Fireplaces are both decorative and functional. Although your home in St. Paul will almost certainly have a modern heating system installed in it (such as a boiler, furnace, or heat pump), a fireplace is a tremendous asset for getting cozy warmth during the winter, and it adds cheer and that special glow that you can’t get from any other source.
However, a dirty fireplace will cut into many of these benefits. A fireplace choked with soot and debris is not only a visual eyesore, but it can present serious dangers to your home and your family. Make sure you have a clean fireplace before the winter season arrives. Contact 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. for quality fireplace cleaning in St. Paul, MN.
Here are some problems you might encounter because of a dirty fireplace:
Creosote fire hazards
Creosote is the shiny black residue left over from burning wood; basically, it’s unburned wood energy. It is also the No. 1 enemy your fireplace faces. Creosote will gather on the bricks of your fireplace as well as on the inside of the chimney. It looks unattractive, but worse, it’s highly combustible. It can lead to sudden bursts of flame in places you don’t want fire to appear, such as an upper floor. Regular cleaning will remove this common hazard.
Smoke dangers
When you forget to open the flue in your fireplace, the smoke will start to pour into your living space, and you know how unpleasant that can be. But if you neglect cleaning your fireplace, then the chimney will become clogged on its own from creosote and soot buildup, making it harder for smoke to escape. Even a small amount of smoke drifting into your home presents a safety hazard.
Carbon monoxide
If you have a gas fireplace, an accumulation of soot or creosote can create blockages that cause carbon monoxide to enter your home. Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless but highly toxic. Even a small amount can cause bad headaches, breathing problems, and nausea.
The National Fire Protection Association Standard recommends that you have an annual inspection done on your fireplace and chimney in order to see that they meet safety guidelines. Although the NFPA doesn’t provide a specific timeline for fireplace cleaning, based on our experience in the business, we think you should schedule annual cleaning to accompany this inspection.
Keep your family safe and your home beautiful this year with a thorough fireplace cleaning in St. Paul, MN from 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc.