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

How Chimney Cleaning Helps You

Monday, October 12th, 2020
man-shadow-chimney-clean

Fall is finally here and you know what that means–it is time to decorate with some autumnal and Halloween themed décor if you haven’t already started! That’s right, you can break out the leaf wreaths, the pumpkins, and the cuddly blankets. But before you set everything up for the fall season, you likely will want to clean up a bit to make sure you aren’t adding dust onto dust.

While you are in the process of cleaning up around the house, it may be a great time to make sure that your chimney is ready for the fall season too. While, yes, the mantle might be ideal for that spooky vampire figurine, we are talking more about chimney cleaning in Edina, MN, rather than your dusting habits.

Continue Reading

3 Fireplace Repairs You May Need

Monday, September 28th, 2020
fireplace-brick-fire

That oppressive summertime heat seems to have finally taken a break and left things around here a little less sweltering. The change in the weather has even started to make things a lot cooler at night which means it is the perfect time to dust of your fireplace and enjoy a nice night with the family around those flames.

But wait! Before you get started, we need to make sure you’re going to be safe this season. Have you had your fireplace checked and your chimney cleaned yet? If not, you need to! You never know if you have a possible fireplace repair in Edina, MN that might be harmful to your comfort and dangerous to your home otherwise!

Continue Reading

Fireplace Safety Tips for Winter

Monday, October 29th, 2018

chimney-cleaningA lot of people in this part of the country love winter. Others simply tolerate it. Others may loathe it, but stick around for the many positive elements of life here in Minnesota has to offer. Regardless of where you stand on the matter of the season itself, though, you have to admit that a great heating system is integral to your enjoyment of the winter weather. While few homeowners use their fireplaces as their sole heat source, many use them daily to supplement their heating.

As effective as fireplaces can be in heating one’s home, a major part of their appeal is the ambiance and soothing nature of having a roaring fire contained safely in the hearth. “Safely” is the key word there. Remember, you’re still dealing with an open flame in a home largely constructed of wood and filled with combustible materials. That is why we want to give you some tips for using your fireplace in Edina, MN safely this winter.

Continue Reading

Gas or Electric: Picking Out Your New Fireplace

Monday, January 8th, 2018

living-room-open-kitchen-fireplaceLooking for the perfect fireplace to fill your living room with warmth? If you’re not building a new home or working on huge renovations any time soon, you can probably rule out a real wood fireplace. If you don’t already have one, installing a wood fireplace can be quite costly as you’ll need to change the construction of your home to add a chimney of the right size to properly vent smoke, as well as dangerous gases like carbon monoxide.

Thankfully, there are other solutions that won’t require you to drop so much cash and change the structure of your home. A gas or electric fireplace could still offer the comfort you seek for a smaller price tag. So how do you choose for your home?

Continue Reading

The Most Sought-After Fireplaces

Monday, November 27th, 2017

napoleon-gas-fireplace-1A flickering flame and a warm, cozy living room are just about all you need as temperatures get colder and colder. Of course, this can only be achieved with a safe, functional fireplace in the home. If you’re in the market for a new one, we’ve got some ideas for you to start with.

We highly recommend getting over to a fireplace showroom to find out what type of fireplace is the best fit for your needs in terms of convenience, cost, and style. To get you started, we detail some of the most sought-after fireplace types and styles popular in our area. If you’re in the market for a Napoleon fireplace, come check out our showroom!

Continue Reading

Why You Need Furnace Flue Cleaning

Monday, September 22nd, 2014

Even if your home doesn’t have a fireplace, it will need a flue for the furnace to release exhaust. In a gas furnace, the heat from the combustion gas transfers to the air through a heat exchanger, and afterwards the cooled down combustion gas is vented through a flue that safely removes the fumes to the outside of the house. To keep your furnace working at top efficiency and to prevent safety issues from fires or carbon monoxide, you should have annual flue cleaning as part of maintaining the heating system.

The best people to call for furnace flue cleaning are technicians experienced with chimney cleaning. The fully-certified team at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. has many decades of work with chimneys and flues of all kind, and our services include everything from cleaning and sweeping to masonry reconstruction. Call us today for cleaning for your chimney flue in Edina, MN.

The necessity of furnace flue cleaning

Any venting system, such as a furnace flue, will start to gather build-up from the exhaust that move through it. With chimneys, the exhaust build-up from creosote can be quite large. The accumulation is less in a furnace flue, but because the venting cannot be perfect, the flue will eventually require cleaning to remove particle build-up known as “scale.” Not all heating contractors provide this service when maintaining a furnace; you will need to call specialists in chimney cleaning to take care of the job.

