Creating a Festive Fireplace and Hearth This Holiday Season

Get Your Fireplace & Chimney in Shape for the Holidays

The holidays seem to come around faster every year, and this year is no exception. If you’ll be using a fireplace during the holiday season, your smartest move is to take action now to get your fireplace and chimney ready for the holidays.

fireplace cleaning, burlington, WIWhy schedule maintenance work early?

Chimney sweeping, chimney inspections, fireplace and stove inspections and any necessary repair work that might be needed should be scheduled before the holidays are upon you.

Chimney services companies tend to get very busy as Thanksgiving and Christmas approach, making it harder to book them to come out and look at your system. Most companies work year-round, but often there simply aren’t enough technicians to handle the service calls during the last weeks of the year.

Ideally, chimney cleaning and inspections of your chimney and heating appliances should be performed once a year. The best time to schedule this work is several weeks or more before holiday activities kick into full gear.

Chimney sweep services

One of the most important safety maintenance tasks you can have performed for your chimney is annual chimney sweeping. Certified chimney sweeps use specialized tools and years of hands-on experience to safely remove flammable creosote from your chimney flue.

Creosote is responsible for most chimney fires in the United States each year. It can form as a sticky, solid or puffy substance and clings to the chimney liner. In addition to the risk of fire, creosote also poses a risk to your liner and internal masonry due to its highly acidic nature.

Chimney sweeps also remove drafting obstructions such as leaves, twigs and the nests of small animals like birds and squirrels. These obstructions can block the drafting of smoke and send it along with deadly carbon monoxide into your home. Solve this problem by having a secure full-width chimney cap installed at the top of your chimney.

Chimney, fireplace and stove inspections

Another important safety maintenance task to schedule before the holidays is an annual inspection for your chimney and fireplace or other supplemental heating appliances.

Chimneys can suffer many types of damage from weather events, old age, foundational shifts, chimney fires and other reasons. Often, you can’t spot early signs of damage that could lead to serious problems. A professional chimney inspector will survey your chimney’s bricks and mortar and all its components and recommend areas where repairs are needed.

Fireplaces and stoves need regular inspections as well. Fireboxes should be checked for signs of damage. Vent pipes for ZC fireplaces, fireplace inserts and heating stoves need to be inspected to ensure safe and proper drafting. Gas lines and components on gas fireplaces, inserts and stoves must be in correct working order to perform safely, at peak efficiency.

fireplace season, Lake Geneva, WIBy scheduling inspections before the holiday season gets rolling, you’ll be able to comfortably arrange for any necessary repair work to be performed early and then have peace of mind as you enjoy your fires during the year-end celebrations.

Burlington Fireplace & Solar of Burlington, WI, is ready to help you get your fireplace, chimney or stove in top shape for holidays. We provide CSIA-certified chimney sweeping, professional inspections and expert repairs.

Call us soon at (262) 763-3522.

 

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