Chimney Care Company's Blog

Keeping Animals Out of Your Chimney

With warm spring days, animals are on the prowl! This means they’re making mischief and looking for places to nest. Many animals, from squirrels and raccoons to swallows and bats, are apt to wander into your chimney. While it may seem innocuous, animals or birds in your chimney can cause a host of problems. This is why it’s important to take measures to prevent animals from entering your chimney.

The problem with animals in your chimney.

Animals in your chimney can cause problems that range from a minor inconvenience to a major headache! Birds that nest in your chimney can rustle around and make a great deal of noise. However, when they fly off, a chimney sweeping should remove any evidence of their habitation. Animals like squirrels can build large nests that can completely block off your chimney opening. This renders your chimney unusable and poses a fire hazard. At a minimum, animals in your chimney can leave behind waste and debris. At worst, they can gain entry into your home, cause damage to your chimney, become aggressive or spread diseases.

While some animals might seek refuge in your chimney, others can accidentally wander in and become trapped. Few animals, such as squirrels and raccoons, can exit the chimney once the enter it. Trapped animals can make loud, panicked sounds within your chimney, disturbing your house. Should a trapped animal die, the corpse can fill your home with a horrible, putrid smell.

Preventing animals from entering your chimney.

With all of the problems animals and birds in the chimney can pose, whether inconvenient or downright dangerous, the goal of any homeowner should be to keep animals from entering the chimney and becoming a nuisance. There are two primary tools for keeping unwanted visitors from your chimney: Chimney caps and top-sealing chimney dampers.

Most chimney flues are covered with chimney caps to keep water from pouring down the inside of the chimney. Your chimney cap should be supported by a wire cage that prevents animals or birds from accessing the flue. Some top-sealing dampers can be used for a similar purpose: Top-sealing dampers completely seal off the flue opening when the chimney isn’t in use. In some models, the damper is fitted to the chimney with a collapsible metal cage. So, when the damper is open, the chimney flue is protected from animals, birds, and debris.

Don’t leave your chimney unprotected!

Once an animal enters your chimney, it must be professionally removed. Additionally, the chimney must be swept and inspected to make sure that no debris or damage remains behind. Prevent animals from becoming a problem in the first place! Call the Chimney Care Co. to schedule an appointment today. Have your chimney fitted with a chimney cap or top-sealing damper that will prevent birds and animals from entering your chimney.

Firebrick patterns for your interior fireplace

If you are looking to give your hearth a stunning makeover, one of the best ways to add style is by reconstructing your firebricks. The firebricks are the masonry component of your inner fireplace. Made from refractory cement, they insulate your fireplace. This holds in the heat from the fire so it can warm your home. This also prevents excessive heat from penetrating the part of your home’s structure that surrounds the fireplace.

While firebricks are an often overlooked component of the fireplace — unless they break down and pose a hazard — the firebricks can add a beautiful aesthetic appeal to your hearth. Altering your firebrick pattern can change the entire feel of your fireplace, providing a clean, modern look or a sophisticated design element. The trick is to choose a firebrick pattern that fits with the hearth style you’re looking to achieve.

Running bond

The running bond is a traditional masonry pattern and you’d likely recognize it immediately. The running bond pattern is achieved by offsetting each layer of firebricks by half of a brick. While this pattern is firmly traditional, you can still use a running bond to vary the look of your interior firebox by selecting bricks that are a different size or color than your current firebox.

Stacked bond

The stacked bond is seeing a surge in popularity right now. Also, it is prized for its clean, modern look. In creating a stack bond, the firebricks are placed directly on top of one another, so the seams fall in straight lines.

Herringbone

Herringbone has become a major trend in home décor, from tile floors and tile showers to brickwork and fireplaces. In masonry, the herringbone pattern mocks the traditional herringbone weave. To achieve that look, two rows of bricks are laid toward one another at a 45-degree angle, creating W-like-patterns in the bricks.

