While the warm months may put chimney maintenance at the low end of your priority list, the facts tell us that prioritizing your chimney is a year round top priority. Damage will still occur when the chimney is not in use because of things like rain, wind, and debris. Don’t let your chimney deteriorate to the point that it is unsafe to use this coming fall and winter. Just a little preparation will go a long way to ensuring your fireplace is safe for use.
The first bit of chimney maintenance to consider is a chimneyinspection. Because the summer months are a slower time on the chimney sweep calendar, you will be much more able to get an appointment in a timely manner. Inspections will often turn up things that need to be repaired or cleaned, such as brick spalling, creosote buildup and water damage. Don’t wait to have these things taken care of. Burning wood in a damaged chimney can result in home damage at best and a chimney fire at worst.
Second, think about the wood that you’re going to use once cold weather does come. Has it been properly seasoned? Is it hardwood that burns efficiently or is it softwood that will leave excess creosote on your chimney liner? Make sure you know how to answer these questions, because burning improper or insufficiently seasoned wood results in dangerous deposits building up. If you’re unsure about what type of wood to use, give us a call. We’d be more than happy to give you helpful tips and tricks.
Those old cliches about preparation really hold true in regards to your chimney and fireplace. Since you are actually starting a fire in your home, it stands to reason that you would want your wood or gas burning appliance to be fully maintenanced and declared safe by a chimney professional.