If you have a chimney in your home, you know that the chimney should be inspected and cleaned yearly. The reason is to reduce your risk of a house fire. Chimney fires are one of the top causes of home fires in America. There are many reasons that a fire can go out of control quickly. It can be due to an improperly maintained chimney or an unprotected firebox.
To reduce your risk of a house fire, you should have your chimney inspected annually by a trusted Barnegat Chimney Service Technician
What
What does an inspection involve? Some certified chimney service technicians will offer a range of inspections starting from the minimum to more detailed inspections. Basically, an inspection will include the technician visually examining all the readily visible parts of your chimney, inside and out. They will look for the general intactness of the chimney and all its parts. They should also check inside your chimney for any blockages or deposits. As you get into the higher-level inspections, some parts of your chimney will be removed. This is done in order to more closely look at the individual parts.
How
How does a chimney inspection help prevent a fire? You reduce your risk of fire when you have your chimney inspected by a trusted Barnegat chimney service technician. If any parts of your chimney are cracked or damaged in any way, smoke and fire may not be appropriately contained in your chimney. Also, when the technician inspects the interior of your chimney, they are looking for excessive creosote deposits and obstructions. If there is anything blocking the airflow through the chimney, you are at risk of a fire. The other concern is a build-up of creosote on the interior walls of the chimney. Creosote is a byproduct of fires and is combustible. You are also at risk of a fire if your chimney is covered in this thick, black, tar-like substance. By spotting these possible issues prior to using your chimney, you can address all the problems before you use your fireplace for the season and know that you have taken the steps necessary to be able to use it safely.
Why
Won’t I know if my chimney is on fire? You may be surprised to learn that most chimney fires go unnoticed. Because chimney fires are slow-burning, they don’t always draw any attention. Unfortunately, you may not even know that you had a chimney fire until your next inspection. However, they can do a lot of damage which is why your yearly inspection is so important. The damage that a chimney fire can do to your chimney and all its parts that help keep your home safe. If you attempt to build a fire in a fireplace with a chimney that has not been inspected, you are putting your home and family at risk.
When selecting a Barnegat Chimney Service Technician, make sure they are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America
One of the easiest and most important things you can do is to have your chimney inspected annually. A clean, well-maintained chimney is a safe chimney. With the weather starting to cool off, contact your Barnegat chimney service technician today to have your chimney cleaned and inspected so that you can have a safe winter.