Tag Archive for: chimney cleaning

A bird sitting where critters can get into your chimney, on top of the roof.

5 Signs a Critter Has Taken Up Residence in Your Chimney

/0 Comments/in , /by

While wildlife may be entertaining in our backyards, they cause nothing but problems if they decide to become house lodgers. Animal noises, strong odors, and debris becoming noticeable in and around the fireplace and chimney areas are dead giveaways that an intruder has moved in. See these five signs a critter is living in your chimney and has taken up residence and learn what to do about this problem.

1. What’s that Noise?

Northern Virginia’s cold winters make chimneys an attractive place for wildlife to shelter from the elements. Sturdy rooftop structures are particularly attractive to birds for building nests on and around, as chimneys help lessen the impact of strong winds and rain.

The first clue you may have that an unwelcome guest has arrived and is making themselves at home in your home is unusual noises. You may hear squeaks, rustling, scraping, or flapping sounds from the fireplace. When you listen closely, the sound will likely be coming from higher up in the chimney structure.

Pop outside and give the rooftop a good look over. A sign of wildlife in your chimney is roof disturbances such as nests atop the chimney. Does there appear to be debris where the chimney emerges at the roofline? Has the chimney cap been dislodged? If you can see any of this damage, then your worst suspicions are probably confirmed.

2. Is that Nasty Odor Coming from Around the Fireplace Area?

On top of wildlife noises, or in the absence of them, you may suddenly find a strong odor when you are near the fireplace. Critters can emit some incredibly pungent smells, particularly if they’re mating, fighting, or manage to get soaking wet. On top of that, if they’re living in the chimney most of the time, there will be smells associated with their toileting and the build-up of fur, feathers, and excrement. Ew!

Even worse, you may be able to detect the smell of a corpse. Best to get onto this one quickly before decomposition begins in earnest and the odor becomes unbearable. This may be a perfect time to get in touch with your chimney cleaners in North Virginia. The chimney is going to need thorough cleansing, and if they provide animal removal as part of the service, all the better.

3. Are those Droppings? Another Sign of Wildlife in Your Chimney

When inspecting the fireplace, you may notice clear signs of animal droppings. They can be a good indicator of precisely which wildlife species you’re dealing with. Common intruders via chimneys are birds, bats, squirrels, mice and rats, and raccoons.

4. Where did that Debris Come From?

A key sign of wildlife in your chimney is the sudden appearance of fragments in the fireplace. Mortar, crumbling brick, soot, and ash are to be expected if maintenance hasn’t been done for a while. A strong storm can also result in winds blowing down the chimney, creating debris. In addition, damage to the roof and chimney top can fall through the open cap. However, if your chimney is regularly swept and there hasn’t been recent extreme weather, then critters may be responsible.

5. Why isn’t the Fire Drawing?

It’s a chilly day, and you’ve decided to start the fire, but the fire won’t draw properly for some unfathomable reason. Also, smoke isn’t getting out through the chimney and is coming back into the room. Your first thought is no doubt that something is blocking the chimney. The obstruction could be on top of the cap or anywhere along the flue. While there could be structural damage of some sort causing the problem, it could also be a sign of wildlife in your chimney.

Put out the fire at once, as continuing may actually lead to toxic chemicals being released into the air or a dangerous chimney fire starting.

How to Get Rid of Pesky Critters in the Chimney and Fireplace

You’ve really only got two choices if you’re quite sure that you have unwanted animal guests in the chimney. One is to call out a pest control company to examine the situation and extract the animals. And the other option is to contact a company that does chimney cleaning, repairs, and removal of animals. And since you’ll probably need all three tasks done, the last option is an excellent way to go.

At Six Penny Chimney in Northern Virginia, we’ll look after all aspects of chimney sweeping and repair for you. We’ll also remove any nuisance critters that have taken up residence in your chimney. So get in touch for a free, no-obligation quote today.

Firewood stacked against a wall in a home that is properly preserving the life of their fireplace that is also burning well

5 Tips for Preserving the Life of Your Fireplace & Chimney

/0 Comments/in , /by

A classic wood-burning fireside adds character and coziness to your home and is an irresistible family gathering point in frosty weather. Keeping your fireplace and chimney in tip-top condition increases heating efficiency, minimizes wear and tear, and saves you money in the long run. See these 5 tips for preserving the life of your fireplace and chimney.

