Having a fireplace comes with some important responsibilities to ensure your home is free from dangerous safety hazards. Not only do you have the obvious risks involved with fire to think about, but you must also consider the potential problems that could be hiding inside the chimney. Before you light your first fire of the year, national fire safety organizations like the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommend that you have your chimney professionally inspected and swept. These annual professional chimney maintenance services are necessary to make sure your fireplace and chimney system will work safely, efficiently, and effectively all winter long. Aelite Chimney Specialties is proud to offer these services to the residents of the Chicago area from our CSIA-certified chimney sweeps who have years of experience and training in inspecting and sweeping chimneys. You can trust us to make sure your fireplace and chimney do not pose any safety hazards. To help you understand the importance of an annual chimney inspection, we would like to tell you a bit more about the hazards that can occur from damage to your chimney.
Chimney Fires
One of the most important reasons why you need your chimney professionally swept and inspected at least once a year is to remove all of the creosote deposits from the inside of your chimney. When you burn wood, creosote develops naturally during the condensation process that occurs as the byproducts of combustion exit out of the cooler walls of the upper chimney. This residue sticks to the inner walls of the chimney and can accumulate into large deposits, which create an increased risk for chimney fires. If the internal temperature of your chimney gets hot enough, those creosote deposits can quickly and easily ignite into flames. Creosote is so highly flammable that the CSIA has named it as a leading cause of chimney fires. After our chimney technicians sweep your chimney, Aelite Chimney Specialties will inspect the inner walls to be sure all of the creosote deposits have been removed. If we find stubborn creosote accumulations, we will recommend a more thorough mechanical cleaning that will be sure to get all the creosote deposits out of your chimney to reduce your risk of a chimney fire.
Carbon Monoxide Leaks
When Aelite Chimney Specialties inspects chimneys, we take great care to examine every component to look for any damage that could allow toxic combustion gases like carbon monoxide to leak into your home. One of the most common causes of these leaks is a damaged chimney liner. Our CSIA-certified chimney technicians will be looking for any cracks or gaps in the chimney liner where these gases can escape into your home. We also check for flue blockages that could force carbon monoxide back into your living space. If we find a blockage, we will remove the debris from the flue to open it up to allow poisonous combustion gases to be exhausted through the chimney.
Our experienced chimney sweeps will also inspect the exterior of your chimney to look for damaged bricks and mortar that can be prime spots for water leaks. Contact us today to schedule your appointment for this essential annual chimney maintenance service. We can get your chimney ready now before cold weather arrives to the Chicago area.