Fireplaces provide many homes with comfort and heat all winter long. If you are lucky enough to have a fireplace in your home, you should know how much maintenance they require. A chimney is a part of your home that should be cleaned and inspected by a professional at least once a year. Preferably, this should happen prior to the first use of the season. There are many reasons this is important, but they all have one thing in common. Safety. Monmouth County chimney service should only be completed by competent professionals like those at Carlin Chimney and Duct Service. The safety of your home and family depends on this process to be complete and correct. Finding the right company for that job can be difficult and stressful, but the Chimney Safety Institute of America has made it easier. You can search their database for a knowledgeable, expertly trained, and reliable company.
A Dirty Chimney is a Dangerous Chimney
There are many reasons to have your chimney cleaned. One of the most important reasons is to remove creosote. Creosote is a black, tarry substance that is a by-product of burning fuel in your fireplace. The presence is common in chimneys due to the lack of adequate airflow. When you burn wood outdoors in something like a fire pit or bonfire, it gets plenty of oxygen. This allows the fuel to combust fully. In contrast, wood burning stoves and fireplaces are enclosed, Therefore, their supply of oxygen is greatly reduced. This doesn’t allow for complete combustion of the fuel which results in off-gassed volatiles. This, then, leads to creosote build-up. If allowed to continue to accumulate, a chimney and/or a house fire is much more likely. The best way to avoid this is to schedule an annual Monmouth County chimney service call.
There are Other Dangers as Well
Aside from the build-up of a highly flammable substance inside of your chimney, a neglected chimney leads to a host of other problems as well. For one, your family will be exposed to highly irritable air quality. This is in part due to the fact that a dirty chimney is a narrower chimney which means less space for smoke to escape. This can cause a blow back of smoke, tar, and ash into your home rather than out your chimney. Another large danger that can be the result of a dirty chimney is carbon monoxide poisoning. Just as smoke and ash cannot escape a faulty or dirty chimney, other toxic gases can’t either. If you neglect your annual chimney inspection, even the smallest crack in your flue could spell danger. Installing a carbon monoxide detector is important for all homes.
Monmouth County Chimney Service Should Include an Inspection
When it comes to chimneys, cleanliness is important. But just as important is an inspection of the chimney and parts by a well-trained professional. Weather and animals can wreak havoc on a chimney if left unchecked. Any amount of damage to your chimney is something to be avoided. Cracked bricks, a broken flue, and melted crowns are all things that will be checked for during an inspection. Depending on a few different factors, the level of your chimney inspection may vary. Generally put into three levels, they range from an all-over in-depth visual inspection to more invasive examinations. Your chimney service technician will go over everything with you to ensure you get the level inspection necessary.
The Process
Of course, this will be just a general guideline of a chimney cleaning process, but to begin with, all jobs should start with protection. Chimney cleaning can be a dirty job. A very dirty job. The one thing you do not want is to have to replace items in your home after the job is complete. Next is the actual cleaning. Tools such as a brush may be used in the top of the chimney and then a large-scale vacuum system to get rid of everything. After the cleaning is complete, an inspection can then take place.
Danger is Imminent Without Monmouth County Chimney Service
Both the cleaning process and the inspection are very important. These chimney services provide you with a sense of security knowing that your chimney is safe to use. A dirty or clogged chimney is a fire in the making. And not in a good way. Chimney fires are the cause of over 15,000 house fires in the US annually. The best way to avoid this is to have your chimney and exhaust pipes cleaned and inspected every year. Monmouth County chimney service provided by expertly trained technicians is key to keeping your home protected.
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