Ask Danny | Ep. 11: Maintaining a Chimney in Tip-Prime Form

This week, we’re speaking about chimneys and fireplaces with Mitchell Lovell, a second-generation licensed chimney sweep with Coastal Chimney Sweeps. 

In 2009, Mitchell began working at Coastal Chimney Sweeps, the corporate his father based in 1979. Like his father, Thomas, he’s devoted to doing the perfect work to maintain clients secure.

Cleansing and Inspection

What all’s concerned in cleansing a chimney?

Mitchell: First, we transfer all of the furnishings out of the best way and lay down a drop fabric across the chimney.

Then clean the chimney with a specifically made vacuum with a three-stage filter and HEPA filter. This comprises the soot and retains the within air clear.

We are able to get wherever from 5 to 10 gallons of soot out of some chimneys!

At Coastal Chimney Sweeps, we carry out a licensed inspection for each scheduled cleansing. If wanted, we’ll do an inspection with a Chim-Scan Video. It is a digicam inspection system that scans each joint and connection to ensure all the things is functioning correctly.

Relining a Chimney

What’s concerned in relining a chimney?

Mitchell: A chimney liner prevents the switch of warmth to flamable elements that encompass a chimney. Over time, the liner deteriorates, and this will increase your danger of a home hearth. 

Mainly, there are two varieties of chimney lining: masonry and chrome steel. 

For a masonry liner, we use a bladder (chimney balloon) to dam the underside of the chimney, then spray firebrick cement inside to line it. As soon as the cement is dry, we deflate the bladder.

With a stainless-steel liner, we run a flex-pipe metallic liner by way of the chimney and join it to block-off plates on the underside and the highest. 

Stainless-steel liners work properly in older homes with a number of chimneys or chimneys with lots of offsets. 

Preventative Upkeep

What are some basic guidelines for preventative upkeep?

Mitchell: Most significantly, have your chimney inspected a couple of times a 12 months in case you use it continuously.

Subsequent, be certain that your wooden is dry and don’t use pressure-treated wooden. Burning green wood, or wooden that has lots of moisture, creates lots of smoke. Not solely will it wreck your indoor air high quality, however it’s going to additionally clog up your chimney quicker. 

Additionally, sparingly burn lighter knot wooden, also called fatwood. Any such firewood comes from the heartwood of pine bushes and is saturated in sap, so it burns simply. Nonetheless, it has a powerful scent and can clog up your chimney with a creosote coating in a short time.

Fuel Fireplaces

What about gasoline fireplaces?

Mitchell: Gas fireplaces have to be inspected similar to wood-burning fireplaces.

The embers and filter sand will deplete ultimately and clog the gasoline traces and block the warmth sensors.

In case your gasoline fire isn’t lighting, the warmth sensor might be blocked.

Dealing With Animals

What about animals nesting in fireplaces?

Mitchell: Squirrels and birds will usually construct nests on high of a chimney if the display is damaged, which might then result in a build-up of lots of flamable materials inside.

I’ve seen one chimney with eight ft of twigs constructed up inside it from squirrels.

Additionally, these nests can fall down on high of the damper and block the entire chimney.

Have your chimney inspected regularly to ensure nothing is hiding in it and the display remains to be doing its job.

Greatest Time for a Chimney Inspection

When’s the perfect time to have your chimney inspected?

Mitchell: Spring is the perfect time for a licensed chimney sweep to examine your chimney.

Enterprise at Coastal Chimney Sweeps normally picks up on the finish of summer time, and by November, we e-book appointments three to 4 weeks out. So, by the point you discover the issue, you’re ready for nearly one other month. 

Dryer Vent Cleansing

What about dryer vent cleansing?

Mitchell: In case your garments take longer than one cycle to dry, you might want to clean your dryer vent most probably.

Some dryer vents run 20 or 30 ft beneath a house’s slab basis, which makes it simpler for the vents to clog with not solely lint but in addition water.

Additionally, in case you don’t clear your vent out for years, the lint can solidify and utterly block the pipe.

We use air strain and agitation instruments together with a vacuum to wash all the vent. Dryer vent cleansing cleans the road that travels by way of the partitions and ceilings to the surface vent of your private home.

As soon as cleaned, we’ll clear out the connection piece, re-attach your dryer and re-check the vent whereas your dryer is working.

Cleansing out your dryer vent extends the lifetime of your dryer, reduces operation prices and makes your private home safer on your you and household.

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