Schedule Your Chimney Cleaning and Inspections Before Fall

Seasons in Southern New Hampshire can be unpredictable, especially fall. There’s nothing worse than an early fall and a fireplace and chimney that isn’t ready to use. It’s important to schedule your chimney maintenance and repairs before fall, so that you don’t run into trouble when you need it, and your family stays safe and warm when the cold starts.

Routine Chimney Maintenance

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends regular chimney cleaning and annual inspections to ensure the chimney is in it’s best working order. This maintenance is also required by most home owners insurance and real estate companies. Since this is routine maintenance, homeowners can schedule in advance to avoid problems in the fall.

By scheduling your chimney maintenance before fall you can avoid these common issues with your chimney:

The Fall Rush

Late spring and summer are considered the off-season for the chimney sweep industry. During this time customers can enjoy flexible scheduling and quick service. However, when fall comes around chimney sweep companies experience what’s called the fall rush, in which they receive a high volume of emergency and maintenance calls in a short time. If you wait for the fall to schedule your appointment with a chimney professional, you’ll most likely have to wait for your services.

Chimney Damage

During your annual chimney inspection our certified chimney sweep assesses all the readily accessible areas of the chimney system. Black Moose offers video surveillance to better identify and report damage to the chimney system and flue lining. If you wait until fall to schedule this inspection, and damage is found, you’ll have to wait even longer to use your chimney while it is being repaired. By scheduling during the off-season you can ensure there is ample time for your chimney professional to catch and correct issues with the chimney system.

Summer Humidity and Chimney Odors

With summer comes humidity, which brings moisture into chimneys, even those that have been adequately waterproofed. This moisture combines with soot and creosote to create a nasty odor that can infiltrate your home. Not only is the smell bothersome all summer, but the moisture can also cause problems when summer turns to fall, and temperatures continuously freeze and thaw. Avoid these problems by scheduling your appointments during the off-season, and especially having the chimney cleaned before fall.

Raised Risk of Flue Fires

If you wait until fall to schedule your chimney maintenance you might be tempted to burn a fire in it before it is cleaned. THIS IS NOT RECOMMENDED. If you burn a fire in a dirty or damaged chimney, it doesn’t work properly because of draft, blockage, and residue. When your chimney doesn’t vent properly it raises the likelihood of flue fire, and flue fires causes monetary damage, insurance liability, property value depreciation, and more.

In order to avoid multiple problems with your chimney this fall and winter, be sure to remember the easiest, safest, and most cost-effective maintenance is usually preventative maintenance. Schedule your chimney sweeps and inspections with Black Moose Chimney and Stove today.