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Chimney Sweeping in Old Town & Bangor, ME
Why and When Your Chimney Should be Swept and Inspected:
Chimney sweeping and inspection are necessary maintenance of heating systems. Hearth Services performs a complete inspection while sweeping a chimney.
It is most common to sweep a chimney that services a wood burning stove or furnace. When wood is burned it produces smoke which accumulates in the pipe and chimney flue. Certain factors dictate the type of residue left behind by the trail of smoke that exits the stove. If a chimney is on the outside of the house, it tends to be cooler and accumulate thicker deposits of soot or creosote on the inside of the flue. These deposits can build up and create a flammable material that can ignite inside the flue, which can cause a chimney fire. A chimney fire can damage the inner lining of the chimney and crack the protective clay tile. The moisture content in wood burned is another factor that can cause soot and creosote build-up in the flue, which can happen if the wood supply is too green or has not been properly seasoned and dried. Even burning dry wood and burning a wood stove at the proper temperature can sometimes leave behind a small amount of soot or fly ash that needs to be cleaned out of the flue. Depending on how much wood is burned and the condition of the wood, a chimney flue should be swept at least once every 1-2 years.
The Benefits of Hiring a Professional Chimney Sweep:
The inspection performed during a chimney sweeping can find damage that may have occurred previously, perhaps during the last heating season.
The pipe connecting the heating stove or furnace to the chimney should be inspected for possible damage; the stove or furnace itself should be inspected for damaged parts; and the top of the chimney and flashing should be inspected for cracks and other wear and tear that should be repaired.
Hearth Services will be your professional chimney sweeping service. Donald Jacob is a Certified Chimney Professional and a Certified Chimney Re-liner. He is also a National Fireplace Institue certified specialist. (NFI).
