People can’t enjoy the fireplace, if they fail to take care of the chimney. The chimney is often a neglected part of the house. No one pays attention to it, unless there is a problem. Homeowners who want to be safe, should have the chimney inspected.
Most chimneys are made of brick and mortar, and deteriorate over time. Mortar chimney caps are susceptible to cracks, because the mortar shrinks. One of the most expensive repairs is installing a new chimney liner. The liner is the conduit that allows smoke, heat and fuel by-products to leave the house. There are three types of liner, clay, metal and those that are cast in place. It can be disastrous if there is a blockage in the flue. The flue is a hollow passageway that acts as a vent for the chimney. Flue repairs should only be handled by a professional. Call Chimney Repair Frederick MD.
Regular chimney cleaning is important to prevent fires. Creosote, which is flammable, builds up inside the chimney. Creosote is the residue from wood burned in the fireplace. Take a fireplace poker and scrape away some of the creosote, from the fireplace lining. If the build-up is an eighth of an inch, or more, the chimney needs to be cleaned. Industry experts advise homeowners to clean the chimney annually. The entire process takes less than two hours. The chimney sweep covers the fireplace opening with a plastic sheet, and tapes the sheet to the side of the fireplace.
Floors and furniture are covered with drop clothes. The hose from a high-powered industrial vacuum is placed under the fireplace cover. The vacuum sucks out a lot of the debris. Next, a nylon brush goes into the fireplace and chimney. The brush has flexible sections that are pushed into the chimney, one at a time. The chimney sweep cleans the flue, damper, smoke chamber, smoke shelf and firebox. There are over thirty thousand chimney fires a year, so annual cleaning and inspection are important. Call a company for cleaning and Chimney Repair Frederick MD.
