Benefits of Regular Chimney Cleaning and Inspections

The benefits of chimney cleaning and annual chimney inspections may be surprising. If the benefits were widely recognized, everyone with a masonry fireplace would prioritize chimney maintenance. Tending to household safety and upkeep are matters that should always include the chimney, even though it’s a bit out of sight and out of mind.

Benefits of Annual Chimney Inspections

All of the leading fire safety organizations in the U.S. agree that annual chimney inspections should never be neglected. Even if a chimney is rarely used and no matter what type of fuel is burned, schedule an annual inspection. Read on to learn some of the reasons annual inspections are highly recommended by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), both of which are top fire safety organizations.

• Chimney inspections include checking the chimney flue for obstructions. This is important because many house fires occur every year because of blocked chimneys.
• During Level 2 chimney inspections, a special camera is used to closely examine the chimney flue from top to bottom. This is essential, when needed, because a damaged flue creates a life-threatening situation. Anytime a chimney liner has any damage whatsoever, chimney liner repair or replacement is required for home safety.
• Annual chimney inspections conducted by trained, experienced chimney sweeps will mean that chimney damage in its early stages can usually be caught in time to avoid major repair expenses.
• The fact that a chimney sweep is conducting an inspection means that you do not need to endanger yourself by climbing onto the roof to check for obstructions and chimney damage. Every year, falling is either the leading or one of the top three leading causes of accidental home injury deaths.

Benefits of Regular Chimney Cleaning

Chimney cleaning is something fire safety experts recommend all homeowners take seriously. In fact, the NFPA recommends annual chimney cleaning, the same as with inspections. A number of myths about do-it-yourself chimney cleaning are all inaccurate and misleading. Many have put their own home and family in danger by relying on old wives’ tales instead of calling on professional chimney sweeps for regular chimney cleaning. For instance, chimney fires are often mistakenly considered cost-saving chimney cleaning strategies. The truth is that chimney fires are always potentially dangerous and often highly destructive. Too often, chimney fires result in hazardous home fires.

The following are benefits of scheduling regular chimney cleaning with professional chimney sweeps:

• Dirty chimneys are the cause of thousands of home fires every year, which means that you are safer with a clean chimney.
• If you have a wood-burning appliance, highly flammable creosote is deposited in the chimney every time you have a fire. Chimney sweeps remove all forms of creosote, though the most difficult type isn’t always possible to remove completely.
• The CSIA recommends having the chimney cleaned when creosote is 1/8 of an inch thick. By scheduling chimney cleaning, you are helping to ensure that the chimney doesn’t become blocked, which would result in toxic, life-threatening fumes entering the home.
• When a professional cleans your chimney, you can be confident that the sooty, filthy substances in the chimney are highly unlikely to enter your living space.

Contact Chimney Specialists Inc.

For all the benefits of chimney cleaning and inspections, contact Chimney Specialists Inc. We are located in Highland WI and serve the tri-state area. Visit us at 869 Main Street to see our destination hearth and home store. If Dubuque IA is more convenient to you, visit our sister store Dubuque Fireplace & Patio. To schedule your chimney inspection and cleaning by dedicated chimney experts, call Chimney Specialists Inc. at (608) 929-4887 or call our Dubuque location at (563) 582-5156 today.