Yearly Chimney Sweeps & Inspections Pay off

The old saying, “A stitch in time saves nine,” applies quite well to maintaining your chimney. Annual chimney sweep services and professional inspections are the best way to prevent serious and expensive problems in the future. Here’s how both services work.

Chimney sweep

Chimney sweeps who are certified through the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) have the equipment and training to address two critical issues inside your chimney flue:

1. Creosote

Creosote forms when wood fires burn. Creosote is a highly flammable substance that can be sticky, puffy or solid. Certified chimney sweeps use a variety of specialized tools and solvents to remove stubborn creosote, which is the cause of most chimney fires in the Richmond, VA, area and across the U.S. each year.

2. Drafting obstructions

Obstructions such as leaves, twigs, small-animals nests and the bodies of dead small animals all can create drafting problems. When smoke can’t flow properly up the flue, it may back up into your home, carrying with it deadly carbon monoxide. Chimney sweeps remove obstructions, and they also can install a custom full-width chimney cap to keep debris from getting in.

Chimney inspections

Homeowners who have their chimneys inspected once a year are taking a smart step toward reducing chimney repair costs and keeping their home and family safe from potential fire and damage.

Trained chimney inspectors examine chimneys for different reasons including:

• The annual checkup & safety appraisal
• When your home is being sold
• Following a chimney fire
• When you’re altering your system by changing the fuel type in your fireplace or connecting a new appliance, such as a fireplace insert, to the chimney
• After a basic inspection has turned up evidence of significant damage deeper within the chimney system

Some of these inspections use video imaging technology to see down into the flue. Other types of inspections call for the removal of parts of the chimney structure and building materials of the home to allow the inspector to see the full extent of the damage.

Chimney cleaning, inspection and repair company

Many chimney services providers can help with cleaning, inspections and repair work, often all at the same time. When hiring a company for this work, keep the following in mind:

• The company should be licensed to do business in your state or municipality
• The company should be fully insured, and its workers should be covered by workers’ comp insurance
• Confirm that a CSIA-certified chimney sweep will be doing the work
• Check the company’s reviews on Yelp and other sources
• Ask the company for personal references of past or current customers
• Find out how long the company has been in business – a short time isn’t necessarily negative, but chimney companies that have been operating for many years usually are doing something right

Chimney Saver Solutions of Richmond, VA, provides CSIA-certified chimney sweeping, inspections and repairs that you can count on to be done right the first time. With more than 12 years in business, we’ve become Richmond’s go-to experts for all types of chimney and fireplace services.

Learn how we keep your chimney clean, safe and strong by calling (804) 440-5000.