At Lords Chimney, we hold and maintain CSIA certifications because they help us better serve you! The Chimney Safety Institute of America is a non-profit organization striving to educate sweeps and serve the public. We are proud to associate with them with every passing year.
Check out some reasons why we and countless other chimney companies throughout the country trust the CSIA!
High Ethical Standards
One reason we take such pride in holding CSIA credentials is due to their strict code of ethics. The founders of the CSIA feel it’s important to ensure homeowners can trust their sweeps to act professionally and be honest. In order for a sweep to complete their CSIA training, they must agree to use what they’ve learned to bring fair and helpful services to the areas that they serve.
The CSIA also wants homeowners to hold their sweeps accountable! If you hired a certified sweep, but feel that they are either lying about their certifications or that they aren’t living up to CSIA standards, report the sweep to the organization right away. Thanks to the CSIA’s commitment to the public, they’ll ensure corrective action is taken, so that you don’t have to face these issues again down the line.
A Mission For Safety
Another great aspect of the CSIA is it’s desire to promote education and fire safety in homes everywhere. It’s not just about keeping sweeps informed and up-to-date on fireplace knowledge… they want homeowners to be aware of these facts, too! The more a person knows about their fireplace, the less likely they are to experience a big disaster, such as a fire or gas leak. And the CSIA aims to avoid accidents like these at all costs.
Knowing more about your fireplace and chimney will also ensure that you don’t get scammed down the road. If you hired a sweep, and things just don’t seem to be adding up, the CSIA wants to make sure you’re not paying more services you may not need. By staying informed, you’ll be able to spot a scam artist from a mile away!
Standing The Test Of Time
The CSIA is also known for their longevity. This is an organization that has truly stood the test of time, and they continue being successful with every year that passes. They continuously search for ways to improve. In addition, they never fail to provide techs with new technology and techniques for better serving the public.
Since 1983, the CSIA has maintained its ethical standpoints and mission to keep homes throughout the country safer. When it comes to fireplace maintenance, they really know their stuff! And there’s a reason why they haven’t lost momentum in all these years. They never fail to receive support, and they are publicly promoted in various forms of popular media on a regular basis. When you hire a CSIA certified, you can bet that you’re in good hands!
Anyone with a fireplace knows how much they enhance the atmosphere of any holiday gathering. A fireplace adds something special to any room. It also enhances the cheerful and festive mood that every homeowner seeks throughout the holiday season!
That being said, it’s important to take the proper precautions to ensure your appliance runs safer and more efficiently all season long. That’s why it’s vital to get your annual inspection on the books now, before your start throwing get-together’s and inviting guests over. Call the staff at Lords Chimney today, and we’ll get an appointment set up right away!
Running A Safer Fireplace
If you’re lighting fires in your home, you want to ensure your fireplace system is functioning as safely as possible. Keeping guests and family members safe is always the top priority, so your chimney needs to be in tip top shape throughout your entire burning season! By investing in annual inspections, you ascertain that no necessary repairs and/or sweepings are needed before you start lighting fires. And neglecting this regular maintenance could land you in some serious trouble!
One issue that may occur is the build up of creosote. Creosote forms as fires burn in your wood-burning fireplace, and it’s a highly flammable substance. Since it’s prone to catching fire, you want to make sure it doesn’t accumulate. Otherwise, you may be dealing with a chimney fire before you know it!
Chimney fires not only weaken the entire structure of your chimney. They make it unsafe for everyday use, too! Gaps will quickly form, leaving your home and roof vulnerable to stray flames. The worst part is, many of these fires occur unnoticed. You could be using your fireplace, without even realizing you’re at risk! It’s not worth putting off this important maintenance – call us in today.
Ensuring Efficiency
Besides making sure that everything is running safely, annual inspections help enhance the efficiency of your appliance overall. You wouldn’t want to run a fireplace that is only providing minimal heat output, would you? That’s not cost effective at all, and it makes for a frustrating evening! All parts need to be in good condition in order for everything to work together cohesively. Call us in, and we’ll make sure you’re good to go!
