As a homeowner, you are responsible for maintaining the different systems of your home to keep everything working properly. One of these systems is your chimney and fireplace system, and national fire safety organizations like the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommend that you have your chimney professionally swept and inspected at least once a year. Because these maintenance services should be taken care of before lighting the first fire of the year, many people wait until the fall to have these tasks performed. This makes the fall the busiest season for most chimney companies, including Blue Ridge Chimney Services, and you can have a hard time scheduling your appointment on the most convenient date for you. We recommend that you contact us in the spring to schedule your chimney sweeping. Since spring is the season for cleaning, it makes sense to have your chimney swept as part of your spring cleaning routine. After using your fireplace all winter, your chimney needs to be swept, and our services can find any winter-related damage that needs to be repaired in a timely manner. We would like to tell you why you need your chimney swept and inspected annually and what you can expect from our chimney maintenance services.
Why do I need to have my chimney swept and inspected every year?
To keep your chimney system working efficiently and safely, you need to have it professionally serviced every year. As the CSIA warns, dirty chimneys can lead to chimney fires. When you burn wood, creosote develops naturally during the combustion process and sticks to the inner walls of your chimney. Creosote is an extremely flammable compound, and when it accumulates inside your chimney, you have a greater risk of experiencing a chimney fire. When Blue Ridge Chimney Services sweeps your chimney, our CSIA-certified chimney experts take great care to remove every bit of creosote from your home to remove that risk. After the sweeping has been completed, we then inspect the interior and exterior of the chimney to be sure there are no blockages or damage that makes your chimney unsafe to use.
What can I expect from these chimney maintenance tasks from Blue Ridge Chimney Services?
When our certified chimney sweeps arrive to your home, the process begins by laying down tarps and drop cloths to protect the area surrounding your fireplace from getting dirty. We then use special tools like rotating brushes on extension rods to clean your entire chimney. As we clean the chimney from top to bottom, we remove all of the creosote, ash, and soot from its interior. After the sweeping is finished, we will inspect your chimney and look for any safety hazards. We also look for damage, such as cracked or loose bricks that can allow water to leak into the chimney. If we find any damage, we can make repair suggestions that will keep your chimney protected from further deterioration.
Don’t wait until the fall to have your chimney maintenance tasks performed. Contact us at Blue Ridge Chimney Services to schedule an appointment for your annual chimney sweeping and inspection today.