Consider Using Some of Your Tax Refund for Chimney Sweeping to Avoid the Insurance “Neglect” Penalty
Most insurance providers are happy to cover “unexpected” chimney damage, such as from a hurricane, hailstorm, or falling tree. Few, however, will pay for damage that the providers believe was caused by neglecting “reasonable” chimney maintenance.
Reasonable maintenance includes annual chimney sweeping and inspections. If it’s been more than a year since your chimney was last cleaned and checked out, these services might be a good place to channel some of your upcoming tax refund.
Chimney Solutions of Atlanta, GA, would like to explain what happens during a chimney sweep and chimney inspection and why both services are so important.
How chimney sweeping works
When wood smoke condenses in a chimney flue, creosote forms. It can be flaky, puffy, sticky, or solid, and all forms are highly flammable. In fact, most reported chimney fires in the greater Atlanta, GA, area are caused by ignited creosote.
People who clean chimneys, generally referred to as “chimney sweeps,” use specialized brushes, scrubbers, rods, whips, solvents, and vacuums to remove creosote. This dramatically reduces the chance of a chimney fire.
Chimney sweeping also removes any debris that might be blocking the draft, allowing smoke and dangerous gases to enter the home.
(Note that a secure chimney cap will prevent the intrusion of leaves, twigs, and small animals that build nests.)
Insurance companies expect policyholders with wood-burning fireplaces to keep their chimneys free of creosote and debris.
The scope of chimney inspections
There’s no service more important for your chimney than an annual safety inspection performed by a certified chimney technician. Trained inspectors know chimneys inside and out and can quickly spot early signs of damage and malfunction that homeowners often miss.
The basic chimney inspection covers all readily accessible and visible parts of your chimney and fireplace system. Most chimney companies recommend having an inspection performed at the same time as chimney sweeping.
Along with basic inspections, you may need several specialized inspections at some point.
Real estate chimney inspection
This is a thorough inspection that includes video imaging of the flue. It goes far beyond what a typical home inspector would provide.
System modification inspection
A proper chimney inspection is needed when you:
- Add a new chimney liner
- Connect the chimney to a new appliance
- Modify the system in other ways
This inspection includes making sure the flue height and diameter meet the new venting requirements.
Inspection following suspected or known damage
A small chimney fire, a big weather storm, and other events can damage parts of a chimney. An inspection should be performed after an event that is believed to have damaged any part of the chimney system.
When major chimney damage is known to exist, a special inspection is needed to determine whether and how the chimney can be restored to safety. This inspection typically involves dismantling parts of the chimney and the home’s adjacent materials.
Insurance providers consider chimney inspections to be reasonable maintenance activities.
Help for your Chimney
Since 1998, Chimney Solutions has provided certified chimney sweeping, licensed inspections, and all types of chimney repairs and rebuilding work. If it’s time to have your chimney repaired, cleaned, or inspected, call us. You can also reach out through our handy contact form.
