It may seem that a home’s chimney was made to withstand anything that comes its way, especially something as simple as water. And yet, water damage is the number one reason chimneys require repair. With time, water can damage the inside of a chimney (especially as water freezes and expands in the winter).
This increases the chance that a chimney fire could spread to the outside of your home. It also increases the presence of creosote in your chimney, a highly flammable substance, which is what makes waterproofing so important.
Worried about the cute critters that live in your neighborhood? The local wildlife may be majestic, but birds, squirrels, and other critters can be curious creatures. These animals have been known to find themselves in sticky situations in the human world, including getting stuck inside chimneys and wreaking havoc (or remaining undetected for too long).
We know a lot of people are doubtful that regular chimney cleaning is all that important. How much dirt could be in there? And why should you care? It’s out of your view, after all, and you care much more about the condition of your fireplace. But, of course, chimney cleaning has nothing to do with the way the chimney looks.
There are many maintenance tasks around the home that are easy to let slide. For example, you may not be in any rush to clean underneath the refrigerator or the washing machine, or on top of a high bookshelf, when these are not places that your guests are likely to see. Out of sight, out of mind! Unfortunately, too many people have the same mentality when it comes to another hidden area of the home, the inside of the chimney.
Some people simply don’t see a need to clean the fireplace very often. A screen in front of the fireplace or a set of doors may keep most of the surfaces hidden from view. And besides, most people expect a fireplace to be dirty. Your guests likely aren’t going to judge ash and soot at the bottom of the fireplace; it just means your family makes good use of it!
You would definitely notice if there were a fire in your home, right?
Many of the same cute little critters we love seeing videos of on the internet are also considered pests. Raccoons, squirrels, and more of those silly bandits can hide out in your chimney, while birds can get stuck inside or nest atop the chimney. You may love finding and sharing images of some of these animals online, but when they get into your chimney, you can start to worry.
As the weather warms up, you’re probably not going to think much about using your chimney and fireplace. That doesn’t mean your chimney is immune to problems. You can actually run into a lot of problems with your chimney or fireplace in the spring and summer, especially if you don’t call a technician for routine inspection and cleaning this year.