Cooler weather will be sneaking up on us in no time at all. And it’s so important that your home is prepared. As you use your heating equipment, you can, unfortunately, put your home at risk. However, proper maintenance and preparation helps to avoid some of this risk.
2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Minneapolis’
Who Should I Call to Sweep My Chimney
Monday, September 5th, 2016Summer Is the Perfect Time to Install a Chimney Cap
Monday, August 8th, 2016Summer is a great time to do work on your house, and a chimney cap is an important, relatively inexpensive installation. If you don’t already have a solid chimney cap in place, then we strongly recommend calling in professional chimney technicians this summer. Check out what this installation can do for your home!
3 Hidden Fire Hazards You Should Get Checked
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016Hopefully, you and your family members all have a plan in place in case a home fire sets off alarms and forces you to vacate quickly. But, of course, we hope you never have to face this possibility—and you hope so too. You can lower your chances of a home fire by taking away any potential fire hazards that could be hidden in your home. Here’s what you should have checked today!
3 Things You Should Know about Dryer Vents
Monday, July 25th, 2016The clothes dryer in a home is too often passed off as something that doesn’t really need maintenance. You may know that you are supposed to clean out the lint trap after every use. But even though most people do this, dryer vent fires are a common occurrence and can cause the outside of your home to catch fire as well. Here’s what you should know about dryer vents so that you can take the proper steps to prevent fires from occurring.
3 Benefits of Scheduling Chimney Cleaning Early
Monday, July 18th, 2016We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: summer is an excellent time to have your chimney cleaned professionally. Get your chimney into shape this summer, in order to prevent potential fire hazards, water leaks, and other common problems that start in the chimney. Here are 3 reasons that prove it’s the right season to schedule service.
Animals in Your Chimney? Here’s What You Should Know
Monday, July 11th, 20163 Things to Know about Your Chimney Liner
Wednesday, July 6th, 2016You might not know too much about the chimney that vents smoke and other byproducts away from your home. Many people don’t know that the masonry they see on the outside of a chimney is not the complete picture. A safe, modern chimney also has a liner inside, which helps to contain byproducts of combustion properly.
Is Your Fireplace Making Summer Cooling Costs Higher?
Monday, June 20th, 2016Your fireplace is great in the winter, but it has nothing to do with how comfortable you feel in the summer, right? Actually, a fireplace can affect your home cooling costs significantly, if it’s not properly maintained. If you don’t have a good damper in the chimney, you might be spending way more on air conditioning than you have to.
What Are Technicians Looking for When They Inspect a Chimney?
Monday, June 13th, 2016You might have heard recently that you need a chimney inspection for one reason or another, perhaps because you are making renovations, leaving a home, or purchasing a home. This will be an involved inspection that may even involve the use of video cameras. But it’s also important to get a routine inspection each year in order to prevent major repairs and, most importantly, potential fire hazards.
Spring and Summer Chimney Problems: What Might Come Up
Monday, June 6th, 2016If you think that you can ignore your chimney and fireplace in the spring and summertime, think again. There are a number of problems that tend to come up in the summertime and spring, though some may be more noticeable than others. Here, we list some common problems, and why we think it’s so important to stay on top of chimney inspections and making sure your chimney is safe all year round.
What Can Happen in the Spring and Summer
In the off-period for your chimney and fireplace, new problems can still appear. Or, older problems can start to reveal themselves, especially if it’s been a long time since you’ve scheduled an inspection and cleaning. Here are some examples:
- Smells in the chimney – In the summer, smells from animal droppings or creosote become more obvious thanks to the humidity in the air.
- Excessive creosote – This is a dangerous problem you might start to notice in the summer, and it can allow a chimney fire to ignite and spread to your home. Have your chimney cleaned each and every year to eliminate this danger.
- Structural problems – Structural problems with the masonry of a chimney may help a fire to spread to the outside of a home. Some may think they add “charm” but remember than this charm could be short-lived.
- Unwanted guests – One common problem that comes up in warm weather is the presence of critters like rodents or birds in the chimney. While bird nest removal of some species may be illegal as long as the nest is active, you can call in a technician afterwards to help you prevent the problem in the future.
What You Should Do
We cannot reiterate this enough: work with a quality chimney and fireplace contractor to have your chimney cleaned out each and every year. And schedule inspections if you suspect a structural problem. It helps you feel better about your family’s safety. And you can be prepared to use your fireplace in the winter.
Call 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. for chimney cleaning and inspections in Minneapolis, MN.