Chimneys provide ventilation for your home. It is important to take care of your chimney in order to avoid smoke accumulation or unruly fires from your fireplace. By carefully maintaining your chimney, you will be able to keep your home safe, and keep you from facing dangerous and expensive damages due to fire. Here are 5 chimney maintenance tips that could get you out of some serious trouble:
Use your fireplace responsibly.
In order to avoid troubles with your chimney, just nip it in the bud before something even has the slightest chance of going wrong. How will you do this? Take preventive measures and use your fireplace properly and responsibly.
Learn how to safely start fires, and know the in and out of your fireplace. Only burn the right kinds of wood; do not throw in your wood all at the same time; close your damper when the fireplace is not in use. Knowing what you are doing could lessen the chances of incurring damages to your fireplace and chimney.
Have your chimney inspected regularly.
As with anything else that needs maintenance, it is ideal that you have your chimney inspected regularly. Constantly check if something needs up-keeping or if there are any damages.
If you are not sure what you should be looking at, then consult with a professional. With fixtures like chimneys that deal with fire and harmful chemicals, you can never be too careful.
Keep your chimney clean.
In order for your chimney to function how it should, you have to make sure that it is clean and free from any obstructions. Don’t let ashes build up. Remove traces of soot and fire stains as well. Leaving all this to accumulate will make ventilation difficult and restrict airflow.
Use a broom to sweep away any loose dirt. For stains, you may use water and soap, and scrub thoroughly. For a better clean, you may even use stronger and more abrasive chemicals.
Check the integrity of your structure.
Your chimney will not be able to properly ventilate if the structure itself has been compromised. Check the condition of the mortar between the bricks. It may be cracked or flaking. See if the flashing where the chimney meets the roof is intact and watertight. Make sure as well that all the other parts are performing their function.
Install a chimney cap.
One of the best and most useful things that you have to install on your chimney is a chimney cap. With this implement, you can be sure that water, debris, and all sorts of obstructions do not go into your chimney. This will ensure that nothing is clogged or hindering smoke from getting out, thus prolonging your flue’s shelf life.
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