Company Blog

How to Prepare for Your Chimney Appointment

We’re so glad you’ve chosen us to care for your chimney and fireplace needs! We appreciate you and thank you for your business.

We’re often asked by our customers what they need to do to prepare for our visit. Thanks for asking – here’s what makes our job easier

• MAKE SURE THE FIRE IS OUT. You’d be surprised how often we go to homes with a fire burning in the fireplace or wood stove. If there’s a fire burning, we cannot sweep or work on the chimney. If your home has a wood stove or insert connected to the fireplace, please make sure the fire is out for at least 24 hours before our appointment. We can’t move the stove out to sweep the chimney when it’s too hot to touch. If you have gas logs or a gas insert, make sure the fire is turned off for 2-3 hours before our arrival.
• CLEAN OUT THE FIREPLACE OR WOOD STOVE. It speeds up our process greatly if you can remove the ashes and old wood removed before our arrival.  However, if you want US to clean out the ashes for you, please make sure we know that’s what you want. Some folks actually want us to leave a layer of ash in the fireplace to bed their coals.
• SECURE YOUR PETS. If your dog needs to be in your fenced yard, yet we need to go through this gate to get to your chimney, please put up your pup. It’s difficult for us to carry a ladder through the gate while making sure your dog doesn’t escape. Ditto on the potential escapes through your home’s doors. It’s really best for both us and your pets if you can isolate them in another room while we’re working at your home. It can be so upsetting to pets to have a stranger coming in and out of their home and they’re often terrified of our big vac and the loud noises it makes.
• MAKE ROOM IN YOUR DRIVEWAY. We have lots of equipment to carry in and set up, so the closer we can park to your entry door, the better. We’ll also be carrying a heavy ladder, so if we can park nearer to the chimney that’s helpful!
• WHICH DOOR? Please let us know which door you prefer us to use. The one that provides the quickest route to your fireplace is our preference, but let us know if you’d rather us use a different entry.
• CLEAR A PATH. We’ll be bringing in some or all of the following: industrial vacuum cleaner, tool boxes, drop cloths, chimney brushes and more. Based on the door we’ll be using and the route we’ll take to your fireplace, it’s very helpful if you’re able to clear a pathway for us, moving furniture and knick-knacks away from our line of traffic and our work area in front of your fireplace. We’re very mindful of your treasures and take the utmost care in your home, but it helps us tremendously if we don’t need to move them away from our work area and the pathway to your fireplace.
• CLEAR THE MANTEL AND HEARTH. Again, it helps us so much if you can clear the accessories away from the fireplace including your fireplace screen, wood bin, wreaths, candles and the like. We’ll be spreading a tarp on your hearth and setting some tools there while we’re working.
• WRITE DOWN YOUR QUESTIONS. If you’d like expert tips on how to store your firewood, how to fine-tune the settings on your wood stove, change the batteries on your gas logs, etc. then you may find it’s helpful to make a list for us to review with you while we’re there.

We here at Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps|Bless Your Hearth are committed to providing the “best bang for your buck” spent.  You knowing what to expect and being prepared for our visit can help make that happen.  Call us today to schedule your chimney or gas log check-up. 

How Does the Age of a Chimney Impact its Ability to Stand Up to Water Intrusion?

While virtually any chimney can leak, older chimneys are prone to more of the issues that contribute to leaking. And over time, moisture intrusion on a chimney will impact the state and structure of the chimney and eventually lead to the need for some kind of maintenance.

Prefabricated Manufactured Chimneys

* Most notably, galvanized chase covers will begin to pit and deteriorate allowing water to seep into the wooden structure.

* Water running down a pipe can contribute to rust forming on the metal works or interfere with the mechanical parts of any attached appliance (i.e. fireplace, gas logs, etc.).

* Continuous introduction of water into a wooden chase either between the metal chimney and wooden framing or between wooden structure and the vinyl, brick or stone veneer will eventually lead to rotting of the wooden structure. Regular annual inspections as recommended by the Chimney Safety Institute of America and the National Fire Protection Association can help to anticipate any age related leaking issues before they become a problem requiring extensive repairs.

Masonry Chimneys

As masonry ages, it becomes more soft and porous. This goes for the brick and the mortar.

* Water exposure can cause the bond between courses (rows of bricks) or mortar and stone to break (cracking between the brick/stone and the mortar).

* Water saturation and subsequent freeze/thaw with colder temperatures can cause bricks to crack or spall (the face of the brick pops off), or even cause bricks fall off the chimney altogether.

Aging brickwork becomes even more vulnerable to water intrusion. Again, regular annual chimney inspections can result in recommendations that will head off the inconvenience of water entering you home unexpectedly by way of your chimney.

Flashing on Any Chimney

Almost all conventional flashing has some caulk used in its construction. As the caulk ages, it becomes vulnerable to drying and cracking leading to water seeping into the area between the roof and the chimney structure. Flashing should be monitored during regular annual inspections by a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep who can verify if your issue needs attention and can provide suggestions for resolution. Let our trained professionals here at Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps|Bless Your Hearth help determine overall condition, need for maintenance, issues with functionality, and even offer solutions for long-term issues. Regular inspections/maintenance can help insure there are no issues related to moisture exposure.