How to Keep Your Chimney In Tip-Top Shape This Summer
With summer in full swing, many families from Columbia, SC, to Augusta, GA, are enjoying hiking, barbecues, swimming, and all their favorite outdoor activities. While the fireplace or stove is probably not on the top of your mind, it’s a good idea to carve out some time for much-needed maintenance. This way, it will be ready for when chilly weather arrives without unpleasant surprises that could pose a health or safety risk. In this article, we will discuss six hot tips on how to keep your chimney in tip-top shape this summer.
1. Close the Damper
Make sure you close the damper to keep inside air from escaping or drafting out through the chimney when the fireplace is not in use. This will ensure you are cooling your home with efficiency when you turn your air conditioning system on It will help to keep your chimney in tip-top condition.
2. Clean the Firebox
Another summer maintenance hot tip is to clean the firebox. After months of use during the winter, removing the creosote, soot, and corrosive combustion residue from the masonry firebox walls is essential. Use a vacuum or broom to sweep debris from the fireplace floor. See any bits of clay in the fireplace? This could indicate that your chimney liner needs repair or replacement, so call your Advanced Chimney Sweep professional immediately.
3. Recycle the Ashes
Most masonry fireplaces have an ash dump in the floor under the firebox to make it easy to remove the ashes. When the fireplace is cool, shovel the ashes into a metal container. There are many ways to recycle ashes, such as sprinkling them in the garden to add nutrients to the soil, crafting homemade soap, polishing silver, and more. Since a cord of wood creates about 50 pounds of ash, you may need to empty the dump during the winter.
4. Schedule a Chimney Inspection
With the mild weather compared to winter, summer is an excellent time to schedule an annual chimney inspection in Aiken, SC, and neighboring communities. An inspection is critical to look for flammable creosote, blockages, masonry cracks, and other damage that increase the risk of fire, safety, and structural hazards without immediate repair. Our Certified Chimney Professionals will determine whether cleaning is necessary.
5. Make Chimney Repairs
The warmer summer weather is also an excellent time to make those chimney repairs, like installing a new chimney cap or flue liner or upgrading the fireplace to a more energy-efficient, less polluting system that will reduce your heating costs when winter rolls in. It will also help keep your chimney in top condition this summer and beyond.
6. Waterproof the Chimney
Waterproofing your chimney this summer is another excellent way to maintain it in tip-top shape. However, completing tuckpointing, repointing, individual brick replacement, and other masonry work is essential before applying a protective sealant formulated for brick chimneys.
Proper chimney maintenance will protect your home and family and save you time getting your fireplace ready for the winter. With a professional chimney inspection and cleaning from the professionals at Advanced Chimney Sweep you can keep your chimney in top shape this summer and avoid more extensive repairs in the future. We serve the entire Central Augusta River Area and South Carolina Midlands region, including Evans, GA; Hephzibah, GA; Lexington, SC; Orangeburg, SC; and all areas in between.
Call (803) 508-3990 or (706) 833-4630 today to schedule an appointment, or contact us.
