by Mark Hudson | Sep 15, 2014 | chimney maintenance
Chimney service companies tend to get busy as the fall and winter approach. If you live in the Middleburg, Florida area you may think that booking an appointment to have your chimney swept and inspected is something that can wait. After all, you live in the sunshine state, right? But you would be wrong. The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that chimneys be swept by a professional on an annual basis. No matter where you live, the fall and winter are when chimney service companies get booked up. If you want to use your chimney safely and efficiently this winter, you will want to have the professionals at Hudson Chimney clean and inspect it.
Having your chimney cleaned and inspected can help it to run more efficiently, save you money, and keep your home warmer. Most importantly, however, having your chimney cleaned is important to keeping your home safe from house and chimney fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, and other hazards presented by owning a chimney.
The professionals at Hudson Chimney will work to remove creosote from your chimney. Creosote is an extremely flammable substance that forms when hot gasses and smoke cool in your chimney. Not only can creosote cause fires, but it blocks toxic gasses and smoke from leaving your chimney. When creosote is allowed to accumulate, not only does your risk of fire and dangerous fumes increase, but creosote will build into a caked on substance called glazed creosote, which can only be removed by a professional with strong chemicals. Having your chimney cleaned and inspected annually can help prevent glazed creosote from forming.
The experts at Hudson Chimney will also inspect your chimney for water damage which can cost you a lot of money (and even destroy your chimney) if not properly attended to. They will inspect your chimney for the various causes of water leaks and recommend any repairs that need to be made. You can then set up an appointment with Hudson Chimney to install a chimney cover, have a water repellent applied, or anything else that needs to be done to provide you with a leak-free chimney!
Your chimney will also be inspected to make sure that the appliance was properly installed and that your chimney and appliance are compatible. A flue that is too small for the appliance will not allow for proper ventilation, causing hazardous fumes to enter your home. A flue that is too big for the appliance will accumulate creosote quickly. The technicians at Hudson Chimney will also check to make sure that there are no blockages in your chimney that could cause improper ventilation. Having a chimney cap or damper installed will help to prevent animals and debris from entering the chimney.
So if you have not scheduled your chimney service appointment for this year, call Hudson Chimney as soon as possible to book your appointment before the busy season starts!
by Mark Hudson | Aug 25, 2014 | chimney maintenance
There are a lot of risks involved with having a chimney. Chimney fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, and expensive repairs are some of the more worrisome problems. However, you can protect your home, your health, and your wallet easily with early preventative maintenance. Hudson Chimney can inspect and clean your chimney, make sure it is properly installed, and make and carry out recommendations that will keep your home safe and maintained.
One easy way to prevent chimney fires and ventilation problems is to have your chimney cleaned professionally. The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that you have your chimney swept annually. Whenever you use your chimney, a substance called creosote builds up. Creosote is both highly flammable and blocks smoke and gasses from leaving your home. Furthermore, creosote can build up into glazed creosote, which has to be removed by a professional with chemicals to avoid ruining your chimney. The professionals at Hudson Chimney would be more than happy to inspect your chimney for creosote buildup and clean it to provide you with a safer home.
Water that enters your chimney can also cause extensive water damage, including mold growth, insulation damage, and even the destruction of your chimney. In order to prevent water from entering your home through your chimney, you should have Hudson Chimney install a cap or damper (every chimney should have one of the two). A cover will not only prevent water from entering and damaging your home, but it will also prevent animals and other debris from getting inside your chimney. Keeping your chimney clear of animals and debris is important for proper ventilation and keeping toxins out of your home.
Water can also seep through the brick or mortar of your chimney, however. This can also cause water damage to your home as well as cause cracks to form and be enlarged, shortening the life span of your chimney. Therefore, it is important to have Hudson Chimney apply a repellent to your chimney stack. A repellent will prevent water from seeping into the materials of your chimney while still allowing it to breathe, which enables water produced in your chimney to leave it.
You should have Hudson Chimney inspect your chimney to make sure that it is also installed correctly. Sometimes an appliance can have a flue that is too big or too small for it, causing draft problems. With a flue that is too small, ventilation will not occur properly, allowing toxins to enter your home. With a flue that is too big, on the other hand, creosote will quickly build up, causing a fire hazard and also preventing proper drafting.
If you are worried about the potential disasters your chimney can cause, you will find how easy it is for you to protect yourself and your home by calling Hudson Chimney. They will make sure that your chimney is working safely and efficiently and put your mind at ease.
by Mark Hudson | Jun 27, 2014 | chimney maintenance, fireplaces
Can’t bear that unpleasant odor coming from your fireplace? It’s time for an inspection and thorough cleaning. Schedule an appointment today.
If your home has the strong, musty, smoky smell of an old cabin in the woods—but that’s not exactly the effect you were going for—and the origin of the smell seems to be your chimney and/or fireplace or stove, there is hope.
