Expert chimney tips for homeowners

A complicated answer with the Florida weather! 

Regular maintenance is essential to help prolong the life of the chimney and fireplace. With regular use, the fireplace should be swept once a year and ideally in the Spring. Sweeping in the Spring will keep your indoor air quality high and also prevent elevated moisture levels from mixing with the chimney byproducts (creates an acidic mixture that prematurely deteriorates your fireplace and chimney).  

Technical recommendations below:

The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that open masonry fireplaces should be swept at 1/8″ of sooty buildup, and sooner if there is any glaze present in the system. This is considered to be enough fuel buildup to cause a chimney fire capable of damaging the chimney or spreading to the home. 

 I have performed over 11,000 chimney sweeps have developed a process that keeps your home clean during the process. Proper equipment, training, and patience is absolutely key to maintain dust control and keep the interior of your home clean. A CSIA or NFI Certified Technician will have the adequate training and knowledge base to keep your home clean and safe. 

ALWAYS ask who your technician will be ahead of time and if they are CSIA certified. You would be surprised how many companies claim to be certified but are not

 The best time to sweep your chimney is in the Spring after your last fire of the season. This will improve indoor air quality, remove acidic creosote before the wet Summer months, and prolong the life of your system. Another huge plus is the off-season specials you can get! 

Professional chimney sweeps have a standard of care we must abide by legally and morally. In a worst-case scenario, if something were to happen such as a chimney fire, we would be found liable or at least partially liable for the damages for not meeting our minimum requirements set by the National Fire Protection Association.  Our number one priority is always safety in which we take an oath to protect lives over profit. 

• If possible, please create a 6’ x 6’ area in front of the fireplace for the technician’s workspace. If less space is available, we can always work around it using additional drop cloths.
• Please secure pets and small children, and remove birds from the room.
• Please remove anything hanging from the mantel. Any items above and on the mantel will be above the encapsulated area and will not be harmed.

In the chimney industry, you have three levels of inspection. When in doubt, give me a call and I can go over your specific situation and needs! 

Level 1 Inspection -  A Level 1 inspection is recommended as annual maintenance to help ensure the suitable operation of your fireplace. This is the most basic type of inspection but it’s particularly important and should be performed at least once a year. The chimney is inspected, swept and checked for any blockages, leaks and damages around readily accessible areas of your chimney and fireplace. 

Level 2 Inspection -  A Comprehensive inspection is required during the sale or transfer of a home and recommended if the history of the system is unknown, if the technician detects any signs of wear and tear or performance issues, or prior to modifications such as switching from wood to gas, etc. A level 2 inspection should also be performed after severe storms or hurricanes to determine whether any damage or corrosion is present. 

Level 3 Inspection -  A Level 3 inspection includes all the areas and items checked in a Level 1 and a Level 2 inspection, as well as the removal of certain components of the building or chimney where necessary.

Removal of components (i.e., chimney crown, interior chimney wall) shall be required only when necessary to gain access to areas that are the subject of the inspection. When serious hazards are suspected, a Level 3 inspection may well be required to determine the condition of the chimney system.

* Accessible: May require the use of commonly available tools to remove doors, panels or coverings, but will not damage the chimney or building structure or finish. 

** Readily Accessible: Exposed, or capable of being exposed, for operation, inspection, maintenance or repair without the use of tools to open or remove doors, panels or coverings.