some adorable animated animals in it: remember the penguins? However, you don’t want animals getting inside your chimney. Penguins shouldn’t be an issue, but birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and raccoons can create serious hazards. You don’t want to try to “smoke out” animals from your chimney (especially raccoons; this just makes them mad). Rely on technicians to do this job safely. You should also have the technicians install a chimney cap to help prevent this problem from returning in the future.

Here’s something else Mary Poppins won’t tell you: how often you should have your chimney inspected and cleaned. We recommend you schedule annual cleaning, even if you don’t use the fireplace often (cracks and animal infiltration can occur regardless of how much use the chimney gets). Contact 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. when you want quality chimney sweeping in St. Paul, MN. We can’t sing and dance as well as Dick Van Dyke, but you’ll have a clean and safe fireplace in your home after we leave.

Problems Caused by a Dirty Fireplace

November 3rd, 2013

Fireplaces are both decorative and functional. Although your home in St. Paul will almost certainly have a modern heating system installed in it (such as a boiler, furnace, or heat pump), a fireplace is a tremendous asset for getting cozy warmth during the winter, and it adds cheer and that special glow that you can’t get from any other source.

However, a dirty fireplace will cut into many of these benefits. A fireplace choked with soot and debris is not only a visual eyesore, but it can present serious dangers to your home and your family. Make sure you have a clean fireplace before the winter season arrives. Contact 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. for quality fireplace cleaning in St. Paul, MN.

Here are some problems you might encounter because of a dirty fireplace:

Creosote fire hazards

Creosote is the shiny black residue left over from burning wood; basically, it’s unburned wood energy. It is also the No. 1 enemy your fireplace faces. Creosote will gather on the bricks of your fireplace as well as on the inside of the chimney. It looks unattractive, but worse, it’s highly combustible. It can lead to sudden bursts of flame in places you don’t want fire to appear, such as an upper floor. Regular cleaning will remove this common hazard.

Smoke dangers

When you forget to open the flue in your fireplace, the smoke will start to pour into your living space, and you know how unpleasant that can be. But if you neglect cleaning your fireplace, then the chimney will become clogged on its own from creosote and soot buildup, making it harder for smoke to escape. Even a small amount of smoke drifting into your home presents a safety hazard.

Carbon monoxide

If you have a gas fireplace, an accumulation of soot or creosote can create blockages that cause carbon monoxide to enter your home. Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless but highly toxic. Even a small amount can cause bad headaches, breathing problems, and nausea.

The National Fire Protection Association Standard recommends that you have an annual inspection done on your fireplace and chimney in order to see that they meet safety guidelines. Although the NFPA doesn’t provide a specific timeline for fireplace cleaning, based on our experience in the business, we think you should schedule annual cleaning to accompany this inspection.

Keep your family safe and your home beautiful this year with a thorough fireplace cleaning in St. Paul, MN from 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc.

Some Benefits of Getting Chimney Inspection Services

October 24th, 2013

“You only need your chimney inspected every five years or so. They’re very durable.”

You might have received this advice about your home’s chimneys—but don’t believe it. A chimney left without an annual inspection and sweeping services can pose problems for your home that range from serious annoyances to serious hazards. To keep your chimney a charming and cozy part of your house during the winter, you should schedule regular inspection and sweeping. We’ll go over some of the benefits you’ll receive from these inspection visits.

2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. offers three levels of sweeping and chimney inspection in Minneapolis, MN to make it simple to find a plan that fits your chimney and budget.

Contact us today before the first winter logs go on the hearth.

Reduced fire hazard from creosote: Although a fireplace is designed to hold flames without causing danger, this safety will vanish if the chimney doesn’t receive regular inspection. Without routine checks and sweeping, your chimney will develop a dangerous build-up of creosote. Creosote is a black, shiny residue left over from burning logs. Creosote is extremely flammable, and if enough of it encrusts the inside of your chimney, it might only take a small spark to ignite it, leading to a fire that spreads into the upper floors of your home.

Stop animal infiltration: The cap on top of a chimney does the important task of preventing animals from entering. Birds in particular like to make nests inside chimneys, but rodents and raccoons frequently invade these spaces as well. Trying to “smoke out” these animals can backfire, so a regular inspection to keep the chimney cap intact against these nuisances is important.

Prevent structural collapse: You might imagine the solid construction materials of most chimneys will mean they have scant danger of falling apart. But mortar can crack, or the lining of your chimney wear away, and this can cause the chimney to collapse. Aside from the aesthetic problem this will cause, a collapsing chimney can allow smoke into other parts of the house, cause a toxic backflow from the fireplace, and create major fire hazards. Inspections will locate structural trouble and get it fixed.

Keep in mind that even though you associate a fireplace with pleasant family moments and cozy holiday charm, it still does the job of containing fire and can become a health hazard without the proper care. Keeping the chimney over your fireplace in good shape is key to fireplace safety, so make sure you sign up for chimney inspection in Minneapolis, MN. 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. will help keep your fireplace a joyful part of your household.