Start Off the New Year with a Clean and Safe Chimney
At Chim Cheree, we love celebrating the arrival of a new year and the excitement and promises it brings. When you are making your resolutions for this new year, remember your chimney. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and many other national fire safety groups all recommend that your chimney should be professionally swept and inspected once a year every year. These services are the most important maintenance steps to follow to keep your fireplace and chimney functioning properly and safely. If you tend to be forgetful, designating a specific time of the year for these services can be a good way to remind yourself to call us to schedule the appointment. Starting off the new year with a clean and safe chimney will give you peace of mind for the rest of the winter. We would like to tell you more about our professional chimney sweeping and inspection services that we provide to the residents of the Greenville area.
CHIMNEY SWEEPING
Why do the CSIA and the NFPA recommend that chimneys should be professionally cleaned every year? The prevention of chimney fires is the main reason why national fire safety groups make this suggestion. When our CSIA-certified chimney sweeps clean your chimney, the removal of all the deposits of creosote that have accumulated on the chimney walls is the top priority. If you have a wood-burning fireplace or stove, creosote is a fact of life. Developing naturally as a residue during combustion, creosote is extremely flammable. The leading cause of chimney fires, this natural compound can ignite whenever the internal temperature inside your chimney gets hot enough. When Chim Cheree Chimney Specialists sweeps your chimney, we use our experience and training to carefully and thoroughly remove every bit of creosote that has built up in your chimney without leaving a mess in your home.
CHIMNEY INSPECTION
For your convenience, Chim Cheree Chimney Specialists includes a basic chimney inspection when we sweep a chimney. Having your chimney professionally inspected is essential in knowing if your venting system is working safely and efficiently. We follow the three levels of chimney inspections that were established by the NFPA. Level 1 is the basic inspection, and you can expect us to check out the condition of the exterior and interior parts of your chimney. Levels 2 and 3 are more thorough. A Level 2 inspection is required when you sell or buy a house, if your chimney has suffered damage from a weather event or earthquake, and if you have made changes to your system, such as updated your heating appliance. It includes everything done in a Level 1 inspection, but we also will inspect the attic, crawl space, and/or basement. If we find a problem during an inspection, we may need to perform a Level 3 inspection, which involves removing doors or walls and possibly tearing apart the chimney. If you have had a chimney fire, you will also need a Level 3 inspection. This level of inspection may seem intrusive, but it is needed to determine the safety of the system.
When we perform our chimney inspections, we look for any debris that could be blocking the exit of your chimney. A chimney blockage can lead to the dangerous hazard of a carbon monoxide leak. We also check for damage such as cracks in the chimney liner and missing bricks and mortar joints that could cause your chimney to be unsafe to use. If we find damage, we will give you photos or videos of this damage and make recommendations on what needs to be repaired as soon as possible. Remember that the top priority of a chimney inspection is your safety.
Get the new year started with a clean and safe chimney. Contact us at Chim Cheree Chimney Specialists to schedule an appointment for your annual chimney sweeping and inspection from our CSIA-certified chimney technicians.