Best Strategy for Fireplace & Chimney Maintenance

Many homeowners have learned the hard way that neglecting chimney and fireplace maintenance can come at a high cost. The best strategy for chimney maintenance is one that keeps your home and family safe and reduces the overall price tag on upkeep. Year after year, neglected chimneys are the leading cause of fireplace-related house fires that do serious or total structural damage. Once the true importance of chimney maintenance is understood, going along with a good maintenance strategy, like the following, will be necessary to fully enjoy the wonderful ambiance that only home fires can provide.

Schedule Annual Chimney Inspections

Fire safety experts have found that it is truly risky for someone to light a fire in a fireplace without first verifying that the chimney is unobstructed and safe to use. They all agree that annual chimney inspections are essential. Every year, many fires occur because fireplaces have been blindly used, even though the condition of the chimney was unknown. Two potentially life-threatening events occur as a result of lighting a fire when there is blockage in the chimney:

1. Whatever is blocking the chimney may catch fire. Chimney fires are always dangerous but they are especially hazardous when flammable creosote is thickly layered on the walls of the chimney liner. Creosote is a combustion by-product of wood-fueled fires, and it can cause embers to ignite, starting a chimney fire. Then the creosote fuels or feeds fires, which can cause temperatures so hot that the chimney liner is destroyed and the fire rapidly spreads to combustible parts of the home.

2. Toxic gases can enter the home when a chimney is blocked. It is essential to have working carbon monoxide detectors in your home if you use your fireplace because carbon monoxide is a killer. Because the gas is odorless, invisible, tasteless, and symptomless, it is known as the “Silent Killer.” Without an alarm to make a home’s occupants aware of the toxic fumes, survival is all too rare.

Schedule Needed Repairs

One of the advantages of chimney inspections is that they provide insights into the condition of the chimney. Rain, sleet, and even the rare snowfall in the Conroe and Houston TX area can cause moisture intrusion in the masonry. Expert chimney sweeps are trained and qualified to spot signs of damage before they become increasingly more expensive problems. Recommendations for any needed repairs are made after chimney inspections. The sooner the repairs are made, the less costly it will be since chimney problems only worsen over time.

Schedule Annual Chimney Cleaning

Experts agree that chimney cleaning is as important as annual chimney inspections. Creosote buildup is a potential threat, and routine cleaning helps to reduce the risk of a dangerous home fire. Chimney cleaning also helps to ensure that the venting system can operate at an optimal level and help homeowners potentially reduce the high cost of heating—though the type of appliance you have is the determining factor on heating efficiency.

Call Guardian Chimney Sweeps if you live in or around Conroe or anywhere in the Greater Houston area. Our no-nonsense chimney sweep services are affordable, and our dedication to customer satisfaction is unparalleled. Get ahead of fireplace and chimney maintenance services by contacting us today. You can email us at guardianchimneysweep@yahoo.com or call us at any of the numbers below.
Tollfree: (888) 306-6069
Conroe: (936) 271-9781
Houston: (713) 401-2011

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