fireplace maintenance Short Hills will help you avoid some of the most common fireplace issues. The weather gets very uncomfortable when winter rolls around. The last thing you want to find out is that your fireplace is not functioning correctly. A lot of common fireplace issues can be easily identified and easily solved. Keep reading to know more about some of the most fireplace issues for your gas fireplace and wood-burning fireplace.
Creosote
The smoke from combustion gets up into the chimney whenever you use a fireplace. The smoke condenses when it cools and turns into a creosote. Creosote is a hard material. It resembles tar. It is a dark brown material. It is likely to be in your chimney if you have not recently done chimney cleaning. The main concern of this material is that it is a massive fire hazard. It can ignite from heat and cause damage or chimney fires. You do not want that to happen to you.
Creosote impacts the function of your fireplace. It restricts more airflow as it builds in your chimney. The smoke that is supposed to leave your house could get back into your home.
Critter Invasion
You could be having a critter if you are hiring scratching, chirping or other noises from your chimney or fireplace. This could be a chimney swift or something that is more dangerous. It could be animals in your chimney. Nesting creatures can obstruct the top of your chimney and cause the risk of carbon monoxide. Fireplace repairs and chimney cleaning can help fix this issue. You should keep your chimney free from critters.
Obstruction
Rodents and birds aren’t the only things that could clog your chimney and stop the fireplace from functioning properly. You will have falling branches or leaves if you live in an area with a lot of trees. Garbage-like plastic bags can end up wrapped around your chimney.
Random debris can get trapped around the chimney cap. This is very dangerous because you will not be able to get a clear view of your chimney cap from the ground.
A closed damper
Your fireplace needs a damper to function properly. Dampers can help you keep heat in your house when the fireplace is not in use. Keep the damper open whenever there is a fire in your fireplace. Allow the damper to remain open until the last ember fades away. Smoke will not go anywhere if you keep the damper closes. It will get back into your home.
We have seen a lot of homes where owners risk the airflow of their fireplace being obstructed only to learn later that they did not know about the damper. The damper can get stuck due to hardened soot or debris in some cases.
Poor quality firewood
Using quality fireplaces is one of the most recommended fireplace maintenance Short Hills steps. The best firewood should be seasoned. Wet wood will have a lot of moisture inside and this will prevent effective combustion. This will lead to a weaker fire and a lot of soot that will lead to faster creosote buildups.
