2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Hennepin County’

Minneapolis Chimney Cleaning FAQ: What Is that Black Stuff in My Chimney?

Monday, May 6th, 2013

When you enjoy the warmth, comfort, and pleasure of a fireplace, you need to make sure that it is in good shape year round. One of the most common question we hear from customers throughout our Minneapolis is concerning the black stuff in your chimney.  Creosote is the name for that tar-like substance that accumulates on the parts of your fireplace and chimney. It’s imperative that you have your chimney cleaned on a regular basis to keep your fireplace running smoothly. Let’s take a look at creosote. For superior Minneapolis chimney cleaning service, call the experts at 2nd Generation Chimneys today!

  • What is creosote? Creosote is that dark brown or black, and often foul-smelling substance that builds up in your chimney.  Its composed of unburned wood particles mixed with condensed flue gases. It is one of the major reasons to have your chimney cleaned. It is toxic and carcinogenic.
  • What causes it? Creosote is typically caused by three major things: incomplete combustion of firewood, cool surfaces within the chimney, and wet firewood. The latter cause is easy to avoid: use only seasoned dry hardwood to build your fires. Depending on your stove or fireplace, there are some things you can do to make sure that your fuel is combusting properly. Use small amounts of wood and stoke often to decrease smoke density in an airtight stove, and make sure you avoid constant smoldering. Burn your fire hot regularly.
  • So what? Our reason for alerting you to creosote is because it poses a potential hazard to the safety of your home. While creosote tends to affect wood stoves more than fireplaces because the former’s exhaust gases tend to be cooler, creosote is an issue in any wood-burning device. As creosote accumulates within the chimney, it can become thick and begin to close in on the draft opening. When such accumulations thicken enough, they can actually ignite; chimney fires can disturb the masonry or metal chimney, but they can also lead to house fires when the framing heats up enough.

We hope this gives you some idea about creosote. For comprehensive Minneapolis chimney cleaning, call 2nd Generation Chimneys today! 

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Minneapolis Chimney Care Tips: Chimney Video Inspections

Monday, February 13th, 2012

In Minneapolis improperly lined chimneys, deteriorating interiors or blockages from creosote buildup or animal debris can all be dangerous for you and your family and in some cases present potential fire hazards. To avoid these problems without having your chimney cleaned more often than is necessary, chimney video inspection allows you to see what is happening inside your chimney at an affordable cost.

What You Are Looking for

Chimney video inspection services are designed to catch little things that would be otherwise impossible to see with the naked eye. These include:

  • Poor construction
  • Fire damage
  • Poor gas appliance connections
  • Missing Tile Liners or Mortar Joints
  • Missing or Hidden Breachings
  • Blockages
  • Thimble Holes
  • Bad Connections

All of these things can require chimney repairs liner and present danger to you and your family if not properly fixed but many of them cannot be easily seen from inside the house without a video line. The easy solution is to look in the chimney.

When to Get a Video Inspection

Video inspections are useful in many situations. You may opt to have a video inspection done before you buy a home for the first time or before you have a new heating system installed to ensure there are no hidden costs you’ll need to pay.

Insurance adjusters and fire inspectors use video inspection after a fire to determine what caused it; you should be proactive and use the same technology before anything like that can occur. Even if you find nothing during a video inspection of your chimney, you will have the peace of mind knowing that your chimney is in good shape, ready to prevent any potential future problems for years to come.

The last thing anyone wants is a bum chimney leaking acidic liquid into their home or posing a fire hazard. Use video inspection to avoid these problems and you’ll be set.  Call 2nd Generation Chimneys with any questions.

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