Avoiding Expensive Repairs
Repairs that go unaddressed will only get worse over time and, if things weaken too much, your chimney may settle or collapse. Cracks, holes, and other issues in your chimney’s structure need to be addressed as soon as possible to avoid further (and more costly) issues down the line. Inspect in affordable maintenance now to bypass expensive repairs down the line!
Along with this, repairs take time and, with the busy season underway, we want to make sure we have the time and manpower to address every one of our customers’ issues. Call us at Lords Chimney today, so we can be sure to get any other required services done before your next holiday party or event. We can’t wait to help you out soon!
Whether it’s a musty or moldy smell, a soft drip-drip sound coming from the chimney, or a puddle of water at the bottom of the firebox, a leaky chimney is a problem that cannot be ignored. Left unrepaired, even minor chimney leaks can create major damage throughout your fireplace system.
Thankfully, leaky chimneys don’t have to be a chronic problem. Identifying the source of the water entry and fixing your leaky chimney as soon as possible can prevent serious water damage to your fireplace system or home.
What causes chimney leaks?
Chimneys are built to stand strong against the elements; however, there are still a number of points where water can work its way into the chimney system. The following are some of the most common causes of chimney leaks.
Chimney cap: The chimney cap protects the top of the chimney and keeps moisture, animals, and debris from falling into the chimney. A damaged chimney cap can allow water into the flue, causing damage throughout the fireplace and chimney structure.
Chimney crown: Often confused with the chimney cap, the chimney crown is a mortar slab that seals the top of the chimney. Chimney crowns should have small overhangs as well as be built with slightly sloped edges to prevent water from pooling on the top. Chimney crowns can deteriorate over time due to prolonged exposure to the elements; this creates cracks that allow moisture into the chimney.
Flashing: Flashing is the watertight metal strips that seals the joint between the chimney and the roof. Over time, flashing can lose its seal due to overexposure to the elements; flashing can also be damaged by storms or animals.
Masonry damage: Without regular maintenance, bricks and mortar can begin to deteriorate over time. The freeze thaw process – which causes water in bricks to freeze and expand – is the most common cause of water damage to masonry.
Fixing a leaky chimney
When it comes to fixing a leaky chimney, the most important step is to find and repair the cause of the chimney leak. Repairing the water damage without first removing the cause of the chimney leak will only lead to recurrent water problems. By uncovering the root cause of the chimney leak, you can rest assured that the water damage will not return once the necessary repairs have been made.
For chimneys with damaged masonry, tuckpointing may be used to repair or replace damaged bricks and mortar. During the tuckpointing process, small areas of damaged masonry are carefully removed before the new bricks and mortar are put in; this can help strengthen the chimney structure and help avoid the costs of rebuilding the entire chimney.
Another great way to prevent chimney leaks and water damage is by having your chimney waterproofed. Professionally waterproofing a chimney can seal and protect the masonry from water damage while still allowing the bricks to retain their semi-porous nature.
If you have a leaky chimney, trust the experts at Lords Chimney to repair it. Contact us today to schedule an appointment so we can help resolve your chimney leaks!
Every time you burn wood in your fireplace or wood stove, condensation forms on your chimney’s flue. That condensation forms a dark, tar-like, highly combustible substance called creosote. When creosote builds up in your chimney, it can lead to a damaging and dangerous chimney fire, or it can force carbon dioxide back into your home, endangering your family.
Creosote sweeping logs promise a solution. They claim to reduce creosote buildup in your chimney simply by burning them in your chimney. Some such logs carry the seal of approval of the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), but even the CSIA acknowledges that the logs are not a replacement for your annual chimney sweeping and inspection by a CSIA-certified chimney sweep.
Creosote sweeping logs don’t remove all creosote
Creosote sweeping logs work by sending chemicals up your chimney that react with the creosote, causing it to flake away and fall back down your chimney to your firebox, where it either burns up or can be swept away. At best, the logs only remove up to 60 percent of the creosote from you chimney over a 15-day period. That means that creosote still can build up to dangerous levels within your chimney, blocking smoke from leaving your chimney and potentially igniting a chimney fire.
