Some Great Chimney Extras to Think About

There are always things that happen that are not usual but need to be addressed when they do. The following are several issues that come up from time to time that we would like you to know about. If they are something you are concerned about, experiencing now, or just would like to know, please call us.

Smoke Guards

One of the most troubling problems you can have with a fireplace is rolling smoke billowing out into the room and not moving up the chimney system as intended. This can be caused by the structure of the fireplace itself where the opening of the fireplace is a little too big for the size of the flue in the chimney. Smoke literally spills out into the room.

If you think this might be a problem with your fireplace, there is a simple but effective way to test and see if this is why smoke is filling up your house! Roll out a strip of aluminum foil the length of the opening of your fireplace. Double it until it is approximately 4 inches because you are going to tape it at the top of the fireplace and make the opening 4 inches smaller at the top in order to cut down the size of the opening of the fireplace. This is to keep the flue from exhausting so much incoming air. Go ahead and use your fireplace several times until you are certain that this fixes the problem. What you have done is create a temporary smoke guard. If it works, contact us and we can install a real one.

If it doesn’t work, there could be a more serious problem going on and you will need to contact us to come inspect the chimney to see why the smoke is not moving the way the system is designed.

Interior and Exterior Clean-Out Doors

Clean-out doors can be located on the interior or exterior of your home and are designed to be easy access in order to clean out the ash, soot and debris that has fallen into the bottom of the appliance.  The problem is, many times no one pays attention to the clean-outs or they have become blocked over time from renovations or just carelessness.

These doors can erode or become damaged and may eventually need replacing.  Owens Chimney Systems, Inc. can help you locate the clean-outs as well as replace doors for exterior and interior clean-outs for your chimney systems and appliances.

Stainless Steel & Cast Iron Firebacks

If you are in your 70’s, you may well know what a fireback is. If you are younger you probably have never heard of it. However, they are making a comeback of sorts because they are a tried and true way to get more heat into your home without having to use fans or other gadgets to get more efficient heating out of your fireplace.

A fireback is simply a piece of metal designed to sit at the back of your firebox. It absorbs heat and radiates it out into your home much like a radiator; the latter using water and former using fire.

Cast Iron Firebacks are considered old style as they are made like the traditional firebacks. They can come with designs imprinted on them and can withstand extreme heat and be used with wood-burning or gas fireplaces.

Stainless Steel Firebacks are the newer sleeker firebacks and not only absorb heat but reflect light back into the room. However, they are not as heat resilient and not recommended for gas fireplaces but are perfect for traditional wood-burning fireplaces.

If cost is an issue the stainless steel is less expensive both in original cost and shipping. However, you should recoup your cost over time by making your fireplace more efficient.

If you have any questions about any of these extras please don’t hesitate to contact us. We would love the opportunity to visit with you.

 

Chimney caps are an important part of your chimney system as well as other chimney supplies you might need to know about.