How To Keep Your Chimney Safe

- Aug 9, 2016

To ensure your chimney's safety you will need regular maintenance to check that it is clean, structurally sound and doing an adequate job of channeling the smoke out of the house.

Chimney Safety Tips

• If you use your fireplace regularly, you will need to clean the ashes out on a weekly basis.
• In addition to that, you will need to clean the inside of the firebox and brush out the chimney about once a month.
• You will also want to make sure that you are using wood that has been dried for 6 months to a year, to prevent creosote buildup
• Additionally, avoid burning any wood that has been painted or covered in any chemicals
• Lastly, consider investing in a chimney cap to keep the flue clear

How Often Should A Chimney Be Inspected?

Regardless of how often you use the fireplace, you will want to get the chimney inspected and cleaned once a year to ensure it's safety. At the beginning of the season, when you are going to be using the fireplace more, it is recommended that you schedule an inspection and cleaning from a team of certified professionals. Thousands of chimney fires occur every year, most of which could have been prevented if the chimney had received an annual inspection

A Professional Inspection Will Cover A Multi-point Checklist That Includes:

• The chimney's functional capabilities
• The structural integrity
• Fire safety and the chimney's ability to contain the harmful gases that a fire may produce.

Upon the full inspection of the chimney, you should be given details about any issues that were identified and the chimney specialist should provide you with information about the recommended solutions.

How Annual Cleanings Will Keep Your Chimney Safe

Creosote can build up in the chimney, which can cause a significant fire hazard. Further, blockages can form in the chimney that will limit its ability to channel the smoke to the outdoors. A good chimney cleaning will clear the blockages and remove the hazardous build-up that can accumulate inside the chimney. This will ensure safe operation and protect your family and the home.

The team from Boston Brick & Stone, Inc. has a reputation as one of the Los Angeles area's best services for chimney sweeping and inspections. Our chimney inspectors are certified and we perform inspections that go beyond the basic requirements.

Contact us today for all of your chimney inspection, repair, and maintenance needs.