Split herringbone

For those who love the herringbone pattern but want something different, the split herringbone offers a fun alternative. With the split herringbone pattern, the firebricks are laid in the same manner. However, the bricks themselves are “split” to a much smaller size. The result is a more delicate, intricate-looking pattern.

Basket weave

Like the stacked bond, the basket weave is a traditional masonry pattern. It’s most often used when homeowners are looking to achieve a more rustic look in their fireplaces. To achieve the basket weave pattern, two to three bricks are placed horizontally. Then, two to three bricks above are placed vertically. The alternating pattern repeats in all directions of the design.

If you are ready to liven up the look of your hearth with new firebricks, or if your existing firebricks need to be replaced for safety purposes, call the Chimney Care Co.! Our expert masons can reline your fireplace with a beautiful firebrick pattern that turns your hearth into an eye-catching focal feature you will love to show off.

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Protect Your Chimney With Waterproofing

So often, we focus our chimney maintenance efforts on sweeping and keeping our chimneys clear of creosote and debris to ward of the dangers of a chimney fire. While chimney sweeping is undoubtedly important, your chimney’s No. 1 enemy, according to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), is water. Fortunately, you can keep your chimney — and your home — safe from water damage with a waterproofing treatment from ChimneySaver.

How water can damage your chimney.

The masonry materials many chimneys are constructed of are highly porous. Because your chimney rises high above your roof-line, it sees little protection from driving rain and melting snow. All of that water that comes into contact with your chimney is drawn into the chimney’s bricks and mortar. That can lead to several problems. The chimney itself can become damaged when temperatures drop and the water inside the chimney freezes and expands. The expanding water causes bricks and mortar to crack and crumble away. Over time, that damage can allow more water to penetrate the chimney, and it can weaken the entire chimney structure.

Additionally, moisture that enters through the chimney can damage your entire chimney and fireplace system. The damper can warp and rust, as can any metal components of the fireplace, including fireplace doors, fireboxes and fireplace grates. Moisture inside the chimney can cause flue tiles to crack or spall, and moisture into the chimney can cause a musty, smoky odor to fill your home. If chimney water damage is left unchecked, the leak can gain access to the rest of your home’s structure, causing mold to grow and wooden supports to rot away.

Protecting your chimney with ChimneySaver.

ChimneySaver has been protecting chimneys from water damage for more than 20 years. The solution is applied to the outside of your chimney, and once it is in place, it prevents more than 99 percent of moisture from entering your chimney’s masonry. At the same time, ChimneySaver still allows your chimney to “breathe.” That means vapors put off by your fireplace, which often includes water, can still exit through the chimney walls. Unlike ChimneySaver, other chimney waterproofing treatments can trap moisture, which can lead to crumbling, spalling masonry.

ChimneySaver’s water-based formula is environmentally friendly. It won’t leave a glossy finish on your chimney, and in addition to protecting your chimney from freeze-thaw damage, ChimneySaver can protect your chimney from mold and mildew growth and efflorescent stains. ChimneySaver’s waterproofing solution also comes with a 10-year warranty.

Call the Chimney Care Co. to protect your chimney from water damage!

If you want to keep your masonry chimney safe from water damage, call the Chimney Care Co. to schedule an appointment today! We can apply ChimneySaver’s waterproofing solution to protect your chimney from freeze-thaw damage, unsightly stains and mold, and to save you from have to repair costly water damage down the road.

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Why professional certifications matter

Professional Certifications Image - Cincinnati OH - Chimney Care CompanyThe leading professional organizations for the hearth and chimney industry focus heavily on education. These groups know that it is important that chimney sweeps and fireplace technicians know everything they need to install, service and maintain fireplaces, heating stoves and chimneys to protect their customers and their customers’ homes. For that reason, these groups provide chimney sweeps with training courses, continuing education opportunities, conferences and plenty of information to keep sweeps’ skills sharp and make sure they stay up to date on new industry technologies, products and techniques.

