Mortar, brickwork, birds’ nests. 

For this reason, sweeping a chimney/flue with brushes and rods is the only method of cleaning recommended to remove such materials other than soot. Cleaning a chimney/flue just with chemical chimney cleaners or a vacuum cannot be recommended as an alternative for correct chimney sweeping. 

• Once a year for appliances burning smokeless fuels 
• Twice a year for appliances burning domestic bituminous household coal 
• Quarterly, when in use, for appliances burning Wood
• 2 – 4 times per year, when in use, for appliances burning Wood, particularly unseasoned wood

Over time, a chimney will develop a buildup of soot/creosote and it is therefore imperative that your chimney is cleaned to help the airflow through your chimney, ensuring the release of any toxic gases and to ensure that they are free from blockages. Hiring a chimney sweep helps protect your home and your family from avoidable fire dangers and can possibly provide cost and heat-saving measures. 

A cleaned and serviced chimney carries carbon monoxide up and out of your home. If your chimney isn’t clean or properly vented, chimney-related carbon monoxide problems happen due to improper exhausting, something almost entirely avoidable with regular inspection and cleaning by a chimney sweep. 

According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), there are more than 20,000 chimney fires every year in the United States alone. A chimney typically contains a build-up of creosote, a highly combustible by-product of burning wood.  

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommend annual dryer duct inspections and/or cleanings to ensure safer and often cheaper operation of your appliance. The frequency of duct cleaning will depend on several factors including how often it is used, if there are pets, how long the appliance is run and how many bends are in the ducts. 

Here is a general guideline based on how many loads you dry per week: 

• 1 – 3 loads a week should be cleaned approximately every 2 years. 
• 4 – 7 loads a week should be cleaned annually. 
• 8+ a week should receive cleanings about every 6 months.

Annual dryer exhaust vent inspections (also known as dryer exhaust duct inspections) are more necessary than ever before due to the complex construction of homes built today. Inefficiency & Shortened Dryer Life – If the venting attached to your clothes dryer is filled with lint, airflow will be restricted, and your dryer will need to work longer, harder, and hotter in order to adequately dry your clothing. This restricted airflow leads to inefficiency, wasted time, and repeat cycles, and can overwork your dryer and shorten its service life. 

There can also be other hidden issues within your dryer vents, like nesting animals. Fur, feathers, twigs, leaves, and other materials that animals and birds bring into vents can also restrict airflow and cause a chimney fire.  Schedule an appointment with us today! 

The purpose of a chimney inspection is to help inform you of any potentially unsafe conditions. We have built our reputation on adhering to accepted building, fire, and mechanical standards, as well as the manufacturer’s technical requirements to protect all parties involved. In providing this, a proper inspection details both, the obvious as well as important fine points of a problem chimney/fireplace. 

The National Fire Protection Association recommends that homeowners have their chimney inspected at least once a year. We are equipped to address all your chimney cleaning and inspection needs. Our CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps use state-of-the-art equipment to inspect and sweep chimneys of all models. While sweeping your system, we ensure that it’s in working order and look for any problems that could prevent peak performance, and recommend what is needed for your system to burn cleanly and safely.

Cracks or voids in a chimney can lead to heat transfer and result in a chimney fire – so it is one of the most important issues with masonry chimneys. Equally, metal chimneys can suffer material failure, as well as installation errors that result in chimney fires. With both types of chimneys, these areas are difficult to see so the process of the inspection should include digital documentation and/or a video scope to examine the hidden areas, as best as possible. 

The clients and agents are advised to be present so that any questions could be easily answered and should problems be found they could be explained with full clarity. The report should cover the conditions of the chimney, violations, fire hazards, and recommendations for any needed repairs or safety tips. 

Comprehensive Inspection 

In order to fully understand and best assess the condition of your fireplace/chimney, we perform Level II and Level III inspections, documenting areas of trouble with digital and/or video scope equipment along with examining all readily accessible portions of the chimney to compile a comprehensive report.