by Billy Sweet | Apr 9, 2016 | Chimney Inspection, Chimney Maintenance
The weather is warm and you’re ready to open the windows and shut off the furnace or fireplace. While your spring cleaning is in full swing, don’t forget your fireplace and chimney. Homeowners should make it a priority to prepare their chimney system for fall.
Don’t Wait Until it’s Too Late
You can’t predict the weather. If you have put off your chimney cleaning and annual chimney inspection until the fall, you may be tempted to start a fire in a dirty or dangerous chimney. Make sure it’s ready when you need it.
You may invite unpleasant odors into your home. If your chimney is not inspected and your chimney cap is damaged or installed improperly, you may find animals making a home in your chimney. These animals may die and leave an odor in your home. Also, when ashes are left in the fireplace or furnace, they can combine with moisture from the chimney and cause more unpleasant odors. These odors are unwelcome in a newly clean house!
Your insurance may require it. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends regular chimney sweepings, and annual chimney inspections to insure the safety and efficiency of your chimney system. A Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep uses a Chim-Scan® camera system in order to see every part of the interior of your chimney. With this thorough system we are able to give you a detailed report of our findings for insurance or real estate purposes.
You may need repairs that are best completed during the off season. Chimney sweeps are less busy during the off season, so it is easier to schedule an appointment during this time. When you schedule your cleaning and inspection in the spring, you have the summer to make repairs if needed. This is a great way to make sure your chimney system is ready for fall!
Let the Professionals Handle It
You can rest easy knowing that a professional chimney sweep has taken care of your chimney. At Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep we are proud to offer services by a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® []. These chimney sweeps offer professional services and expert advice, because their first priority is the safety of your home or business. We know that neglect to chimney maintenance can cause flue fires as well as life-threatening gas accumulation in the home, and chimney damage or low-efficiency.
When you’re finished using your furnace or fireplace for the season, it is the best time to schedule your chimney maintenance and service with a professional at Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep. Call us today, and don’t regret it tomorrow.
by Billy Sweet | Mar 26, 2016 | Seasoned Firewood, wood burning
Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire
Yes, smoke generally means a fire exists. However, in your fireplace or furnace, smoke usually indicates a less-than-efficient fire. If your fireplace is smoky, you most likely have a problem with your fuel, or with your venting system.
Proper Fuel
It is very important to choose properly seasoned wood to burn in your fireplace or furnace. If your wood is green or wet it will burn slower, less hot, and maybe incompletely. When green or wet wood is burned it often doesn’t burn hot enough to push the smoke up the chimney, causing the smoke to stall, and fall back down.
Improper Use or Maintenance
If your fireplace is releasing excess smoke into your home, you should first check the damper. The damper should be open in order to allow the smoke to rise up the chimney. If the damper lever is opened, the opening may be blocked by soot buildup or debris. Like the damper, if the chimney isn’t routinely cleaned, layers of soot can prevent the smoke from rising up the chimney and out of the home. You can schedule your routine chimney sweeping to have your chimney flue and damper cleaned thoroughly.
Venting Problem
In order for gas to leave the home through the chimney, it has to pull from inside the home. When air is removed from the home it must be replaced. Modern homes are built tight, so air isn’t pulled from outside as the gases attempt to rise up the chimney. Even adding insulation or replacing windows in the home can create a smoke problem for this reason. An easy way to fix this problem is to open a window in another part of the home.
Also, it’s important to note that other home appliances can compete with the ventilation of the chimney. Even something as simple and harmless as a ceiling fan can compete with your chimney. Also, a leaky chimney can disrupt the draft of your fireplace.
Regardless of the cause, no home or business owner wants to deal with a smoke problem in the fireplace or furnace. Not only is it unpleasant, but it can cause respiratory issues if not corrected, and can also be a fire hazard. If the heated gases aren’t moving up the chimney, they can stall in the chimney flue and cause a flue fire. Because your chimney system is important, and the safety of your family and property are our top priority at Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep, we recommend calling a professional if a smoking fireplace persists. Schedule your appointment today.
For more information about why your chimney isn’t working, check out the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and “100 Reasons Your Fireplace Doesn’t Work”.
by Billy Sweet | Mar 12, 2016 | Ash Pit, Chimney Maintenance
There is a strange-looking, cast iron trapdoor beneath your furnace, at the base of your chimney, or in some cases your basement or cellar. If you just purchased your home, you may not know what this is you’ve acquired. Upon further investigation you realize it is full of dusty ash from years gone by—decades, to be exact, possibly a hundred years or more of ash accumulation can fit into most ash pits.
Cleaning the Ash Pit
Because you may not know what is in your ash pit, or what condition it’s in, it’s best to clean it before use.
It’s important to note that ash removal from the ash pit is not part of a routine chimney sweep. However Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep would be happy to offer you an estimate for ash pit cleaning, and this is a fantastic service to couple with your annual chimney inspection. Taking care of your chimney and fireplace while you are Spring Cleaning ensures you are ready for business, and if there is a problem, you will have time to fix it before the next burning season.
Using the Ash Pit
If you know nothing else about ash pits remember that you should avoid allowing hot coals, ashes, or embers into your ash pit. If you notice smoke coming from your ash pit call 911 as soon as possible. Smoldering fire in the ash pit can cause carbon monoxide poisoning and house fires. However, the ash pit is designed to protect against fires and will do so when used properly.
