Spring brings new life and fresh feelings. For many, it only seems natural that spring is the time for a good spring cleaning, too. One part of the home that is often overlooked during spring cleaning is your chimney system. Just like the rest of your home, your fireplace and chimney also need a thorough inspection and cleaning. Although your fireplace may have worked perfectly all winter, small issues may have arisen that you are not aware of yet. The constant cycle of heating up and cooling down during times of heavy usage can eventually start to take a toll on your masonry. If there are small cracks in your masonry, rain can get into those cracks and cause big issues. This is why spring is a great time to inspect and clean your chimney system, and we here at The Chimney Guy want to help!
Spring showers bring leaking chimneys
One of the main reasons for a spring inspection is to make sure your chimney is protected from the rain. Problems caused by moisture include masonry damage, unsightly chimney stains, bad smells, and rusty damper assemblies. Although these problems may seem minor at first, they could be an indication of a bigger problem down the road.
The winters here in Wisconsin can be harsh and the cold, wind, and snow that accompany our winters can cause damage to some of your chimney’s protective devices. One of these devices is your chimney cap. Your chimney cap is considered the first line of defense against moisture entering your chimney system. A chimney cap is simply a metal cap that sits on top of your chimney. It prevents precipitation from entering into your home. Sometimes, a blizzard or ice storm can damage or detach your chimney cap. If your cap isn’t working properly or is missing, water can enter your home and cause issues with mold, stains, rotting wood, and unpleasant odors.
If moisture originating from rain, sleet, or snow comes into contact with your masonry, it can seep to your masonry through tiny crevasses and pores in your masonry brickwork and mortar. When it freezes in the winter, this moisture expands, causing bricks and mortar to crack and weaken. This can lead to crumbling mortar and loose brickwork.
Clean your chimney!
Another reason for a spring inspection is to make sure your chimney is clean. After a winter of heavy use, creosote, soot, and ash can start to build-up on your chimney walls. If there is enough creosote buildup on the inside of your chimney, it can become a combustion hazard and therefore a chimney fire hazard. That’s why we here at The Chimney Guy think spring is the best time to get your chimney swept and ready for another year of use.
Spring has sprung and now is a great time to inspect and clean your chimney.
Remember, the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends only having a CSIA-certified chimney sweep, inspect your chimney. If you haven’t had your chimney looked over by a professional in a while, call The Chimney Guy at 920-830-1920, or schedule an appointment online to have one of our chimney experts inspect and clean your chimney today!
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