Tag Archive for: chimney sweeping

A properly maintained chimney working well done by a regular chimney cleaning professional.

Why Every Homeowner Should Have a Regular Chimney Professional on Hand

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Fireplaces add beauty, ambiance, and value to your house; however, they require regular upkeep and maintenance by a chimney professional to operate efficiently and safely. Moreso, if you’re using the chimney after a long time or use it frequently.

In addition, if you want to upgrade your chimney, it is better to avoid DIY methods and get a professional to do it. Doing so will ensure quality work and prevent accidents.

Let’s look at some reasons why you should have a regular chimney professional on hand to help you understand their true significance.

Extracting Hazardous Pests and Obstructions

Often, your chimney may get clogged with debris, or pests such as raccoons, squirrels, or bats can make it their home. Obstructed chimneys are a severe hazard; if you lack proper knowledge and try to clear them, you will damage your house.

For instance, many homeowners use large fires to eliminate pests or obstructions in their chimneys. Though creative, this method can expose you and your family to toxic carbon monoxide or start a large house fire.

However, if you have a regular chimney professional on hand, you can call them, and they will clear all the creosote buildup, animal invasion, and debris accumulation for you.

Lengthen the Lifespan of Your Flue Liner

Chimneys have a critical part called a flue liner. Flue liners protect your house against carbon monoxide and fires. They do so by insulating the chimney from the hot temperatures released by fires and corrosive materials from the smoke.

Additionally, flue liners act as barriers preventing carbon monoxide from seeping into your house through tiny cracks in the bricks. Getting a professional to clean your chimney at least twice a year will help eradicate the buildup, ensuring your flue liner functions optimally.

When soot and creosote accumulate, they damage the chimney, for they let moisture get trapped inside it. The steam will eventually wear out the lining, and you must replace it; they aren’t cheap.

Since you will have a regular chimney cleanup, your liner will serve you for an extended period. Also, a chimney professional will tell you in advance if your lining is faulty and offer advice on when to get a new one.

Professional Tools

Though DIY activities may seem exciting and fulfilling, sometimes they aren’t effective because you won’t have all the required tools.

Whereas professional chimney cleaners have all the tools for the tasks, plus they understand how to utilize them. In addition, professionals have high-tech cameras that identify blockages in places that are difficult to see in the chimney.

Although you can certainly buy all these tools, the cost will be too high, and if you don’t know how they work, it will be a waste. Chimney professionals relieve you of all that hassle.

Insurance Coverage

When house or chimney fires occur, most insurance companies will require you to submit evidence of maintenance to get compensated.

You could get little or no compensation if you can’t provide proof. No homeowner would ever wish to be in this position, but you can avoid it by having a chimney professional regularly maintain the fireplace.

They will significantly lower the chances of chimney fires, and if one occurs, they will back you up with proof you tried your best to prevent such.

Similarly, professional chimney sweeps always have insurance covering them at work. Meaning if they get injured, their insurance will handle it. If you try to clean the chimney yourself and suffer an accident, you’ll face medical bills and additional repair costs.

Saving Money

Most homeowners primarily undertake DIY (do it yourself) tasks to cut costs. Even so, if you lack the skills and tools, you may make a tiny issue into a larger, costlier one. Plus, you put yourself at risk.

For example, when you try to clean the chimney, you can damage pipes leading to a leak that may go undetected for some time. Such a mistake can cost you thousands of dollars in water pipe repairs. The water leak may even cause structural damage.

As a result, a minor cleaning task will have you spend lots of money on other repairs. Having a regular chimney professional on hand ensures minor issues get fixed and will save you money in the long run.

Professional Chimney Cleaning and More in Northern Virginia

We at Six Penny Chimney, are ready to clean your chimney and eliminate all blockages effectively. Besides cleaning, we can clear out any pests in other parts of your home and provide other essential services.

Contact us today for more information, and we will quickly get back to you.

