Nothing feels better than enjoying your fireplace during the coldest winter nights. In addition to keeping you warm, it usually looks stunningly beautiful. However, if your chimney is not maintained correctly, using your fireplace may not be safe. Without proper chimney care, your home will be at risk of fire and water damage. On the other hand, keeping your chimney in good condition can save you on energy bills in addition to enhancing your home’s safety. Below is a rundown of some chimney care tips that you can count on to ensure that your fireplace is working correctly.
Ensure That It Is Waterproof
Moisture can cause significant problems in a chimney. For instance, it can cause mold, weaken the chimney’s structural integrity, and even damage the walls and floor around the fireplace. Therefore, you must ensure that your chimney chase cover, waterproofing, flashing, and crown are functioning well. Adding water sealant to the outside of the chimney will go a long way in preventing moisture from damaging its bricks and mortar.
Sweep the Chimney
No matter what kind of fireplace you have, make sure that the chimney is regularly swept to ensure that your home is always safe from fires forming in your chimney. There is no specific amount of time after which chimney cleaning has to be done. You have to check it regularly and get it cleaned if its liner has 1/8″ of soot. If you do not know how to measure soot, ensure that your chimney is swept after every fifty burns.
Get a Functioning Fireplace Damper
A properly functioning fireplace damper is going to help you save on your energy expenditures. When you are not using the fireplace, the damper should be kept closed to prevent cold drafts from accessing your house via the chimney. If the damper is not closing correctly, it is going to be very hard for your HVAC system to give your home the desired temperature, and this is going to be reflected in your energy bills.
On the other hand, the damper should be open when the fireplace is in use. If it does not do so, it will trap smoke, which can be a health hazard. Therefore, you have to ensure that your fireplace damper is functioning properly and get it fixed or replaced as soon as you learn that it has a problem.
Fix Crumbling Mortar Joints
Bricks and mortar joint or the chimney are essential when it comes to preventing water damage in your house. Therefore, if they are cracking and crumbling, you can expect moisture to start getting into your home. To solve the moisture issue of your chimney requires tuckpointing.
Have Your Chimney Inspected Annually
It is not always possible to spot chimney problems by just looking at the chimney. There are underlying issues that may take a professional eye to spot. Therefore, in addition to doing your more often DIY checks, you must ensure that you get a chimney care expert in Belleville, IL, to inspect your chimney and fix any underlying issues at least once per year.
The Bottom Line
Overall, it is apparent that the condition of the chimney plays a critical role in determining the safety and efficiency of your fireplace. A chimney that is not well maintained can be a safety or even a health hazard. A faulty chimney can also weigh heavily on your energy bills. Therefore, it is imperative for you to regularly check your chimney and even get professional assistance in doing so to ensure that any emerging problems are addressed as early as possible.
