by Mark Hudson | Oct 13, 2018 | Chimney Service
Fall is the time of year for pumpkins, harvest parties, and relaxing evenings by a fireplace. Before you light your first fire of the season, schedule important chimney services to ensure it’s ready to burn safely and efficiently. A dirty or damaged chimney or fireplace may cause a dangerous fire, air quality problems, and more costly damages that you didn’t bargain for.
Why Schedule Services
Your chimney system works every time a fire burns in the fireplace. While a fire is burning, there are hazardous gases, corrosive chemicals, soot, creosote, and particulate pollution rising up the chimney. Over time the system can become coated in soot and creosote, causing a dangerous buildup, and corrosive chemicals can damage the lining system as well as the masonry. Both the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) agree that routine chimney sweeps and annual inspections keep chimney systems at their safest and most efficient.
Chimney Sweeps – During a routine chimney sweep, a chimney professional will tarp off the area around the opening of the fireplace to protect the flooring. A high-speed dust collector will prevent soot from escaping into the home and affecting the breathable air. Using special brushes and rods, we’re able to clean away soot and creosote from the chimney, and collect it with the vacuum system. After a thorough cleaning, we’ll adjust the damper, making sure it’s installed and assembled correctly. We’ll inspect the exterior of the chimney, and finish the appointment by providing you with a detailed document of our findings, including photos if necessary, and video footage. This written evaluation may include recommended repairs.
CSIA Inspections – Although a chimney sweep includes a basic inspection, your chimney may at times need a thorough inspection. A CSIA inspection is required annually, but what type of inspection you need depends on your chimney. A level one inspection is the basic inspection to schedule annually if your fireplace and chimney hasn’t been changed or presented a problem in the last 12 months. If there has been changes or damage to your system or the sale or transfer of property, you need a level two inspection. A level two inspection includes all readily accessible portions of the system (the same as a level one inspection) in addition to hidden portions that are accessed by doors, such as in attics or basements. If a serious hazard is identified, a level three inspection is required–which may include removal of components of the chimney or the structure to access the suspected hazard.
Your CSIA inspection should include a video scan and a detailed report regarding damages and recommended repairs.
Schedule your services now, by calling Hudson Chimney, and you can rest assured that your fireplace is ready when you are this fall. Dial 904-282-4159 or contact us online.
by Mark Hudson | Mar 7, 2018 | Chimney Service
Hudson Chimney of Middleburg, Florida has been providing comprehensive chimney care for the area since 1979. Our full-service chimney and hearth care include chimney and fireplace maintenance, repairs, diagnostics, and sales and installations. Our technicians live and work in the area, so we have the neighborhood advantage. We know the local fire safety codes and even work together with local businesses and contractors to make safety a priority in our communities, no matter who’s doing the work. Hudson Chimney goes above and beyond, also providing dryer vent cleaning and installation to further keep families safe from accidental house fires.
Preventative Care
Our comprehensive list of chimney services starts with and includes preventative maintenance. Chimney fires are 100 percent preventable. Chimney leaks are 100 percent preventable. Dryer vent fires are 100 percent preventable. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) both recommend routine chimney sweeps and annual inspections for the safest and most efficient chimney system. Safety and efficiency go hand-in-hand. If your chimney’s efficiency drops due to neglect, it becomes less safe and results in damage and health emergencies.
When you schedule your preventative care with Hudson Chimney, don’t forget our waterproofing services, seasonal preparation, and routine inspections and sweeps that keep the chimney working properly year-round.
Repairs and Installations
Whether you need a repair, or a part needs completely replaced, Hudson Chimney has you (and your chimney) covered. Common repairs we see here at Hudson Chimney include tuckpointing, firebox repair or rebuilds, masonry repairs, stain removals, mortar crown repairs and installations, and relining. There are many issues minor and major that may require repairs, but if you’re proactive about chimney care, you will avoid the major repairs that cost more time and money than you’d like.
