While you’re organizing your Spring Cleaning to-do list, you should remember your chimney along with all your other home maintenance. Your chimney has been working for you all winter long, maybe daily, and it needs some attention.
What You Can Do
First, you should clean the surfaces of the hearth and close off the chimney when you’re finished with it for the season. By closing the damper you can save yourself in air conditioning costs this summer. You can also prevent foul odors from soot and humidity from entering your home while you wait for your appointment. As soon as you are able you should schedule an appointment with a professional chimney sweep company.
Choosing the Right Chimney Sweep Company
The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommend annual maintenance including regular chimney sweeps and annual chimney inspections. Scheduling your inspection in the spring means that you can catch any winter damage before it is made worse by water penetration and summer humidity. While looking for a chimney sweep company to assess and clean your chimney system, look for one who is familiar with the area’s climate, common chimney damages, repairs, and local regulations.
Make Necessary Repairs Now
Your chimney expert may find chimney damages or possible problems that can be dealth with right away. Schedule your chimney repairs now so that spring showers aren’t able to worsen the damage. Also, making repairs now means that your chimney will be ready to use when cool weather comes in the fall. A common mistake homeowners make is putting off routine maintenance and repairs until fall. This is often called the “fall rush” because it’s the period at the start of burn season when chimney sweeps are busy getting chimneys ready for winter. During this time it can be difficult to get the appointment time you need and you may even be forced to use a chimney sweep you aren’t happy with in order to get the work completed. It’s best to plan ahead.
Closing Out Your Chimney for the Off-Season
If you have already had your chimney inspection for the year, you can still have your chimney swept before closing it out for the summer. Many homeowners schedule a chimney sweep in the spring because a dirty chimney can become stinky when temperatures warm up. Soot and creosote can become pungent when it mingles with moisture. Even if your chimney doesn’t have a leak, the natural humidity of summer will permeate the whole chimney system and create these odors. Once your chimney is swept you can close the damper to save on utilities. If you have a top-sealing damper you can close off your chimney system with an air-tight seal from the top, preventing water penetration, drafts, and animal intrusion.
When you’re ready to close out your chimney for the spring, a chimney expert from Pristine Sweeps can help you remember every step. It’s always our goal for our customers to be safe and comfortable year-round. Call Pristine Sweeps at 206-574-8414 and schedule your appointment today.