Motivation to Get Your Chimney Ready for Fall

Nature walks and cozy fires are both among the best things to enjoy in autumn. But a rather grim comparison of the two pleasantries provides common-sense motivation to get your chimney ready for fall. Mountain lions are dangerous predators you could encounter when walking in some areas in and around San Diego. Not understanding the danger of these cats is a good comparison to not knowing how important it is to get your chimney ready before lighting the season’s first fire in the fireplace. One of those hazards is a much greater risk than the other. 

Between 1986 and 2024, 26 people were attacked by a mountain lion, and the tragic results were both fatal and non-fatal. Unkempt chimneys, however, pose a much greater threat. Many statistics support that claim, such as in 2011 alone in the U.S., chimney or fireplace fires were linked to 30 deaths and 90 injuries. 

Among the leading causes of fireplace and chimney fires every year is dirty chimneys. The failure to schedule chimney cleaning so that creosote buildup can be removed is not a risk any homeowner should take, for safety reasons. More may be needed, however, to get your chimney all set for fall.

Chimney Inspections Are as Essential as Comfy Sweaters

There is potential risk involved with the joy of cozying up to a glowing fire when the weather is chilly. The chimney and flue liner must be ready for the heat and toxic combustion fumes created by fires. Fire safety experts agree that all chimneys should be inspected annually. Any existing problems and potential dangers will be identified when a qualified chimney sweep, like any of the NFI-certified chimney technicians at Chimney Sweeps Inc., conducts your chimney inspection. 

Through training and experience, our technicians can advise you if you need to go further than a Level 1 chimney inspection, which includes a visual inspection of all easily accessible parts of the chimney. With a Level 2 chimney inspection, a special video camera is used to get a close top-to-bottom look at the entire chimney liner, aka chimney flue. Sometimes a Level 3 is recommended, which requires a deeper dive into the evaluation of your chimney’s condition. This involves removing doors or perhaps removing a portion of the chimney masonry.

Chimney Cleaning That Won’t Dirty Up Your Home

The thought of cleaning a chimney often churns up memories of soot-covered chimney sweeps of old. However, these days, our chimney sweeps have highly effective professional tools that ensure that they and your home interior remain clean. Though, admittedly, your home interior has far less of a chance of any smudges than chimney technicians.

Chimney Risks That Need Eliminating

The types of things that may be identified when you keep up with chimney maintenance are: 

• Chimney obstructions that can result in dangerous chimney fires, and 
• Cracks in the chimney liner can have devastating consequences. 

If there are leaves and twigs inside your chimney, they can be the cause of a chimney fire. Unbeknownst to many homeowners, chimney fires are very dangerous and almost always result in unseen structural damage that can easily spread to the home. Having a chimney cap with mesh installed can help forestall this type of hazard. Always remember to schedule a chimney inspection after a chimney fire.

If a chimney liner isn’t fully intact, continuing to use the fireplace can result in pyrolysis. During the process of pyrolysis, heat penetrates combustible parts of the home. Over time, through pyrolysis, the combustible materials change in composition. The result is that they can (and do) ignite suddenly at a much lower temperature. In addition, deadly carbon monoxide (CO) can enter your home’s living spaces. CO is known as the Silent Killer because it is tasteless, invisible, symptomless, and has no scent. This is why it is crucial to install carbon monoxide monitors in your home when you have a fireplace or heating stove.

Call Chimney Sweeps Inc. to Get Your Chimney Ready for Fall

Since ours is an unregulated industry, isn’t it good to know that Chimney Sweeps Inc. is a dedicated, dependable company? Homeowners have learned that we faithfully provide the services needed with excellence. Let us get your chimney ready for fall, and you won’t need to worry about any price-gouging schemes. 

From providing new fireplace installations to chimney inspections and maintenance to chimney cleaning, we’ll get you wrapped up in the luxury of peace of mind as you revel in the delights of your fireplace this fall and winter. And for those not-to-be-missed nature walks, you may want to read about Your Safety in Mountain Lion Habitat.

Be ready for autumn by contacting us today!