2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Chimney Inspection’

3 Stages of Chimney Inspection in Wayzata

Friday, February 7th, 2014

Because chimneys are made of durable material and designed to last for many years—over a century in some cases—people often believe that chimneys don’t need to have regular maintenance or inspection, except maybe at five year intervals just to check if there’s creosote that need cleaning out.

But this is a myth, and a potentially hazardous one. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends that homeowners have their chimney inspected once a year, even if they did not use it much during the previous year. Chimneys can accrue damage during periods when they are not in use as easily as during their busiest times of the year, such as winter holidays. Scheduling a chimney inspection in Wayzata, MN should be on your yearly calendar for home maintenance. Call 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. to schedule an inspection today from our certified technicians.

There are 3 stages of inspection, which are called “levels” by the CSIA.

Your chimney inspectors will ascertain what level you need. Below are the different levels:

  • Level 1: Recommended for a chimney in regular use that is not experiencing problems. Inspectors look over the readily accessible areas of the chimney (spots that do not require special tools or damage to building material or surface finishes to access). The inspection goes over the flue, the basic building structure, and fundamental installation, all for the purpose of ensuring the safety of you and your family.
  • Level 2: The CSIA recommends this level when you make a change in your heating, such as a switch in fuel type, a flue relining, or the replacement or addition of an appliance like a gas log insert. It is also recommended if you have experienced a malfunction or damage to the chimney. This level of inspection goes beyond Level 1 to include video scanning.
  • Level 3: Recommended when earlier inspections indicate hidden problems within the chimney or more complex tools are necessary. This inspection may require removal of components around the chimney, such as drywall, so technicians can access hidden areas of the chimney.

Chimney inspections are vital to maintain the safety of your fireplace and its ventilation. 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. has a staff of CSIA certified chimney inspectors who can perform all three levels of inspections to help ensure that your chimney is safe, allowing you to enjoy the warmth of a fire in the hearth throughout the year. Contact us today to start with a Level 1 chimney inspection in Wayzata, MN.

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The Benefits of Regular Chimney Inspection

Friday, 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.

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Some Benefits of Getting Chimney Inspection Services

Thursday, 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.

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Chimney Inspection Horror Stories

Friday, October 18th, 2013

At 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc., we’re familiar with chimneys that haven’t gotten a proper inspection for many years and the troubles that can form in them. Even though a fireplace makes a wonderful and cozy addition to a home, people don’t like to think about the unseen interior of the chimney that vents the smoke to the outside, so they let those important inspections slide. However, a chimney that goes without any sort of inspection can develop serious issues, such as soot blockages and cracks in the masonry. And then there are issues that go beyond “serious” and enter the “horror story” realm. Here are two of them, both of which you can easily avoid in Eden Prairie, MN with chimney inspections being performed on a regular basis.

Raccoons: Bird nests are a common animal-related trouble you’ll find in chimneys with broken caps. Other creatures known to crawl into chimneys include rats and squirrels. But raccoons are the worst intruders of all. These masked bandits are extremely intelligent, persistent, and have infiltrated far into suburban areas where they have become territorial. They pose a major issue in Minnesota towns today. Raccoons will think uncapped chimneys are hollow trees and try to lair in them, and they are tough to remove. (Don’t try to smoke one out under any circumstances.) An annual inspection will make sure you have a raccoon-proof chimney.

Dangerous creosote build-up: Creosote is the residue left over from the burning of coal or wood. You will find this in any fireplace or chimney—but if you leave a chimney without inspection and cleaning for many years, this buildup can turn into a fire hazard. It will become worse if your chimney has poor airflow. Creosote is highly combustible, and if enough of it chokes up your chimney, a single spark might ignite a large fire that can spread to your roof. Far fewer homes would catch fire each year if people signed up for regular chimney inspections.

You may have heard that chimneys only need inspection every five years. This is a myth, and a potentially hazardous one. We recommend that your chimney receives an annual sweeping service which includes a full inspection to search for common—and uncommon—problems. 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. offers three levels of annual sweeping to fit your needs and budget. Don’t allow any of these horror stories to turn into your horror story: contact us today to sign up for a Eden Prairie, MN chimney inspection service.

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When is the Best Time to Have My Chimney Inspected?

