If winter is coming, you will surely need a cozy fireplace to sit and enjoy the season. However, the most important thing you need to ensure is that your chimney and fireplace are in perfect working order and can be used without accidents. Every year, several unattended fires caused by the blockage of ducts destroy a significant part of so many people’s houses. These fire accidents can sometimes get out of hand and become contagious, resulting in more deaths. To cope with this, you need to make sure that your chimney is in good condition before you start preparing for a warm and cozy fire. This article will discuss three tell-tale signs that your duct needs cleaning.
1. If the Air Has Stopped from the Chimney
The first thing you need to observe when checking your chimney is the airflow coming from the chimney. To check it out, you need to open the damper and observe if the air is flowing from the vent since every chimney always has an airflow, whether the fire is lit or not. However, if less oxygen is coming from the chimney, you may have difficulty landing a fire. Even if you have succeeded in lighting a fire with a blocked chimney, the fire will be irregular and show an abnormal pattern. This way, you can quickly know that your fireplace needs your chimney to be cleaned to work correctly.
2. If You Observe Black Spots on the Wall of the Fireplace
Another way to determine if your chimney requires cleanup or not is to observe if your chimney walls have oil deposited on them. Many houses have fire emergencies because of the chimney’s creosote deposits that block the airflow and set fire to burn stronger with the oil. Many house fires also have a burning smell which indicates a problem in the chimney, so the professionals at https://www.jcs-homeservices.com/chimney-inspection-fairfax-va/ have ways to inspect the chimney from inside the duct to prevent the irregular fires from turning into accidents. Since people can only observe fire and minor details, the chimney inspection teams help to get detailed information on how much blockage is in the duct connecting the fireplace and chimney. Once you know the problem, you can easily take action according to its cleaning process.
3. If You Often Heard Animal Voices
There are many cases where the chimneys are blocked because birds or other animals have made their nests in them. In the summer season, the fireplace remains unused and unattended, so the squirrels, mouse, and numerous birds make their nests above the chimney or in between it where it cannot be found easily. That is why, before starting a fire for the first time in the winter, you need to make sure you don’t hear sounds that indicate animals or birds. If you hear anything, you need an inspection or cleaning afterward.
It’s always better to ensure your safety measures before starting to use your fireplace. To ensure this, you need to observe your fireplace and fire and seek cleaners who will clean all the soot and creosote from your fireplace. If you treat the chimney beforehand, then you can easily enjoy your warm and cozy winters with a comfortable and clean fireplace.
