Your chimney needs to be kept in good shape throughout so that it can function efficiently. Whether you recently got a house with a chimney or you simply want to find out how you can keep the kitchen you’ve had in good condition, read on. You’ll see four helpful tips that should help you to keep your chimney functioning perfectly at all times.
1. Hire a Chimney Sweep On a Regular Basis
The first thing that you need to add to your schedule is to hire a chimney sweep. They can help you to keep your chimney clean, and in this way, minimize future issues. That said, take time to look for a reputable one in your area and task them with ensuring your chimney’s always clean. Letting the smoke and ash from your fireplace clog your chimney up is a recipe for disaster. It could place your family at risk of issues such as carbon monoxide poisoning and more. The heat and smoke that accumulate in it could also increase the chances of a fire in your home. Arrange to have your chimney sweep come over on a regular basis to help you keep your chimney in good condition.
2. Have It Inspected Regularly
Next, you need to make sure that your chimney’s inspected frequently by a professional. They’ll know if anything’s out of place and they can recommend the right action to take. This is going to help you maintain your chimney and consistently get the best out of it. You’ll be able to not only avert the risks that come with chimney issues, but you’ll also increase your chimney’s lifespan considerably. Professional chimney sweeps can also perform routine inspections. Note that there are four main reasons why you need to hire a chimney sweep, according to the Chimney Safety Institute of America. These are to protect your chimney’s exterior, keep it in good working order, help with smoky fireplaces and downdrafts, and prevent birds and animals from nesting inside it.
3. Get a Chimney Cap
A chimney cap is the best solution for you if you want to have a barrier to the outdoors through the chimney. This is because it will bar things like rodents from crawling into your chimney and getting stuck at some point inside it. A chimney cap is also going to keep out snow, rain, and moisture. You can get advice on the right one to use from your chimney sweep, who could also help you know if you have one and it’s damaged. While doing this, you also need to make sure that your roof’s in good shape. Note that metal roofs have excellent cost-to-value, according to RemodelingCosts. Homeowners can recoup from 70% to 87% of the money spent on a new standing seam metal roof when they sell the home. This is information that could prove helpful if you need to replace your home’s roof.
4. Close the Damper
Finally, you could install a damper to seal your chimney and ensure nothing gets inside. This goes for moisture, snow, and even animals and birds. It’s popularly used in wood-burning fireplaces. If left open, it allows heat to be lost from your home and lets air flow through your house when you’d rather it didn’t. You may be one of the 65.5% of Americans who, according to Bankrate, were homeowners as of 2021. In this case, you may want to change your existing fireplace to a gas-burning one which has slightly different needs from a wood-burning one. If you’re in the market for a new home, make sure to look for one whose fireplace is ideal for you so you forgo the cost of changing it.
Use these four tips to keep your chimney in great shape. They should make it easy for you to maintain a beautiful and functional chimney while getting the best service out of it.
