Early Preventative 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.

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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.

Should I Choose a Wood or Gas Fireplace?

Wood vs. Gas Fireplace

There is something comforting about gathering around a fireplace when the weather is cold. Those who already have them in their homes can count themselves lucky. But what if you are looking to add one to your home? Should you choose wood-burning or gas? This is a debate that has been going on for years, but the reality is that there are advantages and disadvantages to both.

There are advantages and disadvantages for both wood and gas fireplaces. A certified sweep can help you make the best decision for your lifestyle.

There are advantages and disadvantages for both wood and gas fireplaces. A certified sweep can help you make the best decision for your lifestyle.

Most real estate agents agree that adding a fireplace of any kind will add value to a home but a wood burning fireplace will most likely add a little more than a gas fireplace. Most people enjoy the authentic nature of a wood burning fireplace and having heating and cooking independence from utility companies is a big plus. When the power goes out those with wood-burning fireplaces will have heat and cooked food. They also provide a convenient way to dispose of fallen branches or other wood debris that may have collected around a property. There is also something to be said about the atmosphere a wood-burning fireplace creates that is unmatched by any of its contemporaries. There are however some disadvantages. Wood-burning fireplaces can be messy and expensive to maintain. The burning of wood produces gases that will cool as they go up the chimney and turn into creosote which will stick to the sides of the chimney and can create a fire-hazard. This requires that the chimney be regularly cleaned. The cost of owning and operating a wood-burning fireplace is also higher than it is to operate a gas fireplace. Gas is cheap and burns cleaner than wood and takes a lot less time and maintenance to operate.

To those who may not want to deal with the mess and maintenance or a wood-burning fireplace gas logs may be the answer. Gas logs are dependent on the gas supply but they are cleaner burning options and offer a measure of safety. You don’t have to worry about a stray spark igniting your home and there is no need to stock up on firewood. The cleaning and maintenance of a chimney with gas logs is much less than that of a wood-burning fireplace but it still requires some attention especially if it was originally a wood-burning system. Water can do more damage to a chimney than fire and if unchecked can cause extensive damage.

Whether you choose wood-burning or gas logs a fireplace is a great addition to any home with the proper respect. They both produce fire and both must be protected from children and pets and require proper maintenance to maintain a safe functionality. If you do that you will be happy with whatever decision you make.