Learn More About Your Old Chimney

In our area of Boston, North Shore, and Portland, there is a lot of history. Our communities are filled with historical buildings and homes. If you’re a homeowner in the area, you may have a historical home and it’s likely that you also have an old chimney. If you have just acquired your home you may not know much about it! At Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep, we get a lot of calls about historic chimneys, and they get a bad rap. In fact, there are a lot of interesting features to old chimneys that many just don’t understand. Here are our favorites:

Ash PitsOlder Masonry Chimneys - Boston MA - Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep

You may be surprised to find a trap door at the back of the firebox floor. This is not a secret escape or treasure trove, but a pit where past homeowners would shovel and scrape ashes. Many present-day homeowners still utilize this ash pit, and some may even have an easy-access clean-out door. These pits are usually constructed with the home’s foundation and are just as durable, When you use the ash pit, you can have it emptied periodically by your trusted chimney professional and never have to bother with bucket loads and storage of ashes.

Multiple Stacks

In the past, the number of chimneys, or “stacks” was an indication of how many bedrooms were in the home. The more stacks, the more prestigious the home. Today, you may not want to use all of these fireplaces. In fact, you can update them all to a more efficient option when you plan with a professional. Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep can swap your old wood-burning fireplace with a new gas-fueled insert that will neither damage the existing hearth and chimney nor detract from the historical aspects of your home. Our inserts are top-of-the-line units that burn gas or wood, depending on our customer needs. When installed by a professional, you can bet it will add style and beauty to one or more old chimneys.

Chimney Pots

Many historic chimneys are topped with chimney pots. Though, not in use as much today, these chimney pots extend the height of the flue and narrow the stack, creating a better draft upward. These tops date back to the Tudor Dynasty in Great Britain and have been used on every continent and are designed for beauty and function. In addition to helping the chimney work better, it also protects the flue against water damage.

Do you have a historic chimney that needs a little TLC? We can help. At Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep we specialize in historic chimneys, and we love to help homeowners find the love and beauty in these old systems.

When you depend on us for your comprehensive chimney care, we will help to bring your chimney system up to code, work to make it as safe and efficient as possible, and do so at a price affordable to our valued customers.

Call Billy Sweet Chimney at 617-469-4528 and schedule your chimney assessment and maintenance today.

We Service the Portland Area

If you’re looking for chimney services in the Boston, Northshore, and Portland areas, look no further than Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep. We’ve been servicing New England chimneys for over thirty years, and we’re proud to offer the highest quality of workmanship and customer service to all of our customers here in Massachusetts and Maine; offering service to Boston Massachusetts, Portland Maine, the North Shore, and surrounding areas.

If you live near us, and you aren’t certain we’ll cover you, call and talk with an associate today. It’s our goal that every family, home, and business is safe and warm winter after winter. That standard starts with chimney maintenance.

Our Portland Location

At Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep we don’t schedule teams to drive out and service Portland area. We actually have a location in Portland, Maine, and we continuously service Portland and surrounding areas and towns. Our Portland service area reaches as far north as New Gloucester, as far west as Limerick, as far east as Brunswick, and as far south as Biddeford.

Still not sure if we’ve got you covered? Check out our Portland service area page and find your city, town, or zip code. If you are close, but not listed, give us a call today.

Offering Expert Services in Portland, Maine

It’s no small thing to offer chimney services in Portland, Maine. Winters in this area can be harsh. We often see winter damage this time of year, and it’s important that inspections and repairs are completed before the next burn season. We don’t just do the bare minimum at Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep. When you call us for your chimney sweeps, inspections, and repairs, you get our full attention and comprehensive chimney care for the life of your chimney.

When you schedule with us, you will have CSIA certified chimney sweeps completing services according to CSIA standards, as well as state and local codes. Our sweeps live in the area, know the area, and understand the standards in the area. We’ll show up in uniform with company trucks, wear ID tags stating our name and company, and will show your home, family, or business courtesy and professionalism every step of the way.

Hiring Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep also means you’re part of the Billy Sweet family. This means you can expect 24-hour emergency services, speedy responses, and guaranteed work at the price and time you were quoted.

Let us help you stay safe this year. Schedule services now, and you can rest assured that your chimney is safe and efficient. Schedule services this spring, and you can be sure your chimney is ready for next burn season. Don’t stress! Let us handle the mess.

If you’re in Portland, Maine or surrounding areas, call our Portland location today at 207-773-7933 or request an appointment online.