Signs Your Chimney Needs Attention 

Now that we are about to change seasons, your fireplace should be one of the first things to tuck away. Neglecting your chimney could be a costly decision. Throughout the winter the outside of your home gets a beating. The focus today is your chimney. With the use of your fireplace, creosote is primarily a concern as it can build up in the chimney causing a safety issue. Professionals recommend an annual chimney sweep and inspection to address any build-up of creosote throughout your burning season. 

Here are some signs that you may have issues with your chimney that need to be addressed. 

Moisture – Some signs that there is moisture in your chimney will be smells. Once water gets into your chimney mold and mildew will grow. You will start to smell this growth. Peeling of wallpaper around the fireplace and up the wall where the chimney is. With water seeping into your home, you will also notice staining. Staining comes in two different ways. 

• • The white stain on the bricks is one. This is from water getting into the bricks and causing the salt deposit, which is in the bricks, to dissolve. This is called efflorescence.  This white stain can be removed with a solution of vinegar and water.
  • The other staining is from leakage into the home. You may see water stains on the walls This may be as simple as needing repair of your flashing. 

Bad smells – As mentioned earlier smells may be present if there is moisture getting into the chimney. 

• • Other than moisture, creosote buildup will bring odors into the home. You may notice this when there is moisture or humidity in the air. 
  • If you smell a chemical smell, you may have a crack in the flue liner and fumes are getting into your home. 
  • Small animals may find their way into your chimney. They will have droppings as well as bring in food that may spoil. Worse, the animal dies in your chimney. The decay will cause a very bad odor.

Crumbling masonry – When you see that bricks are cracked or loose and/or mortar is cracked it is time to contact Felgemacher to make some repairs. When moisture gets into the bricks, the water freezes and thaws, this is called spalling and is never a good sign. The best thing is to contact us early on. If you catch the crumbling early on it will save you in the cost of the repairs.

Call The Professional Sweeps!

When you are ready to book your annual chimney sweep and inspection, call the professionals that you can trust. Call Felgemacher. We will work to protect your chimney for years to come.

A clean chimney is a safe chimney, and we’ll keep yours as safe and efficient as it can be. Our owners are certified through the Chimney Safety Institute of America – a stringent industry certification held by only the best sweeps in the U.S. We remove flammable creosote from chimney flues, reducing the chance of a chimney fire. We also remove debris and obstructions that could hamper the drafting of smoke and carbon monoxide. Contact us today !