Tuesday, October 1st, 2013

A fireplace with a chimney carries an air of romanticism to it: summoning images of a warm and cozy home on a cold winter’s night. Fireplaces are efficient and atmospheric, as well as providing a way to heat your home without costing you an arm and a leg in monthly energy bills. But in order for a fireplace to do its job safely, you need to plan for regular inspections and occasional repair. We provide St. Paul chimney inspection services, so don’t hesitate to contact us when you find yourself asking, “When is the best time to have my chimney inspected?”

Here in St. Paul, every significant home improvement project depends on the weather. In the summer, we face warm temperatures, high humidity, and even thunderstorms and tornados. In the winter, the temperature drops well below freezing, making outdoor repairs difficult in the extreme. When it doesn’t see much use, a chimney can build up plenty of debris such as leaves and birds’ nests, while existing damage can go undetected since you aren’t likely to use the fireplace in the muggy heat of summer.

At the same time, winter makes outdoor repair work extremely difficult, both in terms of its effects on the repair personnel and on the chimney itself. Slippery roofs, icy surfaces and other conditions make such operations extremely hazardous, as well as increasing the possibility of further damage to your chimney.

In light of all that, the best time to have your chimney inspected is the early autumn, when summer temperatures have diminished, but the first snows have not yet begun to fall. That gives the inspector time to perform a thorough examination, then schedule any repairs or upgrades well before you need to use the fireplace. It’s safer, it’s easier on the workmen and it usually results in a more effective repair session.

For St. Paul chimney inspections, it pays to consult the best. 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. can answer the question “When is the best time to have my chimney inspected?” then go about the task with professionalism and care. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

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Why Isn’t My Fireplace Venting Smoke Properly?

Monday, September 9th, 2013

Fireplaces are a comforting part of any home, as well as savings providers on heating bills in the cold of winter. If you have a fireplace, it helps to have a trained expert come in for a regular chimney inspection. St. Paul, MN has too much snow and cold weather to chance a problem. In addition to regular maintenance, you should learn to spot signs of trouble when they appear, particularly if your fireplace isn’t venting smoke properly. There are numerous possible causes, many of which can be addressed by a trained professional.

Common Causes of Improperly Vented Fireplaces

  • Blocked flue. Soot and creosote can built up in your flue, as can leaves and other debris. Birds may make nests in it – especially in the summertime when you’re not using the fireplace – and bricks can come loose as well. All of that can partially or totally block your flue, preventing it from venting smoke properly.
  • Improper flue sizing or chimney height. Chimneys and flues need to be a certain size, depending on the size of the opening to the fireplace. If it was improperly measured during the chimney’s construction, you may experience smoke backing up into your house. Similarly, chimneys need to be a certain height in order to pull smoke upward: the difference in pressure between the top and the bottom of the shaft helps pull up smoke. If the chimney isn’t high enough, it won’t pull up any air.
  • A cold flue. Sometimes, if the flue is cold and hasn’t been used in a while, the air inside becomes dense, preventing smoke from rising. You can correct the problem with the addition of insulated liner within the chimney. (You can sometimes prime the flue by lighting balls of newspaper in the chimney, but in the cold of St. Paul, even that might not be enough.)

If your fireplace isn’t venting properly, contact the experts at 2nd Generation Chimneys for a chimney inspection. St. Paul and the whole of the Twin Cities are part of our regular service area, and we have the experience to address the problem properly.

Give us a call today! 

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Chimney Inspection & Maintenance in Your Home

Friday, March 22nd, 2013

Are you looking to buy a home? Part of your home inspection will be an evaluation of the chimney for potential hazards or needed repairs. Inspectors may recommend an additional inspection by a certified chimney sweep. 2nd Generation Chimneys has certified chimney technicians who will complete their own inspection of your chimney and make recommendations for necessary repairs.

Regular cleanings and inspections are an essential part of preventative maintenance. Not only does this help with ventilation, but chimney cleaning can also help prevent chimney fires and carbon monoxide intrusion. Whether you’re purchasing a home or maintaining a home you’ve loved for years, call 2nd Generation Chimney to schedule a chimney cleaning today. And for long term care, don’t forget to ask about our maintenance program!

chimney-cleaning-and-sweeping

 

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Minneapolis ChimneyTips: Safety Reminders

Monday, February 4th, 2013

The most important heating safety reminder we can give you is to have an annual chimney inspection by one of our Minneapolis chimney technicians. This will reduce the chances of hazards by eliminating any hidden safety concerns. No matter what type of heating system you own, always hire a heating contractor you can trust, such as 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. to perform an annual tune-up or chimney inspection in Minneapolis.