Additionally, many fireplaces aren’t a straight vertical channel. That means creosote can fall to and gather on your chimney’s horizontal surfaces, where it can build up. If your chimney is a straight vertical line, the creosote that falls into the firebox can cause flare ups that can harm your hearth or someone standing near it.
Creosote sweeping logs can’t spot problems with your chimney
Your annual chimney sweeping is more than just a cleaning. Your certified chimney sweep also inspects your chimney for structural damage, water leaks, crumbling mortar, and other problems. A creosote sweeping log simply can’t help you identify and solve problems with your chimney. Missing your annual chimney inspection gives small problems, like a minor leak, time to grow into a major problem that potentially will be expensive to repair.
More importantly, your certified chimney sweep looks for problems that could lead to a chimney fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. That includes animals that have nested in your chimney or chimney fires that have gone undetected.
Schedule your annual chimney sweeping today!
While the CSIA recognizes that creosote sweeping logs can be a valuable piece of chimney maintenance, eliminating some creosote in between professional chimney sweepings, replacing your annual chimney sweeping and inspection with a creosote sweeping log is dangerous both for your home and your family. If you’re overdue for your annual chimney sweeping and inspection, call the CSIA-certified chimney sweeps at Lords Chimney. We’ll make sure that your chimney is creosote-free and ready to burn safely this winter.
Your home’s heating system — whether it’s a furnace, gas fireplace, or pellet stove — keeps your family warm and cozy all winter long. However, your home heating system could pose a danger to you and your family: Carbon monoxide poisoning. As homes become more air tight and new heating systems are retrofitted onto older ventilation systems, everyone should be aware of the risk for carbon monoxide in the home.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning can be life threatening. The overt symptoms are strong headaches, dizziness, confusion, nausea, weakness, blurred vision or loss of consciousness. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should leave their home and seek medical attention. Because often the symptoms of carbon monoxide can be as subtle as a headache, all homes should be equipped with carbon monoxide detectors. If those detectors start to go off, leave your home immediately and call 911.
Sources of carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide is produced by the incomplete combustion of fuels, including the wood, natural gas, or propane you use to heat your home. Depending on the type of heating appliance you have, your appliance may either burn hot enough to combust all traceable levels of carbon monoxide, or it will be vented out of your home through a chimney or ventilation system. If a ventilation system becomes blocked, such as from soot, debris, or nesting animals, carbon monoxide can be forced back into your home rather than exiting through the chimney or ductwork. A malfunctioning appliance also can cause a carbon monoxide hazard.
Additionally, in some older homes when newer, more efficient furnaces or stoves are installed, sometimes they are vented through older chimneys or ductwork that is not properly sized for the appliance. That can cause a carbon monoxide hazard.
In newer homes, where doors, windows, and walls are more airtight, heating appliances can have a hard time getting the oxygen they need to properly combust their fuel, which could lead to the furnace, stove, or fireplace letting off carbon monoxide.
Preventing carbon monoxide hazards
The best way to prevent carbon monoxide from threatening your family is to have your heating system serviced annual by certified professionals.
Chimneys should be swept and inspected to make sure they are cleared of any soot or fire byproducts, unobstructed from any debris or animals, and free from any cracks or damage that could allow carbon monoxide to seep into your home.
Heating appliances, including fireplaces, gas stoves, pellet stoves, and furnaces should be serviced and inspected by professionals before the cold-weather season begins each year to make sure that they are functioning efficiently and safely and not producing dangerous carbon monoxide.
An inspection also will examine whether your home’s ventilation system is suited to your appliance. That ensures that the gases created by your furnace, stove, or fireplace is exiting your home properly and that your heating appliance is getting the oxygen it needs to burn its fuel entirely.
Schedule your routine chimney, fireplace, and heating stove maintenance today to keep you family safe from carbon monoxide this winter.
