Chimney Care Company's Blog

National Fire Prevention Week is Oct. 4 through 8!

Did you know that as CSIA-certified chimney sweeps, we at the Chimney Care Co. are charged with educating our customers about fireplace safety? We take that charge seriously, that’s why we’re taking the time to honor National Fire Prevention Week, which runs Oct. 4 through 8. Here is what you should know about fire safety, as it relates to your fireplace, chimney and clothing dryer.

Chimney and fireplace safety tips

Fireplaces are a source of warmth and comfort within the home, but they do pose a fire risk. From chimney fires to popping embers, fireplaces can increase your chances of a home fire. Fortunately, you can do a lot to reduce your risk of a fireplace- or chimney-related fire.

• Have your fireplace and chimney swept and inspected at least once per year. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that all vented heating appliances are swept and inspected at least once per year. Your chimney sweeping removes flammable creosote or any other blockages from the flue, while your chimney and fireplace inspection verifies that all components of your chimney and fireplace are in good repair and operating properly.
• Keep the area around your fireplace free from flammables. It’s recommended that homeowners create a 3-foot zone around their hearth and keep that area free from flammables, like papers, blankets, paper and décor. Also check your mantel; nothing should be dangling down over the fireplace.
• Create a barrier over your hearth. Burning embers or shifting logs can fall from your hearth and burn people or pets who are nearby, or ignite your flooring or other flammable objects. To avoid the danger, use a fireplace screen or fireplace doors to contain your fire to the firebox.
• Never burn other objects in your fireplace. Only burn the fuel your fireplace was intended for. Items like wrapping paper or cardboard can overheat your chimney and spark a fire, while burning a leftover Christmas tree can lead to an excess buildup of flammable creosote in your chimney.

Dyer safety tips

Clothing dryers spark a lot of fires in the United States each year. It’s estimated that dryers are responsible for nearly 15,000 home fires every year. That’s why you need to know how to keep your home and family safe from a dryer fire.

• Clean your lint trap every time. Laundry lint is largely responsible for dryer fires. Make sure you clean your lint trap between every load of laundry, and never run your dryer without the lint screen in place.
• Have your dryer vents professionally cleaned. Even if you’re dedicated to keeping your lint trap clean, lint inevitably bypasses the screen and builds up within your dryer vents. Have your dryer vents cleaned at least once per year to keep blocked vents from inhibiting your dryer’s operation and posing a fire hazard.
• Never overload your dryer. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for load size and operation.
• Check your dryer vent from the outside. Periodically inspect the exterior exhaust for your dryer vent to make sure that it is clear of any debris or landscaping.

At the Chimney Care Co., we want to make sure that you’re doing everything you can to lower your fire risk. Call to schedule your chimney, fireplace or dryer vent cleaning and inspection today!

Reduce Fireplace Hazards This Winter

Your fireplace helps you to keep your home warm and cozy all winter long. But the knowledge that fireplaces also can be a fire hazard can leave you feeling anything but cozy. You can implement fireplace safety tips to reduce fireplace hazards and enjoy your fireplace without fear this winter.

Have your fireplace swept and inspected.

The No. 1 thing you can do to lower the fire hazard in your home is to have your chimney swept and inspected at least once per year, preferably between fire-burning seasons. A chimney sweeping and inspection ensures that your chimney is free of flammable creosote and other obstructions that could pose a danger. It also ensures that the fireplace and chimney are free from damage and in good operating condition.

Clear the space around the fireplace.

Embers can jump out of the fireplace and ignite nearby objects or burn anyone sitting too close. Items that are too close to a fireplace can overheat and begin to burn. To reduce this fire hazard, make sure that the area around your fireplace is free of any flammable materials, and encourage pets and children to stay away from the hearth when a fire is burning. All flammable objects be kept at least two feet from the hearth to avoid a fire hazard. Make sure you also check your mantle to be sure that there aren’t any objects dangling too close to the flames.

Screen your fireplace.

Another way to keep popping embers from your fireplace from posing a fire hazard is to use a fireplace screen. Keep mesh curtains on your fireplace and close them when a fire is burning. If your fireplace doesn’t have a built-in screen, invest in a removable screen or spark arrestor to keep sparks, ashes and logs safely in the fireplace.

Don’t burn anything other than the intended fuel.

Wood-burning fireplaces were designed to safely burn seasoned firewood. Gas fireplaces are made to safely handle gas fires. Pellet stoves safely accommodate pellets. Never burn anything other than the intended fuel in your fireplace. Wrapping paper, cardboard boxes and scraps of woods can cause flare ups that can’t be safely contained by your firebox and chimney.

Practice proper ash disposal.

After your fire has visibly extinguished, the ashes can still pose a danger. Embers hidden within the ashes can burn for days after your fire was put out. When clearing out your fireplace, be sure to use a metal shovel to scoop ashes into a metal bucket with a tight-fitting lid. Only remove the ashes to a garbage bag or other receptacle once you are sure that they have cooled entirely.

Consult the experts.

If you have concerns about fire hazards and your fireplace, make sure you consult the experts. At The Chimney Care Co., we view it as part of our responsibility to educate our customers on the safe operation of their fireplaces. Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns about your fireplace.

Top 10 Reasons Not to Clean Your Chimney

There are certain dangers in operating your fireplace without having it cleaned and inspected annually.

Keep this information in mind when thinking about your chimney.

