Built-in fireplaces are an attractive feature people look for buying a new house. But with a well-functioning fireplace also comes a chimney. The fire in your fireplace produces corrosive gases, which need to be vented out of the house. Your chimney does that for you.

While your chimney has numerous uses, you need to clean it as well. Chimneys that aren’t cleaned at least once a year can cause a lot of damage. The creosote and carbon residue buildup on the walls of your chimney can let the toxic gases back into your house and pose a great threat to your health.

Even if you use your fireplace once or twice a year, you still need your chimney to be inspected by a professional. There could still be some damage inside your chimney because of several external factors.

• Moisture could have entered the bricks over time and damaged the mortar.
• Heavy rainfall could have damaged chimney flashing or chimney liners.

If these damages go undetected for far too long, they can cause fast-moving fires that have the possibility of spreading into your house, along with toxic fumes.

Chimney Cleaning Benefits

Keeps Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Check

The smoke byproducts create a buildup of carbon monoxide in your chimney. If the air ventilation of your chimney is compromised, there’s a strong chance of carbon monoxide being pushed back into your house, which is essentially hazardous for your health.

Avoids Chimney Fires

If you get your home chimney inspection baltimore md, it will prevent a potential fire. Creosote buildup is corrosive and can naturally start fires inside your chimney. Even little fires can cause great damage, which would be costly for you.

Keeps Animals Out

If chimneys are left unused for too long, it’s a perfect place for birds to build nests. If birds, raccoons, squirrels, and such animals create a habitat inside your chimney, it will be difficult to have a proper air ventilation system. Regular clean-up won’t let critters turn your chimney into their home.

Gets Rid of Lingering Odor

You must have noticed a lingering odor coming from your chimney during the summers if you don’t call chimney sweeps mobile al. If such a thing happens, it’s best to contact professional chimney sweeps and have your chimney cleaned.

Lasts Longer

If your chimney has any potential damages, they should be detected early on and repaired immediately. This increases the lifespan of your chimney drastically. An early inspection will also save your money before any unrepairable damage happens and you have to replace your chimney altogether. Regular maintenance of your chimney has a direct impact on its longevity.

How Does Chimney Cleaning Help in Insurance Coverage?

If, for some reason, a chimney fire occurs, your insurance company will ensure the cost of the damage. However, you will need to show a record that you have been maintaining your chimney regularly. You should also document all the damages that have happened over the years as it adds to the credibility of your claim.

You should ask your insurance company questions about fire damage beforehand to know what kind of damages your insurance policy covers. Ask your insurance company to provide you with complete details on how often you need to get your chimney cleaned and what kind of records you would need to present at the time of claim. Ideally, they will provide you with all the maintenance records you need to keep, but if they don’t, you should prompt this question yourself.

You also need to know the limitations your insurance policy comes with. There are times when such policies don’t cover damages caused by wind or flood. There’s also a chance that your insurance won’t cover normal wear and tear, leakage, or clogging issues. So regular inspection and cleaning of your chimney will help maintain these smaller issues. Lack of professional inspection can intensify these damages over time.

If you keep putting off your chimney from getting cleaned, chances are your insurance company won’t approve of your claim because you have no record of your carefulness to show.

Things to Expect from a Professional Chimney Cleaning

Professional chimney sweeps clean the inside of your chimney flue and liner. They carefully clean the soot and creosote buildup from the surface inside your chimney with proper equipment and tools.

Experts also check for any potential damage that may happen to prevent safety issues. There could also be possible evidence of pests or bird nests in your chimney, which chimney sweeps will look for.

Chimney cleaning doesn’t have to be a hassle if you get your chimney cleaned timely. Instead of trying your hand at this, you should contact professionals at Creative Masonry & Chimney for a free estimate.