Reasons Why You Should Maintain Your Chimney and Fireplace

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a fireplace in the lounge

Research for chimney fires and fireplace safety says the US witnesses around 25,000 chimney fires per year. The damage to infrastructure is equally telling of a lack of chimney and fireplace safety measures. Dirty and clogged chimneys are more likely to catch fire than cleaned chimneys. The flammable creosote deposits in the chimney can set the entire assemblage ablaze. Our home inspection services recommend not waiting for the worst to call for help. Don’t purchase a new home until our home inspection company in Gwinnett County gives you the thumbs up!

Here are more reasons why you need to maintain your chimneys.

To Prevent an Accumulation of Carbon Monoxide

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that chimneys and fireplaces can be sources of carbon monoxide poisoning. Dirty chimneys can force carbon monoxide back into the lounge. The key is to keep the chimney damper open after using the fireplace. Your damper might appear black and dirty if not cleaned in time.

Dirty Chimneys Lead to Poorly Burning Fires

Creosote comes in the category of carbonaceous chemicals. These are formed by the distillation of tar and the pyrolysis of organic substances like wood and fossil fuel. This is the same deposit that clogs chimneys. You will have trouble burning a new fire every time if creosote continues to plague your chimney.

If you’re in Atlanta, rely on us to check your chimney for creosote deposits. Trust our property inspection teams with a complete inspection of your chimney and fireplace. We ensure there’s no likelihood of any chimney fires.

a man inspecting a house

To Prevent Unpleasant Odor

Over time, soot builds up in your chimney. It contains a lot of chemicals, including flammable creosote. As soot lines the chimney’s walls, it develops a strong unpleasant odor. The strong odor penetrates through your fireplace into your lounge. These strong odors sit in carpets, rugs, and drapes in your lounge.

To Prevent Suffocation

A creosote-filled chimney hardly has space for fumes. The low flames that a dirty fireplace ignites gradually create fumes that find no exit route. These fumes continue to make the air in the living space more dense and polluted. Asthma patients and people with other respiratory conditions should avoid sitting in rooms with dirty chimneys and fireplaces.

Soot Gradually Ruins Your Fireplace

Has your fireplace lost its show? A dirty fireplace is bound to blacken with deposits of soot. It’s hard to remove and stains hands if in larger quantities. Consistent maintenance of the fireplace would prevent an over-accumulation of soot.

Hire Us for Air Quality Testing and Holistic Home Inspections!

At Whole House Home Inspections, we use radon testing, air quality testing, and mold inspections to inspect every inch of your home for damaged plumbing, wiring, insulation, and mold infestation. To contact us for home inspection in Atlanta, call 770-370-4269/