Louisville Chimney Safety Experts

Fireplaces are highly valued for the enjoyment they bring when fires are flickering, but safety should always be the first consideration. Many fatalities, injuries, and house fires are caused by lack of proper maintenance in the U.S. every year. The most serious issues that can be avoided with proper chimney upkeep are deadly carbon monoxide poisoning, chimney fires, and premature deterioration and ultimately failure of the fireplace and chimney system. You can be confident your fireplace is safe to use by calling on trained experts like the technicians at Louisville Chimney Sweep & Repair, LLC, for chimney inspections and other needed chimney services.

Your Chimney & the Silent Killer

If you use your fireplace while neglecting routine chimney maintenance, your home and family are potentially exposed to deadly carbon monoxide (CO) fumes. CO is odorless, tasteless, and invisible. The toxic gas can enter your home when fires are burning, if there is a lack of proper ventilation or an obstruction in the chimney. Exposure to carbon monoxide is very dangerous especially because it is not immediately obvious. Prolonged exposure and/or exposure to high concentrations of CO can cause an individual to pass out or die. Initially, CO causes confusion, dizziness, a headache, and vomiting. Oftentimes, when people realize they’ve been exposed, it’s too late to escape.

Proper chimney maintenance can help to ensure that your home is safe from CO poisoning. In addition, always be careful to open dampers before using the fireplace. It is also essential to have carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors installed on each level of your home, especially near bedrooms. CO detectors and smoke detectors should be routinely checked to be sure they are working when a fireplace or solid fuel stove is used in the home.

The Importance of Preventing Chimney Fires

Chimney cleaning is important anytime creosote and soot have built up to 1/8” or more. Some homeowners have mistaken believed that a chimney fire is helpful to burn out the buildup of creosote in the chimney lining, but that is actually extremely dangerous. Chimney fires burn at excessive temperatures that can cause a flue lining to fail, which can lead to the kind of raging house fire that rarely leaves time for anyone in a home to escape.

To avoid a dangerous chimney fire, schedule routine chimney cleaning. The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) recommends having both an annual chimney inspection and chimney cleaning, for safety purposes.

Avoid Chimney Failure

Annual chimney inspections provide peace of mind, since they help to prevent hazardous conditions. You can also, however, avoid high repair costs by catching signs of deterioration early. The chimney exterior is constantly under assault by the elements, and moisture is the biggest threat. It often takes an expert eye to recognize initial stages of moisture damage. Without needed chimney services, the chimney could become unsafe to use and a partial or total chimney rebuild could become necessary.

Contact Certified Chimney Experts

Avoid all of the potential chimney problems that affect safety and impact the cost of your maintenance expenses by calling the certified professionals at Louisville Chimney Sweep & Repair at (502) 410-4019 today.