Frequently Asked Questions

We recommend hiring a professional chimney sweep with CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep & CSIA Certified Dryer Credentials. This way, you can ensure your professional knows all the state and national safety codes and is able to clean and repair your dryer vent along with your chimney. (Lint and debris in your dryer vent is actually more likely to cause a house fire than your chimney).

A chimney sweep does so much more for your peace of mind than simply scrub the chimney once a year. A certified chimney sweep is an expert who knows all safety codes and is able to identify hazards that the average homeowner does not even know are a threat. They are also able to handle complex repair and cleaning jobs quickly and efficiently to make sure your home is safe without letting any mess into your home.

Ask for references. You can also ask for license and insurance information. Certifications like being a member of the Chimney Safety Institute of America are also important.

Helping to satisfy customers and doing quality chimney repair work that stands above the competition.

The video camera inspection devices, which we have one of the most state-of-the-art models, are far more advanced than in the years past.

The safety ramifications of not properly maintaining my chimney venting system. Safety is a chimney sweep’s #1 priority.

About price. We tell them we are competitively priced and often times beat the competition.

Aside from our superior workmanship, we are clean and neat and finish our work on time. We have a complete customer service department that is easily reachable by phone.

There was a complete blockage from a deteriorated chimney clay liner and creosote that we had to remove and replace with a new steel liner. The amount of carbon monoxide the blockage was causing was extremely hazardous. We saved a young family from CO poisoning!

Get ready to work long hours and above all else be honest with the customer.

The National Fire Protection Association Standard 211 says, "Chimneys, fireplaces, and vents shall be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits, and correct clearances. Cleaning, maintenance, and repairs shall be done if necessary." Not only is it highly recommended to get your chimney inspected and cleaned once a year, we also recommend cleaning it more often if you see a buildup of creosote that is 1/8 and inch thick. Call your chimney professional prior to the winter rush to get them when they are not so swamped with work. Summer work is off peak and you will have no problems getting someone to do the work quickly.

Most obstructions that are alive can be prevented by installing a chimney cap on the top of your chimney. If you live in an area with a high population of squirrels, raccoons, birds or bees, we highly recommend installing a chimney cap preemptively to save you the headache down the road of an unwanted intruder. If you have animals in your chimney DO NOT START A FIRE and try to smoke them out. First of all, this is inhumane and no animal deserves to suffer this way. Second of all, the nest is a fire hazard and it could create a bigger mess for you if you set it on fire. If a squirrel is stuck in your chimney it could be hurt or unable to climb out on its own so what good is a fire going to do? A raccoon usually enters a chimney because it looks like a nice hollow tree to have babies in. Regardless, the animals do not want to leave your chimney on their own and need to be trapped and relocated. You can attempt to do this on your own or contact a professional animal control remover. There are different state laws regarding the trapping and removal of animals so it is best to get educated on your state laws prior to doing anything.

If smoke is entering your living room, the chimney is blocked. Try to extinguish the fire immediately. Before starting a new fire there are some inspections that must be done to eliminate the smoke. First, make sure your damper is open and find out where the damper control is. This is often a lever or chain hanging down in the top of the fireplace. If the damper is blocked completely, the fireplace and chimney should be inspected because there may be anything from bird nests to parts of a chimney in serious disrepair blocking the flue. Do not light any more fires until a professional chimney sweep inspects and repairs the flue so that your chimney is no longer a fire hazard to your house.

The smell is caused by creosote (soot) deposits in the chimney combined with a back draft that is drawing air down the chimney into your house. You need a two-step approach to get rid of the unwanted odor. First, a good sweeping will help eliminate the creosote which is the cause of the odor. And second, a tight sealing, top mounted damper will also reduce air flow coming down the chimney into your home. This should definitely be replaced to eliminate any harmful fumes such as carbon monoxide from entering your living area. Often the smell will be the worst in the summer when the weather is humid. Many people have good results with baking soda or even kitty litter set in the fireplace to block the odor. On top of that, there are commercial chimney deodorants that work pretty well. These are temporary solutions until you can remove the soot and fix the drafting.

The chimney is leaning to one side, there is no chimney liner because the chimney is so old and was built before this was required and the interior is coated in thick creosote, the mortar is completely crumbling, or there are large cracks in your bricks.

No, if you see cracks in your fireplace, they need to be filled in prior to lighting another fire in your fireplace. Cracks can cause fire to reach combustible materials and catch your house on fire as well as release harmful smoke or carbon monoxide into your home. If you see cracks in your fireplace, there may be additional cracks in your chimney liner that are hidden from your view.

Hard wood that has preferably had at least a full year to dry out is the best thing to use in your fireplace. The densest woods, such as elm, maple, and oak make the best firewood because they burn with the most energy. You do not want to burn ANYTHING else in your fireplace. This includes cardboard, paper, styrofoam, green (freshly cut/wet) wood, trash, etc. It will create a lot of carcinogenic black smoke and chances are high it will enter your living space as well as enter the atmosphere and harm the environment.

A chimney flue is the liner inside the chimney that acts as the venting system for the fireplace or any other heating appliance. It can be metal, clay tile, or cast-in-place cement. If you have both a heating unit with oil or gas and a fireplace, it is likely your chimney has two separate flues. You can determine this by going on your roof, removing the cap and looking down into your chimney so see how many separate venting systems there are.

A chimney cap helps with drafting and keeps debris, water, and animals out of your chimney while preventing sparks from exiting the chimney onto the roof.

Have your chimney inspected and cleaned every year by a professional chimney sweep. When using your fireplace, or woodburning stove, only use seasoned dry wood to reduce the amount of creosote buildup.

Lint buildup in your dryer’s exhaust system is a normal occurrence and can only be stopped by routinely cleaning it out and also cleaning your lint filter after each use of the dryer. The accumulated lint blocks air flow from your dryer which causes it to overheat, run less efficiently and eventually catch fire. When this happens, the dryer’s high temperature safety switch will repeatedly cycle on and off. Ultimately, the safety switch can fail, allowing the highly flammable lint to ignite. Just a single spark can ignite lint. We’ve seen dryers whose vents were packed with lint and often, the lint is charred black and a heartbeat away from starting a house fire!

Absolutely, yes! A chimney that serves a natural gas appliance, a gas stove or central heater will not accumulate creosote, but it does pose the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning. This is because natural gas combustion can produce carbon monoxide if your furnace does not get enough oxygen, say, for example, the chimney is not drafting properly because it is blocked. Carbon monoxide is deadly and cannot be smelled. You should have carbon monoxide detectors near your heating appliance and also outside each bedroom as well, but an annual inspection will prevent a problem before it becomes a serious threat to you and your family. Never assume that your chimney is safe.