Preparing chimney for winter – what you need to do
GET A PROFESSIONAL CHIMNEY INSPECTION AND CHIMNEY SWEEPING
This is the most important step in chimney preparation for winter. As you use your fireplace, soot and debris collect on the inside of your chimney. This can tamper with the flames in your replacement and could put your home at risk. To avoid those issues, get a professional chimney sweeping.
As part of our chimney sweeping services at N&M Restoration, we conduct a chimney inspection to check for signs of damage. If there are any issues, you can catch them early on and quickly repair them. The soot in your chimney and fireplace may be masking dangerous issues, or you may not have noticed problem areas because they are not visible from the ground. We use drones to thoroughly inspect the chimney’s exterior. You’ll see exactly what we see, and you’ll know about any repairs that need to be made.
CHECK AND CLEAN ALL CHIMNEY COMPONENTS
There are elements of your chimney and fireplace that may not be included in your chimney sweeping. For instance, if your fireplace has a blower, you may want to clean that before your first fire. You should also consider cleaning your screen and any other elements that may come in contact with the flames. If your chimney has a damaged or missing cap, be sure to replace that right away.
COMPLETE CHIMNEY REPAIRS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE
If your chimney inspection revealed damages, it’s important to correct them quickly. They’re not going to get better on their own. In fact, the freezing and thawing that’s to come will only make the damages worse. Whether you need tuckpointing, brick replacement, cap replacement, or some other form of chimney repair, get it done as soon as you can.
TEST YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS
As a final step in prepping your chimney for winter, test the smoke detectors in your house. Make sure they all have batteries, if applicable, and that they register smoke when you hold a lighter close to them. Assuming everything works correctly, you can gather wood to enjoy your first fire of the season.