If you have ductwork in your home, it’s a good idea to routinely vacuum out your vents and make sure the vents are not damaged. This will ensure that there’s proper airflow and remove any excess dust or other particles that could eventually damage your system. Make sure you have a working carbon monoxide detector in your home if you have a gas heating system or gas logs. If you have a boiler, check for leaks, corrosion, or other damages.

On gas boilers, furnaces and gas logs, make sure you know how to locate and light the pilot light. Check your owner’s manual or call a heating professional if you don’t. The pilot light should burn blue and steady. If it is yellow, orange, or the flame flickers, call one of our chimney experts to troubleshoot the issue. If you have a wood-burning stove or fireplace, make sure you know what type of wood to burn, and always burn seasoned wood that has been drying for at least six months.

Every home should have a working smoke detector. Test your smoke detector occasionally to make sure it is working. Change the batteries at least once a year, even if they are not dead. If you remove the detector to test it or change the batteries, make sure you know how to properly reinstall the device. This is an important safety device designed to protect you and your home.

Call the Minneapolis chimney specialists at 2nd Generation Chimneys if you have any questions about heating safety. Call today if you have not scheduled your annual chimney inspection and cleaning. Contact 2nd Generation Chimneys!

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Why Do I Need an Inspection for an Insurance Claim?

Monday, January 7th, 2013

Enjoying a fire in the fireplace in your living room is one of the most soothing, enjoyable experiences available in your Minneapolis home. However, certain precautions must be made to ensure that your fireplace is safe to operate. Make sure that you can use your fireplace safely and with confidence by calling 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. today.

At 2nd Generation Chimneys we work hard to guarantee that our clients’ fireplaces and chimneys are as safe and efficient as possible. It is up to you, though, to call us and schedule the services you need for your chimney. In addition to keeping your chimney clean and safe our inspection services may also be necessary when you need to file an insurance claim.

Sometimes a chimney fire or other occurrences will lead to damage in your chimney, and that damage will require professional repair services. Most homeowners will find that their insurance covers these damages. However, you need the help of a qualified chimney service technician to ensure that your insurance claim process goes as smoothly as possible.

An expert on our team will document any damage that your chimney has incurred as well as the date that it was first discovered. The circumstances of the discovery will also be documented. Usually this occurs during routine chimney maintenance service, making this situation just one more reason to keep up to date with chimney maintenance.

While damages from chimney fires or lightning strikes may be covered by your insurance it is less likely that problems including general wear and tear or clogs will be covered. Issues stemming from poor maintenance practices will not be covered by your insurance company. Make sure that you do not wind up with damages to the chimney in your home due to a lack of regular, professional maintenance.

Whether you are concerned about the operation of your chimney, safety or insurance issues, professional chimney maintenance service is a must. There is no better way to protect your Minneapolis home from damage and dangerous situations stemming from your chimney. Contact 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. to learn more.

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Minneapolis Chimney Sweeping Question: Why Does My Chimney Need to Be Inspected if I Have a Gas Fireplace?

Monday, October 1st, 2012

When you use a traditional fireplace in Minneapolis, it’s easy to see why you need to have your chimney inspected and cleaned on a regular basis. The smoke going up the chimney leaves residue behind that can eventually become a hazard if not removed. But there are other reasons that it’s important to have your chimney inspected regardless of the type of fireplace you have, which is why it’s still important to get regular inspections even if you have a gas fireplace.

Outside Debris

One of the main reasons to have your chimney inspected is that things can fall into it from outside. Any type of debris has the potential to become a clog in your chimney, which in turn can cause serious ventilation issues in your home. During a regular inspection, a certified Minneapolis chimney inspection professional can easily find and remove anything that may be interfering with the proper movement of exhaust through your chimney.

Structural Issues

Over time, your chimney will invariably develop cracks and other structural issues that need to be addressed to keep it in good shape. Many of these structural issues, if caught early, are very easy to repair. But if they’re not attended to promptly, small cracks and chips can easily get larger, eventually compromising the integrity of the entire structure. Cracks that let in air from outside also change the way air moves through your chimney, making it a less effective ventilation system for your home.

So while a gas fireplace does burn clean, creating no soot or other residue that can be deposited inside your chimney, there are many other reasons it’s important to have your chimney inspected. This usually only needs to be done once a year to ensure that you have a safe and properly functioning chimney to keep fumes away from the living spaces of your home.

For more information about chimney sweeping or inspection in Minneapolis, give 2nd Generation Chimneys a call!

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