How to Improve Indoor Air Quality with Proper Chimney Care

Using a fireplace shouldn’t affect the air you breathe. Check out our tips below about how to improve indoor air quality with proper chimney care. It all begins with making chimney maintenance a priority, which it should be if only for fire safety reasons. Imagine breathing clean air in your home while enjoying cozy fires. If that sounds like pure fantasy, take heart! Our chimney technicians at Chimney Saver Solutions can make it happen for you.

Clean Chimneys Help Ensure Clean Indoor Air

A dirty chimney is not the only potential producer of poor indoor air quality, but it is one of the biggest culprits. Chimney experts agree that chimneys should be cleaned at least annually. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) provides more specific advice. They say to schedule a professional chimney cleaning when there is 1/8” of creosote buildup in the chimney flue.

When creosote, soot, and ash are removed from the chimney, you are helping to ensure that these toxic pollutants don’t disrupt indoor air quality. The air in your home is healthier when it has a significant reduction in airborne particulates.

A clean chimney also helps to prevent chimney fires. The reality is that chimney fires have been subjected to rumors that, strangely enough, give them a better reputation than they deserve.

It is a myth that chimney fires are a good thing because they burn off the creosote in the flue liner, thereby reducing maintenance costs.

It is not a chimney sweep industry cover-up to say that chimney fires are always bad news! Nearly every chimney fire causes structural damage. The damage caused usually affects the chimney liner, which must be fully intact to protect your home and family from life-threatening dangers. A chimney inspection is needed after every chimney fire.

A Chimney Should Function Efficiently

Maintaining a proper chimney draft can be a complex issue. There are various reasons why a chimney doesn’t maintain a strong draft that efficiently pulls combustion gases out of your home. There is a lot more to say about each, but a simple list of potential reasons a chimney has a poor draft follows:

• Not enough of a temperature difference between indoor and outdoor air.
• The chimney needs to be taller.
• There is negative air pressure, which often occurs in modern, airtight homes.
• There is an obstruction in the chimney flue.
• Weather conditions, such as high winds, are affecting the chimney draft.
• Your chimney needs to be warmed up to be efficient.
• The fuel in a wood fire contains too much moisture.

There is a cure for all the issues listed above. Fixing the operation of your chimney may be all that is needed to ensure good air quality in your home.

Let the Pros Handle Chimney Care to Improve Your Indoor Air

At Chimney Saver Solutions, our dependable CSIA-certified chimney technicians have earned the trust of homeowners throughout the Richmond VA area. Knowing who to trust is crucial because the way to improve indoor air quality with proper chimney care can be complicated. In any case, the help of well-qualified chimney technicians is the quickest way to start breathing cleaner air when enjoying crackling fires in the wintertime.

We offer troubleshooting expertise for homeowners with a smoky fireplace. Our chimney services are comprehensive. So, contact us today if you need new fireplace installation, chimney flashing repair, masonry repair, chimney flue installation, chimney cleaning, a chimney inspection, or anything else related to chimneys, fireplaces, and heating stoves. Ensuring that chimneys are efficient and indoor air is clean while keeping costs down is what we do!

Reach out today to schedule an appointment by calling or filling out our online form.