This is the time of year for making resolutions to better ourselves. Many people resolve to improve their diet, start a new hobby and to exercise more. However, we here at Northeastern Masonry & Chimney believe that 2018 is a great year to resolve to take better care of your home chimney system. Taking good care of your chimney can save you money on future maintenance costs as well keep your home safe. At Northeastern Masonry & Chimney, we have a few tips that can help you keep your chimney resolutions this year.
Annual Inspections
Have you had your chimney inspected within the past year?
The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) suggests getting yours inspected by a CSIA-certified chimney sweep at least once a year. If you didn’t have a chimney inspection in 2017, this means that you are likely overdue for a chimney inspection. Chimney inspections are crucial to your chimney’s health. An inspection by a CSIA-certified chimney sweep will let you know if there are any issues such as loose brickwork, creosote buildup, or blockages in your chimney, just to name a few. Getting these issues resolved as soon as you can may prevent small issues from becoming large issues, saving you money in the long run.
Improve Safety
Taking preventative actions to reduce fire risk is another great resolution this year. This is another reason why annual inspections are so important. A CSIA-certified chimney sweep will be able to tell if you have any chimney blockages or creosote buildup in your chimney. Creosote buildup and chimney blockages can catch on fire and loose masonry may cause heat from your chimney to transfer to adjacent woodwork also starting a fire.
Other ways to reduce risk of fire include:
- Keeping all combustibles at least three feet from your fireplace opening
- Installing a fire screen to prevent embers from flying onto your carpet
- Installing fire and carbon monoxide alarms around your home
- Making sure everyone in your home knows what to do in case of a fire
Load Up on Fuel
Now is the perfect time to chop and stack wood to burn for next year’s winter. Wood needs six months to a year to sit and dry before you can burn it in your fireplace. This is called seasoning your wood. That means you need to start cutting and chopping wood now to burn for next year. Also, since chopping and stacking wood is excellent exercise, resolving to get a start on seasoning your firewood now may also help with personal New Year’s resolutions as well!
Although it may seem early, now is the perfect time to schedule your annual chimney inspection with Northeastern Masonry & Chimney. Not only is the new year an easy time to remember your annual inspection, you will also be able to get ahead of our yearly springtime chimney maintenance rush. Contact us to schedule a chimney inspection with one of our CSIA-certified technicians today.