How to Start a Fire with Less Smoke

One of my favorite things about the cooler months of the year is spending time next to a warm, cozy fire. The crackling wood and radiant heat just soothe my innards like nothing else ever has. Question: What’s more romantic that snuggling up with your significant other in front of a glowing fire? Rhetorical question, Keefer. Nothing is more romantic than that! Question: What’s more relaxing than coming home from a long day at the office, sitting in your favorite chair, and unwinding next to a glowing fire? Come on Keefer, that’s another rhetorical question. Nothing is more relaxing than that! For those of you who have trouble starting a fire in your fireplace without also filling your entire house with wood smoke or those of you who want a few fire starting pointers, this blog’s for you.

Fireplaces that smoke are simply, for whatever reason, not drawing the smoke up the chimney. There are a lot of possible culprits when this happens. There could be a blockage; perhaps a bird has decided to build a nest and make your chimney home. There could be a large tree in your yard that grows over your chimney and impedes the airflow. Perhaps the opening of your fireplace is simply too large for the size of your flue, which can result in smoke taking the path of least resistance and back puffing into your living space. The issue could also be that there is a downdraft caused by air movement off of your roof. If you’re making home improvements and add storm windows on your house to make it more air tight, this could result in your fireplace being unable to get enough combustion air, which would result in the smoke spilling back into your house. Needless to say, the causes of the smoke are more numerous than you may have originally realized.

Before starting a fire in your fireplace, you’ll first want to ensure that your damper is open; a fireplace requires a large amount of air after all. Once this is done, you’ll want to ignite a fire-starter brick, some newspaper, or dry kindling in the center of your fireplace grate. This will ensure that the hot air begins funneling its way up the chimney and not back into your house. Before adding any wood, it is important to remember to never overload your firebox, as this will not allow the requisite amount of combustion air to flow around the wood.

Next, place one log, lengthwise, behind the starter and another one in front of it. When those two pieces of wood catch fire, place a log diagonally across them. This setup will help to encourage combustion air to flow around all three logs, which is critical for an even burn. To maintain proper airflow, regularly remove ashes from your fireplace into a metal container with a cover; many homeowners will keep these containers outdoors, which is a great idea since it removes a potential fire hazard from the home. This is also similar to a top down burn, where the starter kindeling is at the top of the logs, allowing the wood to burn from the top down more efficiently and bringing more fire heat into the room.

I once heard someone compare fireplaces to young children, and this comparison has stuck with me ever since: “Fireplaces are like children. They need to be watched at all times to make sure they’re doing what you want them to do.” I like to think he was pretty accurate with that comparison. Properly arranging the wood in your fireplace and providing it with enough space for air to flow around the logs is critical to allowing you to get the most out of your fire. By following a few simple steps, you, too, can have a roaring fire in your fireplace this heating season.

If you follow these steps and still have issues with smoke in your home when starting a fire, call or contact the experts here at Chimney Care Company in Cincinnati and we can help you with your chimney and fireplace smoke issues.

Help – A critter is in my chimney!

We may be partially through winter already, but there’s a lot left to go. Children around the world spent the first portion picturing Santa Claus coming down their chimneys; many of them could now be wondering if it’s possible for anything else to come down them as well. One thing in particular—a wild animal—can cause huge problems and wreak absolute havoc inside your chimney and home. They can bring an assortment of parasites and/or diseases with them and, at the same time, can cause a blockage in your chimney that could ultimately result in dangerous (and potentially deadly) byproducts of combustion being unable to travel up and out of your chimney. Most birds, squirrels, and other animals can get trapped and die in the chimney; only raccoons bats, and chimney swifts are capable of getting themselves out of the chimney once they’ve gotten themselves in.

WHY ARE ANIMALS ATTRACTED TO YOUR CHIMNEY IN THE FIRST PLACE?

Animals are drawn to your chimney because it acts as a perfect nursery for them. In the wild, these same animals could very well search out a tall, hollow tree (which is quite similar in many ways to your chimney). Both provide a safe place for their young seeing, providing a location in which it makes it very difficult for predators to get to and harm them. Unfortunately, deforestation is quickly removing their natural habitats and leaving them with fewer and fewer alternatives. This results in your chimney looking too inviting for them to pass up.

HOW CAN YOU PREVENT THESE ANIMALS FROM ENTERING YOUR CHIMNEY?

Placing a chimney cap on your chimney is the best way, by far, to prevent animals from entering and nesting inside your chimney. A cap with wire mesh that is small enough to keep even the smallest of pests out (e.g. bats), while at the same time large enough to allow the harmful combustion byproducts (e.g. carbon monoxide) to escape is the ideal solution. Making your chimney look a little less welcoming is a key to keeping the wild things outside and leaving you with more time to focus on keeping your family safe inside.

HOW DO YOU GET THEM OUT ONCE THEY’VE GOTTEN IN?

It’s not easy to get animals out of your chimney once they’ve managed to get themselves in. Because of the afore-mentioned parasites and diseases these animals could be carrying, coming in direct contact with them is something you’ll want to avoid if at all possible. They will, however, need some sort of help getting out since flue linings don’t make it easy or even possible for most of them to climb back out. If you believe you have an animals or nest in your chimney, call a certified chimney sweep immediately. We’re trained to inspect and handle circumstances such as these.

Your home is designed to give you and your family a place where you can feel safe and warm. Animal carcasses and their nesting materials can quickly compromise this safety and warmth. As such, keeping them out of your chimney is crucial! Here at Chimney Care Company, your family’s sense of security and safety is important to us. We know how hard it can be to trust someone with the safety and well being of your home and family. But with us, you can rest assured that we’ll take care of your family as if it were our very own. We appreciate your business and look forward to helping you keep your family safe and warm for years to come!