Neglecting regular furnace flue cleaning can lead to serious issues. The major one is the flue will become blocked, leading to the exhaust backing up and entering your home. This presents dangers from fire and toxic carbon monoxide exposure.

But even if the flue isn’t blocked, poor venting from scale will create other dangers in the furnace. The reaction of the combustion gas with the heat exchanger will result in corrosion across the metal of the exchanger, a situation that makes it prone to develop cracks that will allow carbon monoxide to escape. The poor venting will also make it difficult for the furnace to work efficiently. Special high-efficiency furnaces depend on clean venting to achieve their energy-saving levels of performance.

Along with regular furnace flue cleaning, you should have the flue cleaned whenever you change your heating system. In some cases, you may need to have a completely new flue constructed to accommodate a higher efficiency furnace. Always check with professionals regarding your heater’s venting when you make a change to the heating system.

Contact us for furnace flue cleaning

Keeping your home safe is our number one priority at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. We have helped homes stay safe and warm with our services for chimneys and flue for many years.

When you need cleaning to take care of your furnace or chimney flue in Edina, MN, make the call to the team at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc.

Continue Reading

Types of Fireplaces Worth Installing in Edina

Monday, February 3rd, 2014

Although fireplaces are no longer the only way we get heat in our homes, they still serve an important cosmetic function with the extra benefit of warmth. If you have considered having fireplace installed in Edina, MN, look over the options below. Then, when you’re ready to make a decision, call 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc and talk to our experts about how to get the right fireplace for your home.

Traditional wood-burning fireplace

This is what most people think of when they hear “fireplace”: a hearth with a chimney where wood logs burn and crackle. Wood-burning fireplaces have the advantage of coziness—there really is no substitute for the look, feel, and sound of actual wood burning—as well as the low cost of wood compared to other potential fuel sources. However, you need to have a chimney to install one, they are much less convenient than other systems (wood storage, fire tending, etc.), and require regular chimney sweeping to eliminate creosote build-up.

Gas log fireplace

If you already have a chimney, you can easily convert over to the convenience and efficiency of a gas fireplace with a gas log insert. Gas log fireplaces also exist in factory-built units if you do not have a pre-existing chimney.

Free-standing pellet or wood stove

You don’t need to have a chimney to enjoy a fireplace in any room of the house. Free-standing pellet and wood stoves are able to fit into any room where they can access venting through the wall. Pellet stoves burn highly efficient wood pellets, which make them more effective as heating units; they can serve as an addition to your central heating system.

Fireplace installation is a job that requires years of training. Fireplace technicians must know how to set up a fireplace that will burn safely and properly vent exhaust—whether it uses wood, gas, or pellets.

2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc is a full-service fireplace installation company: we handle everything from wood burning to free-standing fireplaces, and also perform chimney sweeping and masonry repairs. We are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America and belong to the National Chimney Sweep Guild. You will have a harder time finding another company that delivers the same level of service for fireplace installation in Edina, MN as we do.

Continue Reading

Benefits of Air Duct Cleaning in Edina MN

Monday, December 17th, 2012

You may not think about the air ducts in your home that distribute heated and cooled air throughout the building. However, the condition of this ductwork system is a very important component in the successful operation of your heating and air conditioning system. There are a lot of different scenarios in which the condition your air ducts may be compromised, resulting in issues with your heating and air conditioning systems. One such scenario is the buildup of dirt, debris and other pollutants in your ductwork. 2nd Generation Chimneys understands these issues and would like to explain to you some of the benefits of air duct cleaning in Edina.

Your air ducts are responsible for distributing all of the heated and cooled air throughout your home. If dirt and debris have built up in your air ducts these pollutants can also be distributed throughout your entire home, reducing air quality in every room that should benefit from your heating and air conditioning system. There is no way for homeowners to know what the condition inside their air ducts is, let alone to thoroughly clean them. With professional duct cleaning services, though, your service provider can use the specialized tools and years of experience necessary to ensure that your air ducts are clean enough to provide you with the fresh air you deserve.

Not only can dirty air ducts adversely affect the quality of the air that you breathe, they can also reduce the efficiency with which you heater and air conditioner work. Severe buildup can cause increased air flow resistance, and the accumulation of pollutants and even mold on your HVAC equipment can compromise the components of the system themselves.

Do not let dirty air ducts put your health – or your wallet – at risk. Start improving indoor air quality and efficiency today. Contact 2nd Generation Chimneys to reap the benefits of air duct cleaning in Edina.

Continue Reading