Many new homeowners when purchasing their home wonder about maintaining their fireplace. A lot of them do not realize their chimney needs to be cleaned as well as the fireplace.
There are many reasons you should have your chimney professionally cleaned twice a year.
Here we will go over the reasons as to why you should clean your chimney more than once a year.
Why should I get my chimney swept?
As a homeowner, typically many try to cut costs where it can be done. They will either choose to DIY a project or skip a certain maintenance altogether. Many wonder if they really should get their chimney cleaned.
The answer to this is simple. Yes. Get your chimney swept by a professional instead of trying to cut corners. This process is complex and can make a mess or cause damage if done incorrectly.
A professional chimney sweeper will know what to look for in terms of any of the components of your chimney needing maintenance or replacing. This can save you money by preventing any water leaking into your home or any other complications associated with a chimney. Water leaking into your home can cause massive amounts of damage because of mold and water damage.
Even if you rarely use your fireplace, it is a great idea to get your chimney inspected twice a year.
What happens if you don’t get your chimney swept?
Not getting your chimney swept can cause a variety of problems. If you are using your chimney, this can cause a fire hazard to your home and in turn, damage.
Another issue is the ability of animals and other things making home within your chimney. This is a problem because they can damage your home.
Regular sweeping of your chimney can help prevent leaking, build up, and other damages. This in the long run will help save you money.
Animals
Various animals can find your chimney a wonderful place to make their home. Many of these include:
- Birds
- Bats
- Raccoons
- Squirrels
There are a few signs of this happening. Droppings and feathers can be the most common; however, this can also include things such as noises coming from your fireplace.
A professional can remove these animals. This is important to do because many of these animals can carry diseases and parasites. The droppings and feathers can cause issues to your families health as well.
Not only can they affect your health, but the animals can also be destructive to your home. If these animals manage to get into your home, they can chew your walls and make a mess of the interior of your home causing further damage and financial cost of repairs.
Inspections
Having a professional looking at your home is always a great way at preventing issues. This is the same as going to the doctor or having maintenance done to your home. It is important because they see these things daily and may notice something you did not.
Inspections on your fireplace will help prevent any major issues such as a fire or leaking within your home. Noticing a leak before it becomes a problem can help save thousands of dollars.
You can have inspections done during your chimney sweep.
Build up
Build up is also called creosote. This is a major hazard and can also fall into your home, staining everything.
If you use your fireplace often, you will need to have your chimney swept more often. Having this build up removed is crucial for proper aeration and usage of the fireplace.
Like regular housekeeping, this is part of owning your home.
Is a chimney sweep worth it?
A chimney sweep is a professional and will always do the job better than anyone else can. They are specially trained to maintain fireplaces and can notice any issues within your chimney and fireplace. Most will also be able to fix problems they notice.
This is relatively cost effective and worthwhile for anyone who owns a fireplace to budget for.
Author: Virginia Montgomery