It’s crucial to maintain your chimney and fireplace. Here are some valuable tips from our masonry contractors on how to do so.
Fireplaces are an excellent addition to homes. While they get plenty of use during the winter, they don’t get a lot of use during the summer. However, proper fireplace and chimney maintenance should never take a vacation. Fireplaces without the appropriate care can be a significant fire hazard in the home when you use them for a long time without cleaning them. Therefore, it’s crucial to maintain your chimney and fireplace. Here are some valuable tips from our masonry contractors on how to do so.
Invest in a Professional Chimney Inspection
A chimney sweep is an invaluable profession. Chimneys are funnels for ash and smoke. A chimney clog can cause a buildup of heat and smoke, leading to a possible fire. Hence, if your chimney clogs up without regular maintenance, it can be dangerous for you and your home. Chimney sweeps handle routine cleanings. However, they also take care of chimney inspections. If you don’t use your fireplace regularly during the winter, particularly with logs, your chimney might be relatively clean. However, wood-burning fireplaces can deposit a highly-flammable substance known as creosote.
Install a Chimney Cap
A chimney cap is a necessary item for any homeowner. A cap is a barrier to the outside world, closing out elements such as moisture, rain and snow, and unwanted visitors. Chimneys have large openings where outdoor elements can enter your home. It’s not the best experience if a raccoon crawls in and becomes stuck. If you’re dealing with a damaged cap, ensure that you have it replaced. You can also ask an inspector or sweep if it’s time to replace yours.
Shut Your Damper
If you have a wood-burning fireplace, you want to keep your fireplace closed when you aren’t using it. Like a cap, a damper seals off the fireplace and home from the outside and keeps out wild animals. An open damper is comparable to an open window, allowing airflow and heat loss. However, it would be best to leave the damper open regarding gas-burning fires to avoid a gas buildup in your home.
Invest in a Cricket
A chimney cricket is a small, peaked roof installed on the back of a chimney to deflect water and debris from this structure. Made from galvanized or stainless steel, or aluminum, it protects against water infiltration. If you have a steep roof, water can divert into your chimney. Therefore, it’s worth investing in cricket to maintain your chimney and fireplace and extend the lifespans of these structures.
Keep Your Fireplace Clean
We hope you’ve found these tips on maintaining your chimney and fireplace valuable. You don’t want to wait until winter to clean your fireplace. It’s better to practice cleaning it after every few uses and never allow it to sit with a bunch of ashes during the off-season. Sweep up the soot, and keep it dust and ash-free during the warmer months. Finally, you can contact our Lanham Construction professionals if you need a chimney repair.
Lanham Construction For All Your Construction Needs
Lanham Construction is an award-winning and dependable construction company dedicated to serving your home or business with whichever construction project you have in mind. Our professional team is eager to serve customers all throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. When you pick Lanham, you won’t ever have to worry about the process. We’re here to help with every step of the way.
For more information on how we can help, visit our website or give us a call at 301-459-7545!