The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that you hire a chimney professional to undertake chimney inspection once a year. Data has shown that less than 1/3 of homeowners do it.
If you are a homeowner and you rarely inspect your chimney, you should know that you put yourself, your property and loved ones at great danger.
Here are some of the reasons why you should religiously inspect your chimney annually:
Prevent fire
According to NFPA, 55% of fires result due to chimney problems. Most of the chimney fires result due to excessive creosote buildup. When you light fire in the chimney, excessive heat increases the temperature of creosote which damages the chimney lining.
If creosote isn’t removed, the chimney lining continues getting damaged until fire gets to combustible materials in the chimney.
Since the chimney fire burns at high temperatures, it sometimes gets impossible to put it out. In some cases, home occupants are unable to leave in time.
To avoid putting your property and family members at risk, hire a chimney contractor to inspect the chimney for problems including creosote levels. In addition to inspecting the fireplace, the professional will also clean it and fix any problems that might be there.
Avoid expensive chimney repairs
Just like any other part of your house that is in constant use, the chimney also deteriorates overtime. Common chimney problems include:
- Damaged flue lining
- Broken bricks
- Damaged chimney flashing resulting to leaking
- Cracked mortar
- Damaged chimney cap
These damages don’t happen overnight—they happen slowly over the life of the chimney. When you hire a chimney professional to inspect your chimney, the professional identifies the problematic areas soon enough before the condition gets worse.
If the flue lining is damaged, the professional undertakes chimney relining.
Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas that is fatal if you inhale high levels of it. If you have a gas or wood burning fireplace, you should be cautious of it. Some of the things that can bring about carbon monoxide poisoning include:
- Deteriorating chimney
- Blocked chimney
- Broken connector pipe
- Rusted heat exchanger
When you hire a chimney repair professional to inspect your fireplace, he/she is able to identify the problems and fix them before they become catastrophic.
One way of protecting yourself from the poisonous gas is installing carbon monoxide detectors. The professional will help you identify the best places to install the detectors. He/she will also help you install them.
