Fireplaces and chimneys, like numerous other things and appliances in your household, require routine upkeep. When left unmaintained every year, a chimney can become hazardous to utilize and live near. Here are a few primary reasons why fireplace safety and chimney cleaning are critical.
Flammable Creosote
Are you a frequent user of your fireplace? Well, most likely, you have come across soot and creosote, which usually is produced whenever you burn wood. If you neglect to look after your chimney, creosote tends to stick to the lining of the duct, and it can build up over time.
The build-up can cause your fire not to burn efficiently and your chimney not to emit smoke effectively. Moreover, creosote is highly flammable, and it is a primary factor contributing to chimney fires.
A full-fledged chimney fire will be apparent right away. Numerous creosote-fueled chimney fires, on the other hand, are relatively small and go out on their own before the house owner notices.
While a “relatively insignificant” chimney fire is unlikely to cause structural damages, it can quickly cause accumulative harm to your chimney liner and masonry, resulting in significant, costly issues. An overabundance of creosote in your chimney can be mitigated through yearly chimney safety checks and sweep services.
Chimney Sweeps Removes Obstructions
A blockage induced by tree debris, dust/dirt, small-animal nesting, and small dead animals incapable of exiting the flue is another common problem found within chimneys. Smoke versions will be affected by any blockage in your chimney.
A severe obstruction can cause smoke to revert and enter your house through the fireplace opening. The smoke contains poisonous substances such as carbon monoxide, scentless, undetectable, and possibly deadly to living things.
If you wish to eliminate these blockages and have a fully functioning chimney, seek the services of chimney sweep cleaning Los Angeles experts. Moreover, a chimney cap can be implemented to keep out tiny bits of wood and leaves from entering the chimney. How cool is that?
General Fireplace Safety Tips
Your fireplace and chimney’s safety are explicitly influenced by how you use them. To get the maximum out of your fireplace while also ensuring the security of everybody in your household, observe these simple guidelines.
- Only use dry wood because it burns hotter and more thoroughly than damp wood. Furthermore, dry wood produces significantly less smoke and thus creosote.
- Properly arrange logs: When stacking logs, make sure there is enough “breathing room” between them. Fires that do not get sufficient air tend to be smokier and won’t burn all the logs.
- To make a fire, put small offcuts of wood on top of the log pile. To start a fire, do not use thinner fluid, charcoal booster fluid, gasoline, or any other accelerant.
- Only burn wood logs in your fireplace, not publications, trash, decorated wood, garments, or whatever else. If you do, the fire will become extremely hot, and the fumes will hold a lot of hazardous compounds.
