What is fun, delicious, colorful, bright, joyful, and comes once a year? Christmas, of course! Colorful lights, a decorated tree, glittery presents under that tree, and a light snow fall. Also, do you hear sleigh bells in the nighttime sky? Could it be Santa? Hopefully your chimney is ready for that jolly old elf to slide down! What’s best way to make sure that your chimney is Santa-ready? Make sure you have it inspected and cleaned on a yearly basis.
Importance of a Yearly Inspection
You use your fireplace on a regular basis throughout the winter months. Cozy evenings spent in front of a crackling fire just can’t be beat. But, when you use your fireplace quite often, this usage can cause a build-up of creosote to occur. GuideOne Insurance explains that, as the primary route for the water vapor, unburned wood particles, tar fog, and other minerals to escape, your chimney can’t avoid having a creosote build-up. The best way to take care of this problem? Have professionals come in annually to check it out and clean it up. Another reason this is so important is because this creosote is extremely flammable. And if there’s one thing that will ruin your Christmas, it’s a chimney fire!
Structural Damage
Yearly inspections are so important because your chimney may have structural damage. This structural damage, although not visible to the untrained eye, is easy for professionals like those at Chim Cheroo Chimney Service to detect. Once detected, they will be able to make a correction plan which will have you up and running again in no time.
How Does Structural Damage Occur
Water can be the biggest problem when it comes to structural damage. According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), when precipitation gets into the mortar that’s holding your bricks together and then freezes, it can cause cracks to appear. Consequently, this can be a continuous cycle! Water gets into those cracks, freezes, and cause those cracks to get even bigger, causing structural damage to occur.
Obstructions
If these are not reasons enough, then consider this: It’s important to have your chimney inspected on a yearly basis because, over the summer months, birds and animals can climb in your chimney and build nests. These nests can cause blockages in the chimney which, besides making it tough for Santa to slide down, can catch sparks and cause fires. It may be tempting to try to remove these blockages yourself, but this is not a good idea. Chimney specialists know how to remove these obstructions without damaging the interior of your chimney.
Trust Chim Cheroo For Quality Care
The chimney experts at Chim Cheroo Chimney Service should be your first call for any of your chimney and fireplace needs. This includes your yearly inspection and cleaning. They have the knowledge, the professionalism, and the experience to take care of any problem so that your chimney is ready for Santa! Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!