Will the fall weather starting to settle in, many people are getting ready to have a fire in the fireplace for warmth. This is a cozy way to keep comfortable on a cold fall day, but it is important to make sure that your chimney has had proper maintenance.
Whether you have just moved into a new home during the summer months, or you are a landlord with rental properties, here are some important things for you to know about the chimney on your home:
- Blockages: It is not unusual for there to be blockages in the flue of your chimney. Typically, this is caused by some kind of debris like leaves, sticks, or dirt. When you start a fire in your stove or fireplace, the sparks from the flames travel up the flue and can catch the debris on fire as well. This causes a flue fire, and will fill your home with smoke. It can also cause your flue to become red hot and become damaged.
- Buildup: When you burn a fire in your fireplace or wood stove, the gasses that travel up the flue solidify on the inside of the flue in the form of creosote – a highly combustible substance. If enough creosote is allowed to buildup, it will start on fire and become a seriously hazardous situation inside of your home.
- Damage: If there are any holes or damage to the flue, can allow harmful gasses to release inside of your home causing potentially life-threatening conditions for you and your family. This is especially scary because the gasses will be colorless and odorless and you will not know they are in the inside air of your home until it is potentially too late.
Make sure to have a professional chimney technician come to your home or rental property during these next few weeks and clean out the chimney or flue of your fireplace. This will keep you and your property protected when the cold weather arrives and it is time to start a fire to keep warm.
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