Annual Cleaning and Inspection of Your Chimney
There are certain things that you have to do to your home annually, so your home stays safe and performs properly. Having an annual list is important, because it will remind you what needs to be done. Some of the duties on your annual ‘To-do’ list probably includes changing your furnace filter, putting away patio furniture, and checking the battery in your smoke detectors. These are important things on the list, but one important thing that must be added is having an annual cleaning and an inspection of your chimney done.
What is a chimney cleaning and inspection?
A chimney cleaning and inspection is done to keep your chimney operating properly. This will keep you and your home safe. The chimney cleaning and inspection is done by our qualified professionals. A chimney cleaning should be done at least once a year.
The Chimney Inspection:
The chimney inspection is a comprehensive checklist performed by our trained and qualified professionals. The inspection includes:
- A detailed check of the flue liners
- A detailed check of the damper to make sure there is proper movement
- A complete check for creosote, then remove any creosote that is more than 1/8 inches
- Look and check for any debris, birds, raccoons, and any other animals
- Inspect the firebox for any damage
Chimney Cleaning:
The chimney cleaning is done to ensure your chimney is working and operating properly. The chimney sweeping will remove any buildup of creosote, which includes scraping the creosote off the chimney walls. There are two different chimney brushes we use. The wire brushes are used for masonry chimneys, and a polypropylene brushes are used for the metal chimneys. If a company uses the wrong brush, then it could damage the chimney.
There are two different chimney cleaning methods that we perform. One is the top down or Rod Method. This method will have one of our team members on the top of your roof, and cleaning from the top of the chimney down. This method cleans the entire chimney completely. The bottom up method is performed from the inside of your home through the chimney opening. This is one of the main choices by homeowners, because the dust control is lessened. Don’t worry, our team puts down tarp and drop cloths, so your home will not receive any of the dust.
No matter which method you have done, the main thing to do is to add the chimney cleaning and inspection to your annual ‘To-do’ list. It is best to have the chimney cleaning and inspection before you begin operating your fireplace or woodstove for the winter. Doing this will have your chimney operating properly, which will keep you, your family and home safe.
For more information on our chimney services, click here!
Save Money with Lyemance Top-Sealing Damper
Save Money with Lyemance Top-Sealing Damper
Are you tired of paying high heating and cooling costs? Is your current fireplace damper old, worn out, and allowing your heating and cooling to escape through the chimney? You’re not alone. If your current damper has not been updated with the Lyemance Top-sealing damper, then your current damper is costing you money.
Traditional fireplace dampers don’t seal tightly. Their sealing is metal to metal contact. There is nothing between the metal to stop leaks. They are also a pain to deal with. You have to crank and crank to open and close the damper, and many times homeowners are looking up the chimney to see if the damper is open or closed.
The Lyemance Top-sealing damper eliminates 90% of all winter and heating loss. It also eliminates downdrafts along with keeping animals from entering the chimney. Moisture is eliminated, which provides a stable and durable chimney. There is a silicone rubber gasket provided with the Lyemance damper, which eliminates the metal on metal sealing. This is why homeowners get the 90% energy leak protection with this damper.
Energy costs are outrageous, and the utility companies keep getting raise after raise. This is why it is essential to have the Lyemance damper as a major part of your chimney. This damper will pay for itself in no time at all!
Where to get the Lyemance Top-sealing damper?
The only place that a homeowner can get the Lyemance Top-sealing damper is through a chimney company provider. The reason that you can’t just purchase the damper yourself is it has to be sized to fit your chimney exactly, then installed by a certified chimney professional. Don’t let this scare you. It is quite affordable. There is lifetime warranty that comes with the Lyemance damper, so you don’t have to worry about purchasing a new one every other year.
Safeside Chimney is the chimney professionals to call to have your Lyemance Top-selling damper installed. We are certified, experienced and qualified. Give us a call today and let us discuss the many benefits that the Lyemance damper can offer you and your home.
Tolland Custom Brick Chimney Rebuild
Tolland customer invited us out because his chimney never drafted right and had excessive soot staining on exterior brick. It turned out the fireplace chimney flue tiles were broken and hot flue gasses and soot were bleeding through firebox.
During chimney tear down we found the chimney not built to code, as is common in almost all of CT , where there wasn’t the proper thickness of masonry between the fireplace and combustible wall. The wood behind the chimney was also rotted through from water.
Customer didn’t want the chimney to look brand new. We get asked all the time if we can build with used brick or antique brick for aesthetic purposes. Our Tolland County customer wanted a custom old-style brick that looked aged and worn. We came through for him using ‘Old Barkhamstead’ brick that we were able to obtain from one of our many masonry yard contacts. Custom brick rebuilds are our specialty and our master masons love building them.
For more information on Tolland’s #1 chimney repair and rebuild company, click here!
South Windsor Chimney Brick Rebuild
A long-time South Windsor chimney sweep customer of ours finally pulled the trigger on rebuilding the chimney with new chimney flashing. There was no chimney leak , it still was functional , but every year we showed him a picture of it steadily worsening. He was reminded by the installer of the dish antennae who told him , “The chimney looked rough.” We rebuilt the chimney, and now it looks better than ever! Click below to check out our work!
For more information on chimney repair and rebuild, click here!
Wethersfield Chimney Rebuild
Customer in Wethersfield had popped bricks due to water damage. These particular bricks were very porous, soaking up water and during freeze-thaw cycles , the brick faces chipped out. Water also leaked into the interior of the fireplace during very heavy rains, most likely through the shoulder areas when gutters overflowed.
We tore the chimney down and rebuilt it with all new severe weather brick and installed water impervious blue stones on the chimney shoulder to eliminate water soaking through the brick. Many chimney leaks occur in these areas.
