4 Great Reasons to get a Chimney Inspection and Cleaning Before Winter
One of life’s simple pleasures is warming by a crackling fire in heavy coat weather. Before setting up the kindling for your first winter fire, make sure it’s safe to get the flames going. Fire safety organizations strongly recommend that you have your chimney inspected by a professional annually. This advice is shared by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). The CSIA recommends getting a chimney cleaning if the creosote in your flue is at least 1/8” check. The NFPA, on the other hand, recommends annual chimney cleaning, regardless of the amount of creosote. The following are four more good reasons to get an annual chimney inspection and chimney cleaning before the start of a new cold season.
1 – Fire Prevention
Many of the house fires that occur every year are caused by chimneys that aren’t clean or properly maintained.
An inspection can reveal that there is debris in the chimney, such as tree limbs, leaves, or animal nests. Creosote buildup is also a form of chimney obstruction. Creosote is highly flammable, and some is deposited in a chimney every time there is a wood fire. The presence of excess creosote or any other types of debris can cause an extremely hazardous chimney fire that could spread to the home.
2 –Detection of Hidden Damage
A chimney system is subject to deterioration for many different reasons, and damage can be unseen. When professional chimney sweeps conduct an inspection, they can identify problems that an untrained eye may miss.
One of the many reasons to hire a trained professional chimney technician for your chimney inspection is because the company is most likely to have all of the latest and best equipment for conducting thorough inspections and chimney cleanings. A video camera used to check the condition of the chimney flue can be a lifesaving step, since it could pick up on deterioration that can’t be seen in any other way.
If a flue has even a small amount of damage, such as a tiny crack, the result can be that combustible parts of the home are exposed to extreme heat, leading to a dangerous house fire.
3 –Safer, More Efficient Operation
As wonderful as a fireplace is, it can be very frustrating, not to mention a health hazard, when smoke billows out of it and into the room. If the problem is an obstruction, toxic gases could enter your home, causing a potentially deadly health risk. By having your chimney maintained with an annual cleaning and inspection, you address the conditions that lead to a clogged, smoky, inefficient chimney.
4 – Insurance May Require Annual Chimney Cleaning and Inspection
Many homeowners’ policies have a requirement that chimneys must be inspected and cleaned annually. If you experience a house fire and the cause is determined to be related to the fireplace or chimney, the insurance company may not cover the damage without evidence of maintenance by a professional chimney sweep within the past 12 months.
Have you scheduled your annual chimney cleaning and chimney inspection this year? Contact us at Hudson Valley Chimney today. All of our chimney sweeps are licensed and certified and receive ongoing training. If you live in Poughkeepsie NY or anywhere in the surrounding areas, call us today at 845-471-1071.
