November is time for thinking ahead and planning for many special events. It’s time for raking leaves, baking pumpkin bars and apple crisp, and planning for the Thanksgiving holidays. Sometimes it’s hard to find a time that works for all your family to gather, but it’s well worth the effort to look around and see your loved ones gathered in one place, ready to give thanks and dig in to the delicious spread of food. After the meal is over and the dishes are washed, there’s nothing quite as relaxing as settling down in front of a crackling fire, letting the food settle and watching some football, or maybe even taking a little nap. There’s lots of preparation involved in getting the food list made, making all that food, and getting the house ready for the holidays. In all the business of the season, one thing you don’t want to forget is making an appointment with Owens Chimney Systems to have your chimney inspected and swept before the crowd arrives.
Inspection and Sweeping
The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends that you have your chimney inspected and cleaned on an annual basis, and the National Fire Protection Agency agrees. You may be wondering why this is a necessary annual event. There are several things we’ll be looking for when our professionals come in to check out your fireplace and chimney system. For one thing, we’ll take a good look at the interior and exterior of your chimney to make sure that all the important elements are in good shape and working like they should be. We’ll check out the dampers to make sure they aren’t rusted and sticking. These key parts of the venting system of your chimney keep the cold air from outside out of your house when the fire isn’t burning and lets the smoke out when you do have a fire burning. We’ll make sure there are no cracks in your chimney crown or your flue liner, and that your chimney cap is not damaged. We’ll also check out the condition of the mortar that’s holding your bricks together, and recommend replacement work if necessary.
Once we know that your chimney is working as it should be, we’ll go in and give it a good cleaning. We’ll take special note of the amount of creosote that has built up. Creosote is a natural byproduct of burning wood in your fireplace, but it needs to be cleared out because even as much as an eighth of an inch of this highly flammable material can catch a spark and cause a dangerous chimney fire.
Call in the Pros
When it come to quality chimney care, Owens Chimney Systems is the place to call. We’ve been providing great service to Charlotte, North Carolina and the surrounding areas for over 25 years, and we take pride in making sure all our customers receive the best care they can get. Give us a call today and you can be confident that your chimney will be in the best possible condition for the upcoming holiday season.