Here are some of the things chimney sweeps learn as they undergo their professional certifications:

  • The science behind how wood burns within the fireplace, and how creosote develops within the chimney;
  • Industry best practices for cleaning, installing, repairing and maintaining fireplaces, fireplace inserts, heating stoves and chimneys;
  • The proper clearances for fireplaces and chimneys during installation;
  • How to select the right size heating appliance for a home;
  • How to determine if a home’s ventilation system is adequate for a new fireplace or heating stove; and
  • Codes and standards for installing fireplaces, heating stoves, vents and chimneys.

Beyond training

While training and education is the cornerstone of professional certifications, the certifications carry weight beyond that. The chimney sweeps and companies who become certified by or join the membership of industry organizations also agree to follow by those groups’ codes of ethics. That means that when you hire a certified chimney professional, you know that you are not only getting a knowledgeable professional, but also a professional who will treat you courteously and who will not take advantage of you.

Some of the things chimney sweeps agree to in signing industry codes of ethics include:

  • Following industry best practices in performing their work;
  • Adhering to local codes and manufacturers’ recommendations when installing, cleaning and servicing heating appliances;
  • Representing their company honestly to customers;
  • Educating their customers on safe operation of home-heating appliances; and
  • Behaving in a professional and respectable manner when serving as a sweep or in representing the industry or their company.

The Chimney Care Co.’s professional certifications

If you are looking for a chimney sweep you can trust, look no further than the Chimney Care Co.! We take our professional certifications and memberships seriously, and we are proud members of the CSIA, the National Chimney Sweep Guild, the HPBA and the NFPA. Call to schedule an appointment today!

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Closing out your fireplace and chimney for the season

Closing Your Fireplace & Chimney Photo - Cincinnati OH - Chimney Care CoHave you burned your last fire for the winter season? If you haven’t yet, you likely will soon. As the annual fire-burning season ends, it’s important that you properly close out your fireplace for the spring. When you’re sure you won’t be burning any more fires for the spring, there are a few things you should do to ensure that your fireplace and chimney will be in good shape when the fall rolls around.

Look for any signs of damage

With whipping winds, freezing temperatures and plenty of wet weather, winter is hard on your chimney. Spring is the time to examine your chimney and fireplace for any signs of damage. On the outside of your home, walk around your chimney and look for cracked or crumbling bricks and mortar, stains or discoloration on your chimney, or any other changes to your chimney. If you are able to see your chimney top, or easily venture onto your roof to check it, make sure that your chimney cap is damage free and securely in place, that your chimney crown or chimney chase cover is in good repair and that the flashing remains securely against the base of your chimney without any signs of cracks or corrosion.

Inside the fireplace, look for rust on fireplace doors, grates and the damper, and make sure your firebox is free from any cracks, crumbling tiles or other damage. Check the ceiling and walls for any discoloration or signs of a leak. If you spot any damage, don’t wait to call in a chimney sweep! Spring and summer are the best time for repairs.

Clean and close out your fireplace

Don’t be tempted to leave ashes or other fireplace debris in the firebox for the summer. Ashes are corrosive, and can cause undue damage to your firebox if they are left to sit. When you know the ashes have fully cooled since your last fire, use a fireplace broom and shovel or an ash vacuum to clear the ashes and debris. Ashes can be thrown away with your regular trash or turned into fertilizer for your lawn or garden.

If you have a gas fireplace that doesn’t require cleaning, make sure you turn off the pilot light. In all fireplaces, you will want to make sure that the damper is closed for the summer. A closed damper will ensure that conditioned air stays in and that any animals or pests that might make their way into your chimney stay out of your home.

Have your chimney swept

Fall might be the traditional time for a chimney sweeping, but spring is a good time for a chimney sweeping, too! You will want to have your chimney swept in the spring if you missed your fall cleaning, if you used your fireplace heavily this winter or if you notice foul smells coming from your fireplace in warmer weather. If your chimney was swept in the fall and shouldn’t need a spring cleaning; think ahead — Schedule your fall chimney sweeping and inspection now so you don’t have to worry about it as summer is drawing to a close!

If you notice chimney damage, or to schedule your chimney sweeping and inspection, call the Chimney Care Co. today!

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