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During those freezing winter months, there’s nothing more comfortable than sitting around the fireplace, feeling warm and content. To ensure your chimney is in the best condition, you should clean or repair it on a regular basis. Our HVAC Contractor Arlington can assist you in getting your chimney cleaned.
Here is a checklist to help you figure out if and when you should clean your chimney.
How Can You Tell If Your Chimney Needs Cleaning?
Let’s take a closer look at each of the warning indicators now that you know what to look for.
- Black, oily stains on the walls of your fireplace
- Poorly burning fires
- Bad odor coming from the fireplace, and
- Birds making nests inside your chimney
- It’s Difficult to Start a Fire
- The Chimney’s Soot is Falling
The Chimney Doesn’t Have Any Air Flow
Obstructed airflow because of creosote build-up. Creosote is a tar-like material that forms black, oily streaks on the walls of your fireplace. This stuff can accumulate all the way to the top of your chimney, obstructing airflow and because of the decrease in airflow, fires burn cooler and more irregularly.
Poorly Burning Fire
It’s possible that you’re having trouble starting flames in your fireplace because the chimney is clogged or the fireplace damper is malfunctioning. Both of these problems can prevent a fire from receiving enough oxygen to burn effectively.
The Fireplace Is Giving Off Odors
The stench of creosote is similar to that of a campfire, and it can be detected in the vicinity of the fireplace. This stench may be pleasant to the senses, but it indicates that the accumulation in your chimney is threatening to catch fire and can cause serious damage to your home and its contents.
Birds and Animals Living Inside the Chimney
Bird nests might clog your chimney’s ventilation and catch fire when you’re burning wood in your fireplace. Nests are most typically discovered covering the vents at the very top of your chimney. Squirrels are also known to build nests in chimneys.
These warning indicators are simple to recognize, but the next step is to guarantee that your property is protected from fire damage. You have the option of hiring a Heating And Air Conditioning Manassas VA expert who will take care of your problems. You can also clean it yourself.
How Frequently Should Your Chimney Be Cleaned?
There are two perspectives when it comes to cleaning your chimney. When there is 1/8′′ of creosote and/or soot buildup inside the chimney liner, the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends cleaning your fireplace and chimney right away. Regardless of how often you use your chimney, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends cleaning it once a year.
For wood-burning fireplaces, we recommend cleaning the chimney once a year. Some homeowners arrange servicing sessions in the spring, but the majority do so just before the cold season arrives to ensure the chimney is free of any nests or debris. If you want to hire a heating contractor Manassas VA, call AVS Heating & Air Conditioning at (703) 457-9028.
