Our Company Blog

Common Fireplace Issues

If you own a fireplace, you probably have heard how important it is to have this fireplace inspected and cleaned on an annual basis. Do you know why this is such a big deal? For some people, it’s not really important to know the whats and whys, but for others, it may be very important to know what it is that a chimney inspector or sweep is looking for when he comes in to look over the chimney and fireplace. If you’ve ever wondered exactly what it is that they’ll be looking for, read on!

Creosote Buildup

If you have a wood-burning or pellet-burning heating appliance, your chimney will have a buildup of creosote lining the interior of your chimney. When you burn wood, there will be some moisture released, no matter how dry the wood is. This moisture, along with various chemicals, is released through the combustion process in the form of smoke. As the warm smoke rises it hits the cold interior of your chimney, especially near the top, where it condenses and forms a layer of black or brown, gummy or flaky, dull or shiny gunk called creosote. Creosote smells pretty bad, and the odor can actually permeate the furniture, the drapes, or the carpet of your home. Even worse, it’s very flammable, and a buildup of even as little as an eighth of an inch is enough to catch a spark and cause a chimney fire. When you call the highly qualified, CSIA certified chimney sweeps from Chim Cheroo Chimney Service Inc, one thing that we’ll be on the lookout for is creosote buildup.

Blockages

Another thing we’ll be on the lookout for is blockages in your chimney. There are several ways that your chimney can get a blockage. For example, your chimney makes the perfect place for animals to hide out. When birds, squirrels, even raccoons are looking for a place to raise a family, they’ll be looking for a warm, dry place that’s out of the way of winds and precipitation and predators. Your chimney is the perfect place. Trouble is, when these animals leave, they leave behind their nests and those nests can cause blockages. Also, the wind can blow-dried twigs and leaves or loose paper into your chimney and that can also cause a blockage to occur. These blockages can also catch a spark, causing a damaging chimney fire.

Although fire damage would be the major worry when it comes to both creosote buildup and blockages, both of these could also cause a restriction of the airflow into and out of your chimney. This can cause your fire to burn less efficiently, smoke to not escape out of the chimney as it should, and chemicals such as carbon monoxide to seep back into your home.

Cracked Chimney Liner

We’ll also be looking at the condition of your chimney liner. A chimney liner does exactly what the name says: it lines chimneys. It actually serves three functions. First, a properly fitted liner can help your fireplace system run more efficiently. Second, a chimney liner will protect any combustible items that are close to your fireplace from igniting from the heat of the fire you have burning. Third, it plays an important role of protecting your brick and mortar chimney from the corrosive effects of the smoke and chemicals that are released during the combustion process. If there are any cracks or dings in your chimney liner, it could mean that your fireplace is being damaged and also that the smoke that should be directed out of your chimney may be sneaking into your home. Chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene, and even carbon monoxide may be carried in on that smoke, and that means that your family’s health might be affected.

Pilot Light Issues

If you have a gas fireplace, it means that you have some kind of a pilot light. If your fireplace won’t ignite, it could easily be that your pilot light isn’t lit. All you need to do is open the vent and see if there is a tiny flame. If there’s no flame, that means that your pilot light has gone out and that it needs to be relit. Just follow your manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Anytime that you work with gas, special caution is recommended. You might also have an old or improperly installed thermocoupler.

There are many issues that could be going on with your burning appliance, whether it’s gas, wood-burning, or pellet-burning. No matter what the issue that you might be having, you can count on Chim Cheroo Chimney Service Inc to be able to offer solutions. We are Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) certified, which gives us access to the best training and education in the industry. For any of your heating appliance needs, give us a call soon. We’ll help you make 2020 a safe, healthy year for you and for your family.

Holiday Chimney and Fireplace Safety Tips

It’s the happiest time of year, that time when family and friends get together to spread the joy of the season. You get to buy, wrap, and best of all, open presents, make cookies and candies and all your family’s favorites, clean and decorate to your heart’s content. For many people, this is the best time of year, but it can also be a time of stress. It can seem like there’s not enough time to get everything done or the perfect time to get everyone together. It’s important to find time to enjoy yourself and do things for yourself so that you can alleviate some of that stress and strain, and one way to do that is to delegate! Let someone else bring some of the goodies and let someone else host one of the parties! You’ll feel more relaxed and that will make it a happier holiday for everyone! One job that you should definitely let someone else handle is cleaning your fireplace and chimney. That’s a job that’s perfect for Chim Cheroo Chimney Service Inc to handle. The chimney sweeps at Chim Cheroo are Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) certified, which means that we have access to all the top training and education services in the industry. We take great pride in staying up to date and on top of all the latest techniques and technologies so that we can keep all the great people of Mansfield and North Central Ohio safe and comfortable during the holiday season and all winter long! But there are some other ways to keep your family safe as well.

Scope Out Your Room

Moving furniture around can be a cheap, easy way to make your home look fresh and new. But before you start moving things around too much, take a look at where you are positioning things in regards to your fireplace. Remember that the heat from your fire can cause combustibles to, well, combust. You don’t want to have anything that is easily ignitable too close to the fire. Also, even if you are very careful, sometimes sparks or embers can pop out of your fire, so you want to make sure that pillows, blankets and throws, magazines and books, or even rugs, furniture, or drapes aren’t too close to the fireplace. Kids like to play in front of the fireplace, but make sure that their toys don’t get too close, and make sure that all children are trained in what to do if a fire occurs. Have a working fire extinguisher and smoke detector in the room as well.Safety Tools

You should also have fire extinguishers in other rooms in your home. It is recommended that you have a fire extinguisher on every floor of the house, as well as in the kitchen and in the garage and shop area. Check your fire extinguisher every month or two to make sure that the pressure is at the proper level, that the nozzle isn’t obstructed, and that the pin and tamper seal is still intact. Every couple of years, it’s wise to have a professional check your fire extinguisher to make sure it is in good working condition.

Another important tool for fire safety is your smoke detector. You should have a smoke detector on every floor of your home as well. Having smoke detectors installed outside of bedroom doors can be life-saving, and you can purchase smoke detectors with lights so that an escape route is lit up. Check out the batteries on a monthly basis and make sure to change them every six months, whether you think they need to be changed or not.

Escape Routes

It is especially important that your family knows how to get out of the house in case there is a fire. Plan escape routes from every room of the home, and make sure every family member is aware of those routes. Practice these on a routine basis and plan unannounced practices until you know that every family member will be able to get away to safety in case of a home fire.

Have a Safe, Happy Holiday Season

At Chim Cheroo Chimney Service Inc, our employees are family-oriented. We have families of our own, so we know how important it is to keep those family members safe. We care about each and every member of our community, and that’s why we are so proud of the part we can play in keeping your family safe and healthy during the holidays and all year round. Fireplace and chimney safety is of the utmost importance to us, so give us a call soon and let us come in and inspect and clean your chimney. We’ll look for any areas that have the potential for harm, and we will also offer tips for keeping your family safe and sound in this most joyous of seasons. Give us a call today!