Extend the Life of Your Chimney
Maintaining your chimney system properly will allow you to save more, work less, and your chimney will last as long as designed. Not only that, but a well-maintained chimney and fireplace are easier to convert to a new fuel such as a wood-to-gas conversion, and easier to install a new insert to bring up efficiency.
Choosing a full-service chimney company like Hudson Chimney today means you don’t have to worry about your chimney tomorrow. Whether you’re scheduling preventative care, repairs, conversions, or even have an emergency with your chimney system, you can call Hudson Chimney. Our chimney sweeps are certified and experienced in all aspects of chimney maintenance and repair, as well as fire science, and fire safety.
If you’re in the Middleburg, Florida area, including St. Augustine, Gainesville, and Clay, Duval, Putnam, St. Johns, Barker, Bradford, Alachua, and Nassau counties, we will come to you. If you aren’t within this area of service, please give us a call and see if we can still help you with all your chimney and fireplace needs! At Hudson Chimney, it’s our goal that all of our neighbors in Northeast Florida are comfortable and safe this season and year-round.
Call Hudson Chimney 904-282-4159 or contact us online today.
by Mark Hudson | Feb 6, 2015 | Chimney Service
Believe it or not, spring is on its way, and fireplace season will be slowing down. To be sure your chimney is safe after a long and cold winter, scheduling your annual chimney sweeping and inspection now is essential, especially if your chimney is in need of important repairs. At Hudson Chimney, one of our busiest times of the year is the spring, and if you procrastinate for too long, you may have to wait for several weeks before you can arrange an appointment for our certified technicians to visit your home to clean, examine, and repair your chimney. According to fire safety organizations such as the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), it is recommended you schedule a chimney sweeping and inspection once every year. We would like to share with you the important chimney maintenance steps our chimney technicians will take to find essential repairs needed to make your fireplace and chimney system safe.
CHIMNEY SWEEPING
When the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA)-certified sweeps at Hudson Chimney clean your chimney after winter, our main concern is removing all of the creosote deposits that have accumulated on the walls of your chimney. Forming naturally as the by-products of combustion (smoke, gases, tar fog, vapors, etc) exit the cooler walls of your upper chimney, creosote is the highly combustible result of the condensation that occurs. Creosote can be either black or brown, and its appearance can vary. Whether it is sticky and gummy, crispy and brittle, or shiny and hard, creosote, especially in large amounts, is extremely flammable, which makes it the cause of a majority of chimney fires. Getting rid of these creosote buildups after winter’s heavy fireplace usage is essential to the safety of your chimney.
CHIMNEY INSPECTING
Hudson Chimney takes pride in performing detailed post-winter chimney inspections because we want to find any damage that needs repairing to ensure the safety of your fireplace and chimney. Of course, we seriously examine every part of your chimney; however, there are specific repairs we are looking for, including the following:
damaged or deteriorated masonry — Loose bricks and chipped mortar on the exterior of your chimney are sure signs of water penetration damage, and this alerts us to the possibility of water leaking inside your chimney that creates even more damage to its interior. If this masonry damage goes unrepaired, you will end up with costly repair work, including a possible rebuild of your entire chimney.
cracks in the chimney cap — Your chimney cap serves as protection from both water and animal intrusions of your chimney. A deteriorated chimney cap serves no help at all to your chimney. We can repair cracks and other damage to chimney caps as well as install new caps if the existing caps are beyond repairing.
cracks and holes in the chimney flue liner — Water leaks can cause serious damage to the liner of your chimney that can endanger your family’s health. A deteriorating flue liner allows toxic gases like carbon monoxide to leak into your home. Repairing or replacing a damaged chimney flue liner will keep those gases exiting out of your chimney instead of infiltrating the interior air of your home.
Save yourself the hassle of waiting for weeks to maintain your chimney after winter by contacting Hudson Chimney now. We are happy to schedule an appointment for your annual sweeping and inspection as well as perform all necessary repairs.