Being the owner of a well-loved and often-used fireplace does not mean you have to live with that overpowering fireplace odor. A trained chimney sweep will be able to suss out the cause of the smell and plot an effective plan for removal.
Why Does My Fireplace Smell?
Even though odors don’t usually vary much from fireplace to fireplace—hence most people know exactly what we mean when we say “that campfire smell”—this smell can actually be caused by a number of factors. The important thing to focus on isn’t why your chimney smells smoky; it smells smoky because it has likely accumulated soot and creosote from the fires you burn. Instead, you should focus on why this smoky odor is being dragged into your house. Ordinarily there is a problem with proper venting or with air pressure—both issues that can easily be addressed.
If you live in or around the Jacksonville, Florida, area—where we have worked for more than 30 years—one of Hudson Chimney’s certified chimney technicians will be able to determine the origin of your chimney’s odor. In the meantime, here are a few possible culprits:
- Dead animals or animal infestations are in your chimney; once the animals are removed, this problem can be easily remedied by adding a chimney cap or top-sealing damper to prevent animals from entering in the future.
- A clothes dryer, bathroom vent fan, or another appliance is exhausting air outside your home, and as a result negative air pressure is drawing outside air into your home through your chimney.
- If you have two or more chimneys, they may be competing for air pressure. This is known as “smoke crossover,” and occurs when a fire is exhausting from one chimney, causing the other chimney to draw in air and drag smoke in along with it.
How Do I Deodorize My Chimney?
If it’s been a long while since your chimney was professionally inspected and cleaned, those of us at Hudson Chimney will probably recommend that you start there. It’s kind of like having a physical if you haven’t been to the doctor in a long while. A thorough chimney and fireplace cleaning and sweeping will see to it that excess creosote and combustion byproducts—all of which are strong-smelling—are removed along with any animal nests or blockages.
If there is a backdrafting issue, no thanks to the recent addition of a range hood or energy efficient-windows, for example, your chimney technician will be able to recommend ways to allow your house to “breathe.” Beyond that, there are many proven methods for deodorizing and preventing chimney odors.
Have questions about chimney odors? Call Hudson Chimney today.
by Mark Hudson | Apr 24, 2014 | chimney maintenance, fire safety
Problems in your chimney’s flue can pose a threat to your family’s health and safety. It is important to have a fully-functional and efficient chimney liner. Here’s what you need to know:
Is smoke coming in instead of going out? If you think your chimney liner needs repairing or replacing, Hudson Chimney can offer you the best services.
by Mark Hudson | Dec 27, 2013 | chimney maintenance
Is air coming into your home through the firebox? Does your house smell of smoke days after you burned a fire in your fireplace? Do you have a hard time either starting a fire or keeping the fire going once you’ve gotten it started? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, you could definitely have a problem with your chimney system’s draft. We can help you figure out how your drafting problem began in the first place, which can help you prevent similar problems from happening down the road.
A drafty chimney can cause smoke to enter the and circulate in the house.
Drafty Chimney Symptoms
There are many symptoms of a drafty chimney. Is your fire reluctant to start, and/or does smoke spill into the room at start-up? Does your firebox back-puff powerfully on windy days? Does smoke spill, to some degree, under all conditions? Does smoke spill at larger damper openings? Is the heat output from your fireplace too low? Are smoke odors persistent even when the fireplace isn’t in use? If you answered yes to one or more of the above-listed questions, you might have a drafty chimney. We suggest having your chimney inspected.
Drafty Chimney Remedies
Our CSIA-certified chimney sweeps can determine which, if any, of the afore-mentioned issues are impacting your home. There are numerous possible remedies depending on which problem (or combination of problems) is the culprit. Oftentimes, sweeping the chimney can take care of the issue, as even the slightest buildup inside your chimney can restrict airflow. Sealing leaks in the chimney is another possible remedy, depending on what is found during your inspection. Another quick fix would be installing or replacing your chimney cap; back-puffing problems during windy conditions point directly to this.
Poor Drafting Leads to Increased Levels of Harmful Gases
It is extremely important to deal with drafting problems as soon as you notice them, as ignoring it can have adverse affects on your health. These problems can cause combustion products to back up and enter your home leaving behind unpleasant and unsafe living conditions. Fixing your drafting problem will enable the harmful gases and smoke from the fire to properly exit your home through the chimney flue. Even though you may be able to alleviate most of the excess smoke in your home on your own, the health affects associated with a back draft compel you to consult with a chimney professional to ensure that your home is safe for you and everyone in it.
A little peace of mind can go a very long way. You’ll find that you are better able to enjoy that roaring fire fully knowing that you and your family are safer in your home. One of our CSIA-certified chimney sweeps can inspect your chimney system for you and can help fix your poor-drafting issue(s) once and for all. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Give us a call today!
