As summer comes to an end, appointments and bookings rise. Right before the fall, which is prime time for using your fireplace, many people will schedule their recommended annual inspection. During this time, all chimney sweep technicians and companies receive a heightened number of chimney sweep service calls and inspections so you may experience longer than normal wait times for an appointment. Summer is the off-season for our technicians, but we work year-round! With a more open schedule in the summer, our teams can work around you.
Planning can get you ahead, getting the peace of mind your chimney is clean and ready for use before Fall can do that for you. You most likely have not used your chimney for most of the year while temperatures are high, and then you go to light the first fire of the year. Before you know it, smoke fills your home and lungs and you are coughing up a storm. Since your last fire, any number of issues may have occurred. Rain may have found its way into your chimney, creosote may be leftover from last season, soot could have built up in the chimney and reservoir. There is no sure-fire way to know without an inspection. Without looking in the chimney, you cannot tell how dirty it is. With a level one inspection, our chimney sweep can spot any issues and repair them accordingly. By getting you prepared and ready for the next cold snap, you will be able to use your fireplace to warm your home, without having to worry about a chimney fire.
Heat and humidity during the summer can also cause foul odors and smells inside your home. Do you notice an unpleasant odor near your chimney? The heat will cause the stench of creosote to become stronger. It is important to have creosote removed as soon as possible because it is a super flammable material. Creosote is likely the culprit, but sometimes prolonged exposure to water can form mold or mildew in your chimney. We find this common issue on inspections all the time, but it is more common during the spring/summer months because of heavy rainfall. Water damage is important to repair or stop early, over long periods of time water can cause major damage that can be expensive to fix.
According to the latest statistics available, there are over 25,000 chimney fires per year in the US that are responsible for over 125 million dollars in property damage. A chimney fire happens when soot or creosote has caught fire within the chimney. Since a firefighter must spray downwards into the chimney to extinguish the fire, your home gets flood damage too in most cases. We do not want you and your home to become part of this statistic. The importance of chimney sweep maintenance is often overlooked, and not considered a priority for some.