by Mark Hudson | May 15, 2019 | Chimney Cleaning
One of the most dangerous systems in your home is your chimney system. People assume it’s because of the risk of fire, but actually, the carbon monoxide exposure from your fireplace is a real danger that sends about 50,000 people to the ER each year. While not all of these cases are caused by your fireplace, they often happen in the home and can lead to serious organ damage and even death.
In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 430 people die in the U.S. from accidental CO poisoning. Carbon monoxide is highly dangerous and poisonous, as it is tasteless, odorless, and colorless. When it affects the body, the symptoms are much like the common cold and flu, so it often goes unnoticed. Prevent CO poisoning before it happens to you by taking care of your chimney and fireplace regularly.
Clean Chimneys are Safe and Efficient
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends regular chimney maintenance for a safe and efficient chimney system. Having your a chimney inspection annually allows a professional to get a look at your system inside and out. They can assess and diagnose hazards to keep your family and home safe. When you schedule a chimney sweep, a professional comes into the home and clears the entire system of soot, creosote, and other debris. This causes an increase of efficiency for your system and lead to countless problems such as carbon monoxide leaks.
Other Common Sources of CO
Whether your furnace is wood or gas-fueled, it has a risk of exposing your family to carbon monoxide if not properly maintained. Other sources of CO gas include:
- Room heaters
- Charcoal grills
- Cooing ranges
- Water heaters
- Automobiles
- Fireplaces
- Portable generators
- Small engines
When a family is exposed to CO gas, some individuals are at risk for more danger than others. If you have children or elderly family members who are experiencing serious symptom, get help immediately. Symptoms are as minor as a headache, dizziness, and nausea. They can be as serious as confusion, memory loss, difficulty coordinating, convulsions, and seizures. These symptoms are lessened when you spend time away from the residence and return again when you return home. Serious symptoms can occur months or years later because carbon monoxide poisoning causes permanent damage to the body’s organs. This is because when it is inhaled, it binds to the blood cells and quickly replaces oxygen in the bloodstream. Eventually, the organs are starved of oxygen and fail, resulting in permanent damage or death.
Take your safety seiously by hiring a professional chimney company you trust. Talk with one of our experts today and find out why regular chimney sweeping and cleaning are important. You can schedule an appointment with Hudson Chimney online today or 904-282-4159.
by Mark Hudson | May 23, 2018 | Chimney Cleaning
Now that spring is in full swing, you’ve probably already noticed the humidity is rising. You might also notice the odors coming from your fireplace. A dirty chimney can be stinky, and warm weather makes it worse. In order to prevent odors, add your chimney to your spring cleaning to-do list!
A Clean Chimney
After a long winter, it’s important to schedule a chimney sweep. Whether you burned a fire everyday or sporadically, it’s now time to have it cleaned. A cleaning will help keep water and moisture out this summer and prevent odors that will threaten to run you out of house and home! Cleaning your chimney now also means that it’ll be ready for the first fire of the season when cooler temperatures arrive. While the professionals are getting a look at your chimney, they’ll also determine if there are any damaged portions of the system that may bring down efficiency, allow animals or weather inside, or cause those odors that can range from barbecue pit to smoldering carcass. Call the professionals today and let us take care of it so you don’t have to!
Hudson Chimney Cleans Chimneys
At Hudson Chimney, we take your safety and your comfort seriously. We want your chimney to work properly, your home to be pleasant, and your flue to be clean for a better burn this fall. When we come in and clean your chimney, we will use our tools to clear away all the soot and creosote that not only makes your chimney and fireplace stink, but also makes it dangerous. This same creosote is made up mostly of tar and is highly flammable. Don’t put off your chimney sweep another day!
When you schedule your chimney sweep with Hudson Chimney, a technician will arrive and section off your fireplace opening with plastic to contain the mess. We then set up a high-speed vacuum system. We use our brushes and rods to clear out debris before collecting it into the vacuuming system. Your chimney sweep will include the cleaning and adjustment of your damper, an inspection of the exterior of the masonry including the masonry and crown. You will also receive a full report once the job is done. Once you schedule the chimney sweep, you won’t need another chimney inspection for 12 months. There’s really no reason not to schedule a chimney sweep now!
Give Us A Call!
If you’re looking for a company located in Jacksonville area that has decades of experience, reputable certifications, and is able to handle all of your comprehensive chimney care, look no further than Hudson Chimney of Middleburg, Florida. We’re looking forward to your call. Schedule your spring cleaning chimney sweep now by calling 904-282-4159!
by Mark Hudson | Apr 12, 2018 | Chimney Cleaning
Your chimney is designed to last the lifetime of your home — and it will, with proper care and maintenance. The most common issue with chimneys is neglect. A majority of flue fires begin as a result of the chimney not being cleaned. Most chimney leaks occur because of a minor issue being overlooked and later becomes a major one. And most obsolete chimneys are forgotten long before they stopped working.
