A Great New Year’s Resolution: Schedule Your Annual Chimney Inspection

There is satisfaction in checking crucial tasks off your to-do list. We recommend making a New Year’s resolution to schedule annual chimney inspections. At Chimney Solutions, we see too many homeowners facing serious consequences for neglecting chimney maintenance. An annual chimney inspection is the surest path to fire safety, and fire safety experts agree.

Why are Chimney Inspections Important?

Home maintenance is a reality for all homeowners. Otherwise, things are likely to fall apart—that’s no exaggeration! Chimney safety should be the top priority if you have a fireplace and use it in winter. The first fire of the season results in disaster for thousands of homeowners every year, primarily due to a lack of inspections and maintenance.

Catastrophic fires are often the result of dirty chimneys, especially as regards wood-burning fireplaces. An unknown blockage inside the chimney flue is another common cause of out-of-control chimney fires. More follows about these and other threats.

Eliminate Excess Creosote Build-Up

Every time you enjoy the cozy pleasure of a crackling, fragrant wood fire, creosote deposits accumulate in the flue liner. With proper burn practices, you can reduce creosote build-up, but it cannot be eliminated.

The problem with creosote is that it is highly flammable. The more there is inside the flue, the greater the risk that a floating ember will ignite a chimney fire. Once a chimney fire starts, it can continue burning increasingly hotter until all the creosote is consumed as fuel. Before a chimney fire burns out, structural damage usually occurs. Tragically, sometimes the fire spreads to other areas of the home. For these reasons and more, it is vital to schedule annual chimney inspections and post-chimney-fire inspections.

Tips to reduce creosote build-up include the following:

• Burn only dry, seasoned firewood
• Avoid sluggish, smoldering fires
• Open the damper fully before starting a fire
• Never burn trash or anything other than seasoned firewood
• Warm up the flue before starting a fire, as needed

A Chimney Inspection Identifies Potential Problems

During an inspection, a professional chimney technician checks every accessible part of the chimney system from top to bottom. If there is a chimney blockage, the homeowner will be advised to schedule its removal.

If creosote build-up exceeds 1/8 inch or if you haven’t scheduled an annual chimney cleaning, chimney sweeping will be recommended.

Other problems that may be identified during a chimney inspection include:

• The flue liner is damaged and, therefore, needs to be repaired or replaced before using the fireplace again
• Masonry damage may be identified, requiring repair
• The chimney flashing may be in disrepair
• Animal nests may need to be removed; this problem can be avoided by installing a chimney cap.

Schedule Your Chimney Inspection with the Pros at Chimney Solutions

At Chimney Solutions, we care about our customers. That’s why every technician is CSIA-certified, demonstrating they have the experience and expertise to provide high-quality, dependable services. There is no better way to obtain peace of mind than to entrust your fireplace and chimney system to knowledgeable professionals.

Making an excellent New Year’s resolution to schedule annual chimney inspections could be the best decision you ever made, since chimney care or the lack of it is often literally a life-or-death matter. We provide comprehensive chimney services. So, if you live in Chattanooga or the surrounding area, contact the pros at Chimney Solutions today! Call us or fill out our online form.