What Does a Chimney Liner Do?
A chimney liner is a critical element of the chimney. The chimney liner will guide the combustion that is created in the chimney and guide it away from the chimney. It is a major element of the chimney and provides safety for your home.
Benefits of a Chimney Liner:
- Reduces Fire. It reduces fire because a chimney liner forms a barrier between the fire and the chimney. This barrier, the chimney liner will reduces fires that can occur in an overheated and extremely hot chimney.
- Prevents Harmful Toxic Gases. The chimney liner will take harmful toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and guide it out of your home. If the chimney liner is damaged or there is no chimney liner in your chimney, then the toxic gases can enter your home; this can be deadly and dangerous.
- Energy Efficient. The chimney liner provides energy efficiency. The chimney liner will reduce any heat loss.
- Provides Safety. The chimney liner provides safety to a home. The chimney liner protects the joints and the structure from overheating, which causes house fires.
A chimney liner is a critical element of the chimney. The chimney liner provides safety, energy efficiency and so much more. If you have a home that was built before the 1940’s, then more than likely your chimney doesn’t have a chimney liner. It is important that all homes have a chimney liner for their chimney. The chimney liner should be maintained and inspected often to provide safety and security for your home.
Safeside Chimney are the chimney liner specialists. Call Safeside Chimney to have your chimney liner inspected and maintained.
For more information on Conneticut’s chimney specialists, click here!
What Does a Chimney Cap Do?
Chimneys keep a home warm and cozy along with adding appeal and beauty to any home. A homeowner wants to provide warmth to their family along with safety, and that is why it is important for every chimney to have a chimney cap.
A chimney cap is a metal box that sits on top of a chimney. The benefits of one include:
- A chimney cap will prevent rainwater from entering the chimney liner. Rainwater can damage cause deterioration to the liner and the chimney.
- The chimney cap will prevent limbs, leaves and debris from entering your chimney.
- A chimney cap will prevent wildlife from entering your chimney. Birds, squirrels and raccoons are always looking for a place to build their nest, and the chimney is the perfect choice for these animals. The chimney never has any people around it and the animals have a dark, quiet place to live. A chimney cap will prevent any wildlife from building a nest in your chimney.
- A chimney cap can prevent a fire. Embers can fly up the chimney, then land on your roof. This is dangerous and deadly, but a chimney cap prevents embers from exiting the chimney.
- The chimney cap can promote a long life to your chimney liner. The chimney cap will keep rain and debris from entering the liner. These items cause damage to a chimney liner.
A chimney cap is affordable and will save a homeowner costly repairs later. It should be installed by a professional who is trained and qualified. Safeside Chimney are the professionals to install your chimney cap. Give them a call today!
For more information on Hartford’s chimney experts, click here!
Spring Cleaning Your Chimney
When spring finally arrives after a long, cold winter, homeowners are getting into the spring-cleaning mood. Spring cleaning your home gets dust, dirt and debris out of your home and is the perfect time to sanitize and scrub your home. The last thing the homeowner is thinking about with their spring cleaning is the chimney, but this is the perfect time to have it cleaned.
Cleaning your chimney while you are doing your spring cleaning will guarantee that your chimney has been cleaned and ready for winter. There are other benefits to cleaning your chimney at springtime.
- Creosote is deposited in your fireplace when it is being used. Creosote will build up in the liner of the chimney. The creosote can produce a sour odor that can be smelled in your home.
- Water can enter the chimney throughout the winter months. Ice, snow and rain create a moisture that can cause corrosion in the liner of the chimney, which leads to damage. A spring cleaning can identify any damages.
- Cleaning the chimney can save the homeowner costly repairs later. Many homeowners don’t clean their chimney until fall months. If there is major damage to the chimney, then the homeowner will have to wait to use the fireplace until the repairs have been made.
Spring is an excellent time to deep clean your home. It will remove dust, dirt and debris from your home, leaving your home clean and healthy. This will allow a professional chimney sweep to identify any damages.
Having a professional chimney sweep inspect and clean during your spring cleaning will allow for any repairs to be repaired, creosote to be removed and your home being clean and healthy. Call the professional chimney sweep company who is licensed, insured and certified in chimney sweeping. Safeside Chimney can provide an effective and efficient chimney sweep.
Call Safeside Chimney for all spring chimney sweep cleaning. Get your whole house clean and healthy when you have your chimney sweep done too.
For more information on chimney services provided by Hartford’s chimney leader, click here!
How Often Should I Clean My Chimney?
A chimney sweep will clean and remove built-up creosote, debris and soot from your chimney liner. It is important to have your chimney cleaned, because it will keep your chimney performing properly and keep your family safe and healthy.
How often should the chimney be cleaned?
The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends that the chimney should be cleaned when there is approximately 1/8” of soot buildup.
How would a homeowner know if there is 1/8” of built-up soot in their chimney?
It is very difficult for a homeowner to know if there is built-up soot in their chimney. A professional chimney sweep technician can examine the chimney and determine if the chimney should be cleaned. The chimney sweep technician will also be able to examine the chimney liner for any cracks or damages. This is important as the repairs can be done at the same time the chimney liner is cleaned.
A chimney should be cleaned at least once a year. The best time of year to have your chimney cleaned is summer or before fall begins. This will have your chimney cleaned, maintained and repaired before the heating season begins. A homeowner should never neglect having the chimney cleaned. Removing creosote, soot and debris from the chimney will keep your chimney safe and performing properly.
Safeside Chimney is the professional chimney sweep to call. Our technicians will examine the chimney for any damages or cracks, then repair them immediately. The technician will clean the chimney thoroughly. Call Safeside Chimney to schedule your annual chimney sweep.
For more information on Hartford’s chimney services, click here!
