There are definitely some things that you shouldn’t put off. If you put off getting your tires changed, you might end up on the side of the road with a blow-out. If you put off getting your roof fixed, you end up with lots of leaks. But if you put off getting your chimney inspected, there are several dangers you might face.
Chimney Fire
One of the dangers of not having your chimney inspected on an annual basis is a chimney fire. There’s more than one way that you could be facing this danger. The big thing you usually associate with causing a chimney fire is creosote build-up. Creosote makes a mess, there’s no doubt of that, but that’s not the only problem with this black, nasty substance that’s left on your chimney’s interior in the wake of the smoke escaping your chimney.
Creosote is extremely flammable and leaving it in your chimney fire season after fire season is just asking for a chimney fire. This can sometimes be a roaring, crackling, terrifying fire which causes a house fire, but more likely, it can be something that takes place that you don’t even realize is happening. This is a dangerous situation because there could be structural damage that needs to be addressed and you don’t even realize it exists.
Another danger of not having that chimney inspected is fire because of obstructions. If you don’t get your chimney inspected, you could have dry nests, dried leaves, and twigs, or even just paper and other garbage left in your chimney, and when you light a fire, any random spark could cause a chimney fire.
Structural Damage
Have you ever brought your car into the garage because you just can’t figure out what’s wrong with it? Everything looks good to you, but it just isn’t running smoothly. The same can be said of your fireplace and chimney system. Although it might look just fine, your chimney could have suffered damage from a hidden chimney fire, from severe weather conditions, or just from everyday wear and tear. If you have structural damage, you could have leaks, which will just cause more damage, both to your chimney and to the interior of your home. Not only this but if your chimney is too damaged, you could be allowing dangerous carbon monoxide to build up in your home rather than escaping through the chimney. And if there’s damage on the outer edge of your chimney, you might just have falling bricks to watch out for!
Don’t Neglect Your Inspection
The simple solution to these problems is just this: call Owens Chimney Systems today and schedule your annual inspection before the fall rush hits. Don’t get caught with an unsafe chimney when you could have our CSIA certified professionals checking out all the cracks and crevices, making sure that no dangers are left undiscovered.