With the cold months quickly making their way to our lives, it’s officially time to start the process of getting our chimneys ready for the winter season.
However, what does preparing your chimney mean? For those who don’t know, preparing your fireplace for the cold months guarantees that it will prevent fires, save energy, and keep your house warmer.
If you’re having a hard time preparing your chimney, we are here to help. Here are a couple of tips you can follow to help you prepare. If you think you can’t do these things, you can always ask a masonry contractor for help.
Stock Up on Wood
First of all, it’s crucial to stock up on wood for your chimney before the cold season arrives. With this, you can easily prepare for the cold weather. If you’re having a hard time selecting the best wood for your fireplace, try to pick dense hardwoods like oak.
After you purchase wood, make sure you split them and store them in a dry and high place for at least 6 months. Try to avoid resinous softwoods and greed wood, such as pine. The reason for this is that these woods generate more flammable creosote. This particulate can often accumulate in the chimney.
Check for Any Indications of Debris or Damage
Then, make sure you inspect properly your chimney’s damper. This will help guarantee that it closes and opens properly. Also, check the chimney for pests, bird nests, and birds.
Lastly, check the bricks and mortar of your fireplace. Try to look for signs of damage, such as cracks and chips. These issues can be a fire hazard if you don’t fix them. If you do find damages to your fireplace, make sure you hire a masonry contractor for help.
Hire a Professional Masonry Contractor
For those who don’t know, it’s important to clean your chimney regularly. Professionals typically recommend cleaning your chimney at least once a year. Usually, chimney cleaning is done during the fall season to better prepare for the upcoming winter months.
Hiring a professional is the best way to guarantee that your chimney is cleaned properly. The reason for this is that these professionals have all the tools and skills needed to thoroughly clean your chimney.
When hiring a professional chimney cleaning service, make sure they have the right tools and people for the job.
You can do the job yourself. However, you need to commit a lot of effort and time to properly do it.
Cleaning the Chimney
As mentioned earlier, you need to clean your chimney at least once a year. However, if you’ve got the tools and skills needed to clean your chimney more than once a year, then you should go for it.
There are a lot of reasons why you need to clean your chimney. First, it helps improve the air quality of your house since you’re getting rid of the accumulated soot. Furthermore, it also helps you prevent any fire hazards that might occur if you choose to ignore your chimney.
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