Checking your chimney yearly and doing a thorough chimney sweeping will ensure the safe operation of your chimney. If your chimney isn’t maintained, it can quickly become dangerous for you, your family and your home. Whether you choose to do the work yourself or hire a professional, some important things need to be checked during chimney sweeping. Fires create dangerous gases that can eat at the flue lining your fireplace. You should check the flue before you sweep your chimney. If it is damaged, it could allow the gasses to seep into living spaces and not vent it outside. An ill-fitting flue liner can cause extreme heat to your home and ignite a fire. To ensure it remains in good condition, flues must be thoroughly inspected during chimney sweeps. You must clean the creosote, or soot deposits. If they allow to build up, they may cause a fire in your chimney.

The chimney crown and chimney cap protect flue and outside area of chimney. These caps and crowns can wear down, crack or become deformed over time. A chimney sweep will also include an assessment of the crowns and caps and any necessary repairs. If there are more severe damage, the crowns need to be replaced. Because they are protected and warm, animals prefer to build nests in flues. Snow and rain can enter the flue, causing water leakages. Nearby trees could drop leaves and branches into the flue, which can lead to blockages or fires. Many chimney caps have a mesh that keeps these things out of your flue. Smoke can deposit soot or creosote into the mesh which slowly reduces the ability for the flue to vent through the chimney caps. Check out the below mentioned site, if you are hunting for additional information concerning birds nest removal.

These can all cause blockages in your flue. They trap heat and gases from a fire inside your house instead of venting outside. To check for blockages and buildups in the flue, a chimney sweep will include removing the cap. After that, the cap should be cleaned. When a flue gets damaged, the gases generated by fires can cause damage to your chimney bricks. Weathering can gradually cause brickwork to deteriorate and mortar to erode. Failure to keep the brickwork maintained can result in expensive repairs being needed. There is a good chance that there are loose bricks up the chimney. They are at risk from weather extremes and hot gases. The brick could fall down into the chimney, damaging the flue, or creating a blockage if it is damaged. These issues must be checked for safety during any chimney sweep. It can also affect the structural stability and safety of your chimney if the brickwork is left to deteriorate.