Think of your house as a miniature Times Square. Imagine that at midnight the famous ball will slide down your chimney to herald the new year, 2017. It’s admittedly a corny and cheesy notion. It won’t happen, and it won’t be broadcast around the world. Bear with us. Humor us. Go a step further into the imagination. What preparations would be in order for this faux Times Square countdown? Your chimney and fireplace would need to be clean, free of obstruction. Your chimney and fireplace would have to be operating safely and efficiently. That’s a requirement even without the New Year’s Eve fantasy.
Perhaps in reality you will have guests to ring in the new year. You will almost certainly take advantage of the crackling wood fire in your fireplace or perhaps the advantages of a gas-fueled fire.
You will want you and your guests to have the safest and most enjoyable experience you can conjure up. (We will leave it up to you to supply noisemakers, libations, and appetizers.)
Oh. Before we say another word, let Northeastern Masonry & Chimney be the first to wish you a happy, safe, healthy, and rewarding new year.
Northeastern Masonry & Chimney is pleased to share with our loyal friends and customers practical advice and tips for a safe and festive ringing in of the new year, complete with all the comforts of a cozy and warm hearth.
First, as we have noted in previous posts, don’t clutter and dirty your chimney by burning torn and crumpled holiday wrapping paper. Ink from some wrapping paper may give off toxic fumes. Paper burns quickly and produces a high flame, which can reach into the chimney and cause built-up creosote to catch fire. In addition, embers from burnt paper that escape from the top of a chimney can pose a fire hazard.
So, the obvious question is, what do the folks at Northeastern Masonry & Chimney recommend in terms of having a safe and clean chimney? We say it all the time: your annual fireplace and chimney inspection is the key. If you are concerned about creosote buildup or the formation of any combustible residues, get your chimney and venting systems inspected.
Our highly trained technicians follow standards and recommendations of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). If you have questions, call us at 518-767-9315.
Northeastern Masonry & Chimney serves the Capital District, the Hudson Valley, Northern and Central New York and Western Massachusetts. We are proud of our record of excellent service. We’ve satisfied thousands of customers over the course of many New Year’s Eves, and the days before and after.
So join us in taking a “cup o’ kindness” and sing a verse of “Auld Lang Syne” with us around the familiar warmth of a hearth.