1. Regularly Remove Ash from Your Fireplace

Regular grate and combustion firebox maintenance does more than keep your fireplace tidy. It helps produce a clean-burning fire, which reduces the build-up of creosote and other damaging substances in the fire chamber.

As you burn wood, a layer of ash will continually form in the grate and around it. If the residue gets too high, it will hinder the flow of air needed around the firewood to burn cleanly and efficiently. But, at the same time, a small layer of ash helps start and keep fires burning, as ash has excellent heat-keeping properties. So, a balancing act is required to get the right amount of ash in the fire chamber.

Maintaining an ash layer around the one-inch mark and removing the excess as it approaches the two-inch level seems to work well. Ensure the ashes are cold before removing them, or use a metal bucket and scoop to avoid injury.

2. Use Seasoned Firewood

The type of wood you burn and it’s quality strongly impact whether your fire will be clean-burning or not. Whether you use softwood or hardwood for burning, it’s essential to ensure the wood is well-seasoned. By this, we mean that the wood is no longer green, i.e., it has been set aside and dried out enough that it will burn evenly and with little smoke.

Burning green wood works against preserving the life of your fireplace and chimney. The high moisture content in unseasoned timber causes creosote to develop at higher levels than seasoned wood. Creosote is a sticky tar-like substance that adheres to the walls and lining of the fireplace and chimney. Highly flammable, creosote causes numerous chimney fires every year.

Well-seasoned hardwood, such as oak, maple, and walnut, is the best type of wood for use in your fireplace. The dense structure of hardwood gives a longer-lasting higher volume of heat than softwoods.

3. Repair Damage Quickly

Chimneys are subject to a continual onslaught by the weather. Heavy rain, intense winds, frost, ice, and snow, can weaken and damage exposed chimney caps and tops. Over time, mortar in brick joints will deteriorate, and bricks can crack, split, and fall. Chimney caps can become damaged, allowing rain to enter the chimney flue.

It’s a good choice to make chimney repairs as quickly as possible, as left untreated, these structural faults will accelerate the deterioration process. A professional chimney cleaning and repair company can fix any damage and do a thorough inspection for any unseen problems.

4. Plan to Upgrade your Fireplace

Different types of fireplaces vary in both maintenance needs and longevity. They’re not all designed to last. For example, a modern wood-burning fireplace insert may only last ten to fifteen years before needing replacement.

Older fireplaces constructed with solid firebricks and cast-iron elements may last a lifetime, though chimney liners may need replacement. Over time individual bricks, tiles, or stone veneers in the fireplace may crack from the constant heat and need replacement as well.

Whatever type of wood-burning fireside you have, you’ll need to plan for repairs and replacement in your household maintenance budget. Damage to inserts or surrounds will do little to preserve fireplace life if not fixed rapidly.

5. Get Regular Professional Inspections

For peace of mind, homeowners should schedule a regular fireplace and chimney inspection and cleaning service. The National Fire Inspection Service recommends that services are performed annually. Qualified inspectors will examine the entire chimney structure for damage, hidden soot and creosote deposits, debris, blockages, and wildlife.

Chimney sweeping with the use of specialized tools can then be carried out to remove creosote, soot, and other toxic residues, along with any debris or animal life. This annual service is probably the most important thing you can do for preserving the life of your fireplace and chimney. It prevents severe problems and keeps everything in working order.

Local Expertise in Northern Virginia

Applying these 5 tips can help your fireplace and chimney last as long as possible. Six Penny Chimney in Northern Virginia is your go-to professional for all chimney inspections and sweeping services. Get in touch today to schedule our expert services.