Many homeowners decide to leave the ash to accumulate until the ash pit is nearing capacity. This could mean decades and decades worth of ashes before it’s filled. Some ash pits are as big as a few feet across, and some several feet deep. It’s even quite common for the clean-out door to be on the outside of the house. These ashes can be removed through the trap door with an ash shovel, although you may need a longer handle for this job due to the size of most ash pits, and you’ll also need an ash bucket on hand. Because of the large amount of ash, and the age of the ash, it’s wise to where a respirator or face mask until the job is finished to protect from breathing in dust and by-products. If your ash pit door is inside your home, running an exhaust fan could clear the ash dust from the air when you are finished with the task, but you should run a fan while you are cleaning out the ash, as it will blow the ash dust.
Servicing the Ash Pit
If you’ve seen your ash pit and think it’s not a job you want to do, call in a professional! At Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep we offer expert services by Certified Chimney Sweeps. You can rest easy knowing that you’re leaving the dirty work up to the professionals, and your complete heating system will be in perfect working order for the next burning season. Don’t waste a moment. Schedule your appointment today.
by Billy Sweet | Feb 25, 2016 | Fire Safety, wood burning, Wood Stove
Hazardous Waste
Depending on your appliance you may have an ash box beneath your fire box. Some of these actually pull out, allowing you to easily dump it. Others have a door beneath the firebox for ash removal, and some furnaces keep the ash in the firebox itself. No matter the type of appliance you use, however, the ash can build up quickly and become a hazard.
Ashes can be dangerous because even when they look cold, and seem cold, they can actually be very hot. These ashes, when allowed to fill the firebox, can fall out onto carpet, or nearby combustibles in your home and catch fire. They can also be dangerous if handled incorrectly.
Recommended Tools
Ash Bucket
You can pick up an ash bucket at a local hardware store or get a recommendations from one of our Billy Sweet Chimney Sweeps.
Ash Shovel
Many fireplace tool sets will come with a shovel, a broom, and a poker. You may find that you need a longer shovel to keep your hands or face away from the fire or hot coals.
Gloves
Though not required, you may find that gloves add extra protection to your skin while removing hot coals and ashes.
When to Remove Ashes
Although it seems a good idea to remove ashes often, some even removing them daily, it isn’t recommended. Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends leaving at least an inch of ash in the fire box at all times. This ash insulates the coals to keep them hot longer, while also keeping the bottom of the firebox cool, protecting your furnace and your flooring from excess heat.
However, it is a good idea to remove ashes when they begin to cover the coals following a regular burn cycle.
Removing the Ash
When you’re ready to remove the ash you should have the ash bucket on hand. Shovel the ashes into the bucket, taking care to not stir the ash more than needed. Shovel the ashes from the back of the firebox where there may be buildup, and remove it from the front where it may cover a vent. Once you have shoveled all you want into the bucket, set it aside to cool. It can cool outside or inside, but should be kept away from combustibles.
Disposing of Ash
In some areas and cities you may be able to bag cooled ashes, and simply place them with your regular trash pick-up. If this isn’t a possibility for you, you may want to utilize those ashes in creative ways. Some ways people use ashes include:
- In the garden. You can mix ashes with soil to change the acidity or sprinkle ashes directly onto plants to repel bugs.
- In the kitchen. You can mix ashes with water to shine silver, and clean glass and stainless steel. Save on oven cleaner by keeping this mixture on hand.
- On the driveway. Spread ash onto the driveway, porch, or sidewalk to add traction and to melt ice during winter weather.
- On your pet. To neutralize odors on household pets, rub a small amount of ash into the fur. You can also use ashes beneath cat litter to neutralize odors in the litter box.
However you use your ashes, it’s important to take safety precautions to prevent fire, burns, and injury.
by Billy Sweet | Feb 11, 2016 | Chimney Maintenance, Neglecting Chimney Maintenance
You may be one of many home and business owners who think an oil or bio diesel furnace doesn’t need regular service. These types of appliances seem low-maintenance, but it’s important to remember that doesn’t mean NO maintenance!
Anytime you have a question or concern about your heating system, you should seek a qualified professional to look at your system completely.
Installation
It is important to hire a licensed and insured professional to install heat appliances in your home or business. A professional can ensure the appliance is properly connected to the fuel source, check for leaks, and inspect the whole heat system upon installation.
This type of work should not be D-I-Y, and proper safety precautions should be top priority. A Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep is experienced in alternative fuel furnaces, and will make certain the whole heating system (heat appliance and chimney system) are ready for operation before use.
How It Works
Alternative fuel furnaces are still fuel furnaces, just like wood or gas furnaces. When fuel is burned, it creates a byproduct in the form of gas and particles. This byproduct has to escape as it’s produced, so it escapes through the chimney system. Since oil is one of the most clean burning fuels, some may believe the chimney stays clean after a season of use, but this just isn’t true. All chimneys must be swept regularly, and inspected annually to ensure safety.
Oil furnaces have long running cycles during the winter season, and must be cleaned and inspected to prevent soot buildup. When soot builds up in the chimney overtime, especially when overlooked by an untrained technician, it can cause chimney decay and blockage. The soot becomes dangerous to the lining of your chimney when combined with moisture that may seep in. When this happens, only a professional can repair or replace the lining in your chimney.
Hire a Professional
The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends annual inspections for safe and efficient operation. Some may believe the oil burner company will do the best job for your oil burning appliance. However, CSIA warns that the oil burner company may send a technician to your home or business, but they may not even check the chimney. They may only clean the bottom of the chimney out, near the appliance. CSIA says that some will even inspect the chimney without looking at it thoroughly.
This is not the case when you hire one of Billy Sweet’s Chimney Sweeps. We are certified by CSIA and agree that appliances and chimneys should have a thorough inspection annually in order to prevent chimney fires.
Billy Sweep Chimney Sweeps
We are experienced and ready to sweep your chimney of soot and debris, and perform an annual inspection at your request. Find out what we can do for you to ensure the safety of your home or business.
Call or schedule an appointment online.
