Top 3 Reasons to Budget for a Chimney Inspection
Cutting corners is a normal part of how many of us juggle our budgets. We save where we can, and we avoid “extra” expenses, when possible. But where your fireplace and chimney are concerned, the cost of regular inspection and maintenance is hardly an “extra” expense; rather it’s one that can save your life.
Too often issues happening with the chimney in a home are overlooked, resulting in the need down the line for expensive repairs. When overlooked long enough, chimney issues can lead to something much more destructive than a basic repair project. For this reason, every homeowner should understand the importance of regular fireplace and chimney inspections.
Why you need a chimney inspection
- Carbon monoxide. A number of chimney problems can lead to dangerous carbon monoxide (CO) entering the home and negatively affecting people who live there. This is very serious, because poisoning from carbon monoxide is the most common cause of poison-related deaths in the U.S., and issues stemming from chimneys account for a large number of these.
Many things can contribute to a CO buildup in a chimney. They include damage to the structural integrity of the chimney, blockages from outside debris that has become trapped in the chimney, a rusted heat exchanger and other problems that are easily detected and then repaired by a trained professional.
- Chimney fires. There’s a reason the National Fire Protection Association recommends annual chimney inspections. Data from a few years back shows that in the U.S., some 53,600 home fires each year are caused by faulty heating equipment, including fireplaces and chimneys. More than 400 people are killed in these fires, which cause in the neighborhood of $890 million in property damage.
The sad news here is that many of these fires happened because of chimneys that had been improperly maintained – or not maintained at all, allowing the buildup of creosote and other flammable toxins within the chimney.
- Expensive repairs. “A stitch in time saves nine” is a good old saying where chimney maintenance is concerned. By having regular inspections from a qualified technician, problems can be caught early – before damage is so extensive that a major repair bill is headed your way.
Chimney sweeps and other chimney professionals know what they’re looking for during an inspection. A little crumbling of the chimney mortar can be repaired a lot more inexpensively than having to construct a whole new chimney because the structure has deteriorated from years of use.
Those are three of the primary reasons to budget for regular chimney inspections. Our health and our money are important to us, and both can be furthered by making sure your chimney and fireplace are always in proper working order.
Since 1976 Hudson Valley Chimney has been helping homeowners in New York and western Connecticut save money and stay safe with professional chimney inspection, maintenance and repair. Let’s see how your chimney’s doing – call (845) 471-1071.