Avoid Chimney Cleaning Logs, logs burning in indoor fireplace

6 Reasons to Avoid Chimney Cleaning Logs & DIY Fireplace Care

/0 Comments/in /by

When money’s tight, homeowners look for savings, and cooling and heating costs are generally a significant component of the household budget. At such times considering DIY fireplace care can be tempting. Homeowners often think chimney cleaning logs will help reduce maintenance costs. When the logs are set in the fireplace and burnt, they reduce creosote, a significant culprit in chimney fires. But is this a false economy? And are there hidden dangers in this fireplace cleaning method? Here are six reasons to help explain why you should avoid chimney cleaning logs.

1.  Loose Creosote Goes Undetected

Chimney cleaning logs work by releasing chemicals into the fireplace and up through the flue as they burn. The cleaning compounds interact with creosote, helping loosen this flammable tarry substance from the walls of the chimney and fireplace. After a week or so, the creosote flakes off the chimney lining, falling into the fireplace where you can sweep it up.

The problem with this method is two-fold. First, many chimneys are not wholly vertical open stacks. Instead, chimneys may be constructed with elbows or bends and have other nooks and crannies within their structure. These areas within the chimney can allow ash, soot, and creosote to fall from the sides into small heaps that go undetected by the homeowner. These heaps then actually raise the risk of a creosote fire.

Secondly, chimney sweeping logs only work on relatively new creosote deposits. Called Stage I, this thin, flaky layer of creosote can be brushed or cleaned away without too much effort. Chimney cleaning logs cannot remove hardened creosote that has gone beyond Stage 1.

2. Why You Should Avoid Chimney Cleaning Logs for Built-up Creosote

Aged, hardened creosote is probably the number one reason to avoid using chimney cleaning logs. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security that cleaning logs reduce Stage 2 and 3 creosote. In Stage 2, the creosote is becoming a solid tar, requiring hard scrubbing and possibly rotary tools to remove it.

In Stage 3, the creosote is so hard and thick that it is extremely difficult to remove and is a serious fire hazard. Professional chimney cleaners may have to use heavy-duty tools with chains or highly specialized chemical treatments to attempt the removal of the hardened tar-like substance. At worst, they may have to replace the chimney liner.

3. Are Chimney Cleaning Logs Dangerous?

Cleaning logs contain toxic chemicals. Therefore, they should be handled carefully, used strictly according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and kept a careful eye on while actually burning.

You should also exercise caution when removing the fallen ashes. These may still contain full-strength creosote, which is harmful to breathe in. In addition, the creosote is still highly flammable, so it must be carefully handled.

4. Fireplace Cleaning Requires Specialized Tools

Professional chimney sweeps use specialized fit-for-purpose tools, including wire chimney brushes and connectable long flexible cleaning rods. They also use cameras or inspection mirrors to identify where creosote has been collected. If you have to buy this equipment, up go your maintenance costs.

5. Obstructions and Damage

Unlike chimney sweeps, cleaning logs can’t check for obstructions such as bird and rodent nests within the chimney structure. Unfortunately, neither will inspection of the chimney’s physical structure occur so that you will be unaware of any damage and necessary repairs.

6. Experts Advise Chimneys Should be Professionally Cleaned Every Year

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) clearly states that professional chimney sweeps should be engaged every year to inspect solid fuel venting systems. Experts also caution that chimneys should be swept and repaired whenever needed.

National Fire Protection Association Standard 211 reiterates the requirement for yearly inspections for chimneys, fireplaces, and vents.

So are Chimney Cleaning Logs Worth Using?

Let’s look at where you could end up if you’ve opted for the DIY fireplace care option. Well;

  • You may have missed finding some of the creosote deposits.
  • You have to clean the filthy and toxic creosote out yourself.
  • You’re unlikely to have the right tools to clean the chimney thoroughly.
  • The cleaning chemicals from the log are toxic.
  • You can’t confirm the physical state of your fireplace and chimney, and
  • You’re going against the advice of experts in the fire prevention field.

Given these circumstances, perhaps you should avoid chimney cleaning logs and leave this dirty chore to the professionals.

Northern Virginia Chimney Sweeping and Fireplace Cleaning Services

The professional chimney cleaning services of Six Penny Chimney will leave you with peace of mind, knowing that your fireplace has been cleaned to exacting standards. We make life much easier for you than the DIY experience.

We’ve been providing Northern Virginia homeowners with chimney cleaning and repair services since 1980.