A fireplace is the centerpiece of a home, especially during the long rainy and winter days. It provides warmth, keeps the family in one place, and is great in setting a cozy ambiance that lifts our spirits. However, just like any other part of our home, it requires regular maintenance to keep it working smoothly and avoid hazardous situations. People who neglect their fireplace maintenance run a serious risk of chimney fires, carbon monoxide leaks, and smoke damage.
In today’s post, we take a look at 6 warning signs that your fireplace needs professional maintenance services in Timnath to diagnose and alleviate the issues.
How do you know if your fireplace is safe to use?
Since playing with fire in a residential setting is not an option, it’s important to stress that this is not an inspection that calls for a DIY approach. Qualified chimney inspectors have the know-how, tools, and training to spot problems in their infancy and help you deal with the issue in a safe and effective way. Remember, a proactive approach to the maintenance of potentially dangerous home systems like a fireplace can not only save you money in the long run but also lives.
Here are 6 sure signs that it’s high time to inspect your fireplace:
1. Visible cracks
Maybe the most obvious signs that you can’t postpone a fireplace inspection are cracks and visible damage to the fireplace or chimney. Even if the cracks look small, prolonged exposure to heat and elements will cause bricks and mortar in your chimney to deteriorate. Besides structural issues, cracks can also lead to dangerous carbon monoxide leaking into your home.
2. Excessive creosote build-up
Creosote is a highly flammable byproduct of burning wood that accumulates inside the chimney as smoke travels up and cools down. While the presence of creosote inside a chimney is perfectly normal, excessive buildup can cause it to ignite and start a chimney fire that could quickly spread to other parts of your home. If you’ve spotted a thick layer of dark, sticky creosote around your fireplace, it’s time to call professionals ASAP.
3. Difficulty starting a fire
If it’s becoming increasingly hard to start or maintain a fire, maybe you have airflow problems. A weak and inconsistent fire that doesn’t burn as strongly as it used to is a sign that something is obstructing or completely blocking the airways and that smoke and gasses aren’t able to escape through the chimney.
4. Smoke entering your home
Speaking of not traveling through the chimney, if smoke is starting to fill up your living room, you have a serious problem that requires immediate attention. Not only does smoke significantly reduce the quality of your indoor air and harms your health but it can also lead to long-term damage to your walls, furniture, and the rest of your home interior.
5. Leaks around the fireplace
Since it’s located at the top of your home, a chimney is constantly exposed to the destructive power of weather elements. If you’re chimney structure cracks or gaps appear, water will start finding its way in. This can lead to wood rot, rusted damper, and serious damage to the masonry so it’s highly advisable to call fireplace inspectors without delay.
6. Strange noises
Maybe the most obvious sign of damage to your fireplace is the unusual sounds coming from your chimney. If you start hearing whistling, hissing, rustling, or scraping sounds, maybe you have an animal intruder or debris inside your chimney setup. The usual causes range from a damaged damper or flue to bird nests and branches that can increase the risk of fire.
Which company excels in thorough maintenance services in Timnath, CO & the region?
As the leading home maintenance company in Larimer County and beyond, Handyman Connection of Fort Collins is here to help you make sure that you can enjoy your comfort and that every part of your home is up to speed.
Whether you need reliable help cleaning your gutters, a comprehensive inspection of your roofing, or detailed inspection of some other system in your home, our team has high-grade tools and ample expertise to deliver all this and much more.
As the saying goes, better safe than sorry so grab the perfect moment to do a checkup of your fireplace and call us today!