Routine Maintenance
At Hudson Chimney, routine maintenance is very important to us. Proper maintenance will prevent the following issues:
- House fires
- Home and chimney leaks
- Respiratory issues
- Waste of fuel and utilities
- Expensive repairs
- Animal intrusion and damages
The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) along with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) both recommend annual routine chimney sweeps and annual chimney inspections for the safest and most efficient chimney system. A damaged chimney is not only be a fire hazard during the winter, but it can also lead to structural damage and leaks during the summer. In fact, an inefficient chimney could cost you up to 3 times in utilities annually. Don’t let a neglected chimney become a problem – schedule our professionals to take a look now!
Chimney Sweeps
When you schedule a chimney sweep with Hudson Chimney, you will get the professionalism and expertise from our knowledgeable crew. Our sweeps are not only CSIA-certified, but they also can get the job done quickly without leaving a mess in your home. The sweeps will clean any debris, soot, and creosote in your chimney system, including the fireplace, alongside an inspection with documentation for your records.
Chimney Inspections
We offer CSIA inspections year-round, which include Chim-Scan video scanning. We offer Level 1, 2, and 3 inspections, and we will definitely not miss a thing! You should perform a Level 1 inspection annually. If you haven’t had your chimney inspected by a professional in the last 12 months, call Hudson Chimney now to schedule yours.
Chimney Repairs
Schedule your routine maintenance in the spring gives you ample time to repair your chimney system before fall arrives. If any part of your chimney system is damaged or missing, it can be very dangerous. At Hudson Chimney, we make chimney and fireplace repairs year-round, including masonry repairs, relining, cap, damper, flashing, and crown installation and repair, and more. We are the #1 choice in comprehensive chimney care and continue to serve Northeast Florida’s families and businesses – we can help you too!
Are you concerned about spring showers, hurricane season, or summer heat and humidity? Ask a Hudson Chimney expert about waterproofing services! We can apply a simple protective water repellent to your masonry to prevent water penetration and damage. Call Hudson Chimney now at 904-282-4159 or schedule it online.
by Mark Hudson | Aug 25, 2016 | Chimney Cleaning
When you own a home, you should keep up with the routine maintenance tasks needed to keep everything running smoothly and safely. Neglecting important maintenance can lead to dangerous hazards in your home. At Hudson Chimney, our top priority is fire safety, and we provide chimney and venting maintenance services to the residents of the Jacksonville area that prevent accidental fires and carbon monoxide leaks. For our busy customers, we offer the opportunity to take care of two of these services, chimney sweeping and dryer vent cleaning, on the same appointment date. We strongly suggest that you should go ahead and schedule this appointment now before the busy season of fall begins. It can be difficult to find the most convenient time, and you may end up having to wait even longer to take care of these maintenance tasks. We would like to tell you more about the importance of a professional chimney sweeping and a dryer vent cleaning.
CHIMNEY SWEEPING
When you burn wood in your fireplace or stove, creosote develops naturally during the combustion process. As smoke and the other byproducts of combustion pass through the cooler upper walls of the chimney, condensation occurs. During condensation, creosote forms and sticks to the inner chimney walls. After a long winter, large accumulations of creosote deposits can cover parts of the chimney and create a dangerous fire hazard. Creosote is so highly flammable that the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) has named this natural compound as a leading cause of chimney fires. To remove all of the creosote deposits from your chimney, you need a professional chimney sweeping. This is why the CSIA, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and other top national fire safety groups recommend having your chimney professionally swept and inspected at least once a year. You can trust Hudson Chimney to remove every bit of creosote from your chimney because our chimney sweeps have been certified by the CSIA and have the training and experience to do this job properly and reduce your risk of a chimney fire.
DRYER VENT CLEANING
Every year, thousands of clothes dryer fires are reported in this country. The majority of these fires are the result of clogged and dirty dryer vents. Every time you dry a load of clothes, lint is produced. Although about 75 percent of that lint is collected in the lint screen, the rest of it falls into the vent. After a period of time, that lint can accumulate into a large enough amount to clog the vent. This is a very dangerous situation because lint is extremely flammable. Since a clogged dryer vent causes the dryer to overheat, those high temperatures can easily ignite the trapped lint inside a vent. You will know your dryer vent needs cleaning when your dryer cannot fully dry a load of clothes in one complete drying cycle. To prevent a clothes dryer fire, Hudson Chimney recommends that you schedule a professional dryer vent cleaning appointment with us every year. Not only will the risk of an accidental clothes dryer fire be greatly reduced, your dryer will work much more efficiently. Prolonging the life of your dryer, preventing fires, and lowering your utility bills are among the benefits of our professional dryer vent cleaning services.
Make sure your home is safe with no fire hazards. Contact us at Hudson Chimney to schedule an appointment for our professional chimney sweeping and dryer vent cleaning services today.