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

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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.

7 Seasonal Maintenance Calls You Should Make Before the Snow Falls this Winter

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Get ready for winter by ensuring your home can withstand whatever the worst of the season throws at it. Is your HVAC ready to face extended chilly weather and heavy snowfalls? Are your roof and guttering able to withstand fierce winds and heavy rain? Here are seven seasonal maintenance calls you should make before this winter to protect your home.

1 Air Duct Cleaning

First off, consider your HVAC and whether the air ducts are due for a cleaning. Generally, this should be done every two years. Cleaning the ducts improves air quality in the home. It also helps with the efficiency of the overall HVAC system, reducing energy costs. Call in qualified HVAC technicians for this task and get them to clean the dryer vent as well.

2 Chimney Sweeping — an Essential Seasonal Maintenance Call Before Winter 

Your fireplace needs to be in prime condition for the long winter ahead. Any creosote build-up should be swept away before fires are lit. Otherwise, there is a danger that the chimney will catch fire. Creosote removal is best left to professional chimney sweeps to handle. They will check the fireplace and chimney for any damage or blockages and thoroughly clean the flues.

You’ll want to tick this maintenance call off long before frosty days begin, and you want to start lighting fires. Once the winter chill sets in, the demand for chimney cleaners will increase, and you may have trouble scheduling service when you want it.

3 Furnace Inspection and Cleaning

One of your seasonal maintenance calls before winter must include a check and clean of the furnace. As the Department of Energy states — properly maintaining and upgrading heating systems will save you money and increase comfort within the home. Get a qualified HVAC technician to do this task. They will check furnace parts, including the blower, heat pump, fans, humidifier, and thermostat.

This may be a good time to consider installing a programmable thermostat if you don’t have one. You can reduce the temperature as needed and save more on energy costs.

4 Gutter Cleaning and Replacement

Walk around your home and look at the guttering. What state are they in? Do they look like they can face up to heavy rainfalls, or are they likely to come away from the house due to missing screws, rust, or damaged parts? When was the last time you had leaves and debris removed? Call in dependable technicians to inspect, clean, and repair loose guttering.  If your budget permits, consider installing gutter guards, as they will eliminate debris falling into the gutters.

5 Insulation and Weatherstripping

Check all your doors and windows for drafts. Look for any gaps that show daylight. The amount of heat escaping from small cracks is quite extraordinary. It can make a significant difference to home heating energy costs. Fix this problem with caulk or weather stripping as needed. If you’re not the handy type, well, that’s why handymen exist.

If you’re fighting a losing battle due to old degrading window frames, consider upgrading to newer energy-efficient windows with low-maintenance frames. New windows can make a dramatic improvement to room heating needs.

If you don’t have adequate insulation in the roof, now is an excellent time to upgrade, ensuring better heat retention over the winter season.

6 Roof Inspection and Repairs

Another of your necessary seasonal maintenance calls before winter is to schedule a roof inspection. Major storms and strong winds blowing away loose tiles, shingles, or other roof fixtures can create havoc. Small leaks can turn into large and cause internal damage to the home interior. Roof vents should also be looked at for deterioration, along with metal flashing.

7 Masonry Work

The last item on your scheduled maintenance call list is to have your paving, walkways, and other outdoor structures checked. Are there any loose pavers likely to become a hazard in icy and rainy conditions? Has mortar crumbled and dislodged from a retaining wall, causing you to wonder whether it will be able to withstand a major storm? Has there been damage to the chimney? Such problems should be easy to spot by a simple walk around your yard.

Need Help with Seasonal Maintenance?

If you’ve ticked off all those maintenance calls, you should be snug and comfortable this winter, no matter what the season throws at you. However, if you’re in Northern Virginia and need help with your seasonal upkeep, get in touch with us at Six Penny Chimney. Whether you need air duct cleaning, chimney sweeping, or gutter replacement, we’ll have your problems sorted in no time.