Is Chimney Safety Your Top Concern?

Now that cooler temperatures have arrived, many local residents are using the fireplace to keep warm. But, before you set those logs ablaze, your chimney needs to be inspected for animal nests, obstructions, and buildup of creosote, all of which can lead to fire damage or even a house fire!

According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America’s website, creosote is a natural byproduct of wood burning, and is black or brown in appearance. It can be crusty and flaky…tar-like, drippy and sticky, or shiny and hardened. Often, all forms will occur in one chimney system, and is highly combustible. If it builds up in sufficient quantities – and catches fire inside the chimney flue instead of the firebox of the fireplace or wood stove – the result will be a chimney fire.

The has the for those who do use their fireplace: don't use an excessive amount of wood, do only use fire starter logs per the instructions, do wait for ashes to cool before disposing of them away from the home in a metal container and finally, do have your chimney cleaned by a reputable chimney service once a year.

The cleaning process involves an inspection of both the inside and outside of the fireplace for obstructions and structural integrity. Then, depending on the severity of the buildup, a “sweeping” or more thorough cleaning will be performed.

The average cost chimney cleaning runs about $125 to $175. With this cost in mind, The Better Business Bureau has issued a press release advising homeowners to be on the lookout for chimney sweep scams this season.

“Chimney sweeping is not something that homeowners deal with often, so we may lack knowledge of the cleaning process,” said Fred T. Elsberry, Jr., President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau Serving Metro Atlanta, Athens & Northeast Georgia.  “Many scammers take advantage of this and do shoddy work…or no work at all.”   

The BBB reports that in some cases, consumers have reported calls stating the town fire department recommends the resident’s chimney be cleaned. The calls go on to recommend a particular chimney sweep and endorse their services on behalf of the fire department.

Before hiring a chimney sweep, do your homework. If a price sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Ask friends for referrals, or check out the business’s listing on the BBB website.