Inside your chimney, dangerous hazards can be lurking that could lead to serious situations. To be sure your chimney and fireplace system is safe to operate before you light your first fire this fall, a professional chimney sweeping and inspection is recommended by national fire safety organizations like the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). You need certified and experienced chimney technicians to look closely at the condition of your chimney, and you can count on Aelite Chimney Specialties because we have been taking care of the chimneys in the Chicago area for over 15 years. Our chimney sweeps have been trained and certified by the CSIA to properly maintain chimney and venting systems, and we provide video chimney inspections to guarantee every inch of the inside of your chimney has gotten a close up look. In order to be able to enjoy your fireplace on the first cool day this fall, we suggest you make your appointment with us for this essential maintenance service before summer ends. Once September arrives, our sweeps are booked through December to sweep and inspect chimneys, so you could have a difficult time scheduling our services on the date that is the most convenient for you. The longer you wait to contact us, the longer you will have to wait to safely use your fireplace. We would like to tell you about a couple of the biggest dangers that could be hiding inside your chimney and how we can reduce your risk so that you can enjoy safe and warm fires this fall and winter.
Chimney Fires
You may think that if there were a fire inside your chimney, you would obviously know. However, not every chimney fire is dramatic enough to have smoke and flames coming out of the top of the chimney. The CSIA warns that slow-burning chimney fires can cause just as much damage as a visible one. Just because the lack of air and fuel keep these flames from being seen, the temperatures can become hot enough to spread to the combustible parts of your home that surround the chimney. To reduce your risk of a chimney fire, you need to have your chimney professionally swept at least once a year to remove all of the accumulated creosote from the inner chimney walls. Creosote develops naturally during the combustion process of burning wood and can build up as large deposits that are very hazardous. This residue is so extremely flammable that it can easily ignite a fire when the internal temperature of your chimney reaches a high enough point. In fact, the CSIA has named creosote as the leading cause of chimney fires. You can count on Aelite Chimney Specialties to get rid of every bit of creosote when we sweep your chimney because we use video cameras to be sure every inch has been scrubbed clean.
Carbon Monoxide Leaks
When Aelite Chimney Specialties inspects your chimney, we look closely to ensure nothing could cause toxic combustion gases like carbon monoxide to be able to get into your home. We make sure the flue contains no blockages from debris that could force this poisonous gas back into your living space, and, by using the video camera, we can get a close look at the condition of the liner to be sure there are no cracks or gaps that could allow leaks. If we do find damage, we will provide you with video evidence, along with a written evaluation and an estimate of necessary repairs.
Ensure the safety of your home and family this fall. Contact us at Aelite Chimney Specialties to schedule an appointment for your annual chimney sweeping and video inspection.