ATLANTA CHIMNEY & FIREPLACE CLEANING & REPAIR COMPANIES

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Chimney cleaning overview

Chimney fires. Chimney fires are some of the hardest fires to extinguish, but also some of the easiest fires to prevent.  As wood burns in a fireplace, it gives off creosote, which is commonly referred to as soot.  As the creosote and smoke travel up, some of the creosote is deposited on the inside of the chimney.  Since creosote is flammable, over time the buildup creates a chimney fire hazard.  Chimney fires burn very hot, and the flames from a chimney fire can extend ten feet above the top of the chimney.  Chimney fires are especially dangerous because they can quickly spread to the roof, the attic, or other wood framing around the chimney and ultimately destroy the entire house.  If a chimney fire starts, get everyone out of the house as quickly as possible and call 911.  Time permitting, some chimney experts recommend starving the chimney fire for air by putting out the fire in the firebox with a fire extinguisher or water and closing the damper.

Fortunately, periodic chimney cleaning removes the creosote and greatly reduces the likelihood of fire.  The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends having your chimney inspected annually by an expert. 

Bird nests. Birds may decide that your chimney is a good place to build a nest.  If you have birds living in your chimney, you will most likely hear them.  Bird nests are flammable and can completely block the flue.  Have the nests removed before using the fireplace. 

Gas logs. Gas logs eliminate the hassle of firewood handling and firebox cleanup, but also lack some of the atmosphere created by real fire.  Because gas is clean burning, chimney cleaning is greatly reduced.  However, because of the bird nest risk mentioned above, chimney inspection is still required.  If the flue in a gas fireplace becomes blocked, the carbon monoxide generated by the burning gas could poison the house occupants.

Heat loss through the chimney. Since the chimney is a direct path to the outside, large amounts of heat can be lost up the chimney in the winter.  When the chimney is not in use, both the lower damper and the upper damper should be closed.  If your chimney does not have an upper damper installed, consider installing one.  Upper dampers do a much better job of sealing the chimney than lower dampers.

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