Spring is a great time to get your chimney swept
Your chimney, fireplace, wood stove, or other appliance has been working hard all winter. Now that the weather’s starting to warm up, it’s tempting to forget about it until next year. But don’t! Spring is a great time to get your chimney flue inspected (and swept, if necessary) by a certified chimney sweep.
STOP BIRD AND ANIMAL INVASIONS BEFORE THEY HAPPEN
Get your chimney inspected before nesting season and you will be able to block off holes or install a new cap before a happy family of birds or animals moves into your chimney! The dark, quiet interior of a chimney flue is highly attractive to a variety of animals, including raccoons, bats, and birds, including the federally protected chimney swift, which, once it has entered a chimney, cannot be removed or bothered until it has left in the fall! These animals can be loud or destructive and some can carry diseases or fleas. Nesting material is flammable and can even block the chimney, causing other potential hazards. Make sure critters never even get a chance to move in by ensuring all routes of entry are properly secured. Your chimney sweep can make sure your chimney cap is secure and in good condition, and that there are no holes in your chimney chase to allow animal or bird entry. The time is now!
Waterproof Before The Summer Rains
Your chimney has just lived through a long, cold winter. Repeated freezing and thawing in cold weather can lead to cracks or deterioration, especially in a masonry chimney. This can create holes through which water can travel. Masonry chimneys also take on water if not waterproofed. Brick is like a sponge! If not protected from water entry, your chimney can crack, deteriorate, or even become a surprise rooftop “garden” of moss and other opportunistic (and flammable) plants. Make sure your chimney is inspected and waterproofed (if necessary) before fall, and it will be ready to face the winter again with you!
Install Early: Get A Head Start On This Fall
Spring and summer are great times to install new appliances in your chimney and fireplace. Been wanting a wood stove to help reduce your heating bills? Looking to move from wood to gas? Need to repair a damaged chimney flue liner? Make use of the gorgeous weather (and any “summer specials” offered by your chimney sweep) to get your repair or install done painlessly. Don’t be part of the big fall rush — get your work done before everyone else and you can be enjoying your new or repaired fireplace even on those first chilly days of fall.
