2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. Blog : Archive for April, 2013

Homeowners throughout the St. Paul, MN area enjoy the comforting glow of fireplaces for much of the year. But creosote, animals, and other debris present challenges to this comfort, which is why you need routine professional chimney sweeping. Unfortunately, many customers have a somewhat antiquated image of what we do, usually associated with lots of soot and black dust, perhaps something out of Mary Poppins. While we retain the chimney sweeper’s cheer of the Disney film, we use only clean, modern techniques to keep your chimney working well throughout the year. In this post, we’d like to explain the basics of the process so that you get a sense of what you’re getting. If you’re looking for St. Paul, MN chimney sweeping, look no further than the experts at 2^nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. Call us today!

• Brushes. Your chimney sweeper will use a variety of rotary brushes to scrape the creosote from the interior of your chimney safely. These brushes are designed with this task in mind, and specifically built to remove creosote efficiently. They are attached to flexible rods, or to a long flexible hose that goes up and down your chimney, all the way to the top.
• Vacuum. In order to keep your home clean, and to prevent the black dust from entering your household, the chimney sweeper uses an industrial vacuum with a filter specially designed to capture micro-particles of dust. The vacuum’s position depends on your chimney and the type of equipment being used, but its high suction rate ensures that the job is done cleanly and efficiently, with minimal disruption to the rest of your home. The sweeper may also recommend covering the chimney area in drop cloths to ensure that your belongings to do not accumulate dust.
• Chemicals. If the amount of creosote in your chimney reaches what’s called level 3, then your sweeper may recommend using special chemical agents to remove the creosote, in addition to brushes.

We hope this gives you a preview of the clean, efficient service that we offer. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to give the St. Paul, MN chimney sweeping experts at 2^nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. a call today!

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Originally based on a series of children’s books written by P. L. Travers, the popular Walt Disney film Mary Poppins instilled in the American imagination a delightful portrait of the chimney sweep, played by Dick van Dyke, who sings and dances well, even when covered in soot. We might call this the romantic image of the late 19^th and early 20^th century English chimney sweep who performs difficult labor with a smile on his face.

Of course, as with many of our modern professions, the history of chimney sweeping was not always as pleasant as the Plymouth, MN chimney sweeping experts at 2nd Generation Chimneys make it! The occupation had its hardships, including illness and disease from soot and carbon monoxide.

In this post, we’d like to give you an overview of the profession of chimney sweeping. For Plymouth, MN chimney sweeping, call the experts at 2^nd Generation Chimneys today!

Long used in ancient Rome, chimneys became especially prevalent in post-Renaissance Europe, especially for nobility, whose castles and palaces were well equipped with numerous fireplaces, many of them quite extravagant. But even for the average row house, the use of wood as a fuel to both heat and cook meant that the home fireplace received much more use than they do today. When creosote builds up, it becomes a fire hazard and blocks the ventilation. Up until the late 18^th century, both the English and Americans alike were largely ignorant of the dangers of soot, creosote, and carbon monoxide, so that young apprentices would often be susceptible to disease early in life. Such conditions were stemmed by governmental restrictions, but it wasn’t until the 20^th century that such dangers were truly exposed.

The modern chimney sweep uses much of the same equipment as his predecessors to remove creosote and soot buildup from the interior surface of chimneys: brushes and scrapers. But, vacuum technology has made the practice much safer to perform, and safety equipment is regularly used to prevent inhalation of noxious particles. A clean chimney allows you to heat your home confidently. It provides excellent comfort throughout the heating season.

When you need chimney services, make sure you contact a professional. For more information, or to schedule a Plymouth, MN chimney sweeping, call the experts at 2^nd Generation Chimneys today!

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