Has it been longer than a year since your last chimney sweep service? If it has, and if you use a wood-burning fireplace in your Grand Island, NY, home, it would be a good idea to schedule this work soon.
Felgemacher has served Grand Island, NY, and all of Erie County, New York, with professional chimney sweeping and inspection since 1953. Here are some of the benefits of having one of our certified chimney sweeps visit your home.
Reduce the Chance of a Chimney Fire
Creosote, a byproduct of smoke condensation in a chimney flue, is the cause of most reported chimney fires in Grand Island, NY, and the greater Buffalo area each year. As little as 1/8 inch of creosote buildup can ignite.
Safely removing creosote to reduce the chance of a chimney fire involves using brushes, scrubbers, rods, special solvents and commercial vacuums.
Chimney fires, both large and small, can result in:
- Damage to the chimney liner, which will allow heat, flames and gases to escape the flue
- Damage to the smoke chamber located just below the flue
- Chimney masonry damage leading to structural compromise and chimney leaks
- Dangerous backups of smoke and carbon monoxide into your Grand Island, NY, home (see below)
- Annual chimney sweeping is the best way to help prevent chimney fires.
Removal of Drafting Obstructions
Another benefit our Grand Island, NY, chimney sweep technicians bring you is a flue free of debris. Leaves, twigs, small animal nests and the occasional dead animal can all create blockages and impede drafting.
Chimney flues are sized specifically to draft the type of fireplaces they’re connected to. A narrowed flue passage makes it harder for smoke to move up and out of the chimney.
When smoke backs up into the house, it carries with it deadly carbon monoxide. We see reports every year in Erie County, NY, and throughout the United States of cases of carbon monoxide poisoning. Some of the cases are tragically fatal.
Chimney cleaning removes debris. Having a proper full-width chimney cap installed keeps junk from getting into your chimney and blocking the draft in the first place.
What Happens During a Grand Island NY Chimney Sweep Job?
We start by talking with you about any issues your chimney has been presenting. We then perform a chimney inspection of all readily accessible areas of your chimney and fireplace system. Video scanning allows us to see deep into the flue and gauge its condition.
During the actual cleaning process, we cover items and furnishings in the work area and are extra careful to keep soot and dust from entering your home.
If the inspection turns up issues that need to be addressed, we’ll explain what we found and recommend the best way to resolve it. If you have questions about your chimney’s safety, operation or maintenance, we’re happy to answer them.
We want our Grand Island, NY, customers to be informed so they can get the most out of their chimneys and fireplaces season after season, year after year.
Chimney Sweeping in the Greater Buffalo NY Region
If you live in Grand Island, NY, or anywhere in the Buffalo area, Felgemacher is standing by to help with annual chimney sweeping, chimney inspections and all types of chimney repair work.
Call us with questions or to schedule service. You can also get in touch through our simple online contact form.
