Here Is A Guide To Chimney Cleaning Logs

Here Is A Guide To Chimney Cleaning Logs You’ve probably noticed creosote building up in your flue if you have a chimney and maybe even had it cleaned a few times. Creosote buildup can lead to chimney fires that can endanger your home and your family. A popular method to get rid of creosote buildup is using chimney cleaning logs.  Here we will discuss what chimney cleaning logs are, how they function, and why they are necessary. Before we discuss how cleaning logs function, let us understand how creosote finds its way onto the walls of your flue. Two circumstances may lead to a creosote buildup:  Burning green wood that isn’t dry: As a result of burning green wood, the fire will not reach the necessary temperatures and, as such, will not get hot enough. Hence, condensation will begin to occur, and the smoke will turn to creosote that will stick to the walls of your chimney.  A problem with the airflow: If the ventilation system of your chimney stops working, condensation will occur, and any smoke present will turn to creosote that will cling to your chimney. You should call professional chimney sweeps every eight to ten months to have your chimney cleaned. However, during the period between two cleaning sessions; a lot of creosote can pile up on the walls of the flue. This is mainly the reason that cleaning logs are used. You simply need to place the log within your firebox and burn it. As the log slowly begins to burn, the creosote stuck on the flue walls will loosen and fall.  Using cleaning logs eliminate your need to inspect your chimney regularly.  Now that we have discussed how cleaning logs function, let us discuss why cleaning logs are necessary for the safety of your chimney. There are three stages to a creosote buildup. In the beginning; there will be small black pieces of creosote on the walls of your flue, and you can simply brush the pieces and throw them away.  Afterward, the pieces will turn into a thick liquid. At this point; you will need to call in experts who can remove the creosote without causing any damage to your chimney.  The creosote will turn into a glaze during the last stage and spread throughout your chimney. You will have no other option than to replace the chimney liner completely.  Using chimney logs can help stop the creosote buildup during the first stage. However, once the creosote begins to fall, you will need to clean the firebox to completely remove the creosote from your chimney.  Here are a few steps you can take to keep your chimney safe: You should burn dry wood that does not cause creosote buildup and never use green wood. Avoid using household cleaning products to clean your chimney or firebox. Clean your firebox and remove ashes and fire debris regularly.  Avoid dousing your fire with water. Wait for at least 12-15 hours after you have extinguished a fire before you begin to clean your firebox.  While chimney cleaning logs are essential, you must have your chimney cleaned regularly. If you have found a creosote buildup in your chimney, Brushers Chimneys is here to assist you. You can call us at (346) 258-3497.

Do You Know The Importance Of Chimney Ventilation?

Do You Know The Importance Of Chimney Ventilation? Proper chimney ventilation is essential for your well-being and your family’s. Your chimney controls the airflow within your home; and the lack of adequate ventilation could make the house feel less hospitable and cozy.  Let us begin with how your chimney controls your house’s ventilation. When you light a fire within your firebox combustion, the gases then flow through a passageway called a flue that acts as an exhaust before exiting your home through the chimney. If the ventilation in your home is appropriate, you will breathe good quality air. However, carbon monoxide will find its way into your home if there is a block in the vent. Carbon monoxide is a lethal gas that is extremely dangerous and has disastrous effects on your body. If the airflow within your home is affected, condensation will begin to occur. Slowly, dampness and mold will start to form. The best way to stop condensation would be through mechanical ventilation or dehumidification. We will need to first discuss how a chimney works to understand ventilation. As hot gases move away from a fire, a pressure difference is created between the flue and the room, and we call this the draught. The draught forces air into the fireplace that feeds the fire. If the ventilation is inappropriate, the draught generated within the flue will be inefficient. As such, the fire will not burn properly. While you will witness heavy flames, the fire will not produce heat. However, the flame will release large amounts of smoke into your household. Sometimes, the chimney ventilation within your home may be adequate. However, a downdraught may occur. A downdraught is when smoke released from a fire does not escape from the vent but returns to the firebox and enters your home.  It is possible that because the room is airtight, the low pressure may create a vacuum that attracts the smoke back down the flue and into your home. You can get rid of this problem by installing an air vent or chimney cowl that deflects the wind away from the smoke; making sure that the vacuum does not form.  It is essential that even unused chimneys get ventilation because if ventilation stops, condensation will begin to occur, and as moisture begins to form, the chimney structure will deteriorate. And as such, an accident may occur, which could cause severe harm to your home, belongings, and family. If the chimney has not been in use for a while, it must be sealed at the top or bottom to maintain airflow within your home. If someone within your family suffers from allergies or asthma, we recommend that you take extreme care. Ventilation problems may aggravate their medical condition. As we have discussed, chimney ventilation is vital for your home, and it allows you to enjoy the comfort of your home and breathe good quality air. If you have problems with your ventilation system; feel free to Brushers Chimneys, our experts will guide you and instruct you on the best possible solution. You can call us at (346) 258-3497.

Is There A Bird Nest In Your Chimney? Here’s What You Can Do

Is There A Bird Nest In Your Chimney? Here’s What You Can Do If you’ve recently discovered a bird nest in your chimney, do not worry. Birds like to build their nests in safe and dry locations at a high altitude. As such, chimneys are perfect for their needs. This blog discusses why birds choose to build nests within chimneys; how this may affect your home and the steps you can take to remove the nest. Jackdaws and barn swallow often build their nest within chimneys. The first sign you will find will be twigs and other materials dropping down from your chimney. At this point, you must not wait and call experienced chimney sweeps immediately. If you have a bird nesting in your chimney, you may also hear flapping, rustling, scratching, chirping, or hooting noises within your home. Remember that first remove the nest and then light a fire. If the nest catches fire, the fire may spread, causing a chimney fire that may cause massive damage to your home. Another reason why you should not light a fire because the nest may stop hazardous gases from leaving your home, endangering your health and your family’s. A bird nest can cause a lot of distress to your family; birds can infect your home with pests, including ticks, mites, and even fleas. Histoplasmosis is an infection caused when you breathe in the spores of a fungus found in bird droppings. Histoplasmosis affects the lungs causing pneumonia, and if left untreated, it can be fatal.   Now let us discuss the steps you can take to remove the bird’s nest. First, you will need to block off the entry so that the bird and their droppings do not find a way into your home. If you are able to stop the bird’s passage while it is still making its nest; it may find the space cramped and choose to leave. However, you will need to take extra care and precaution. The law states that it is illegal to move an active nest, and hence you must act before the bird lays any eggs within the nest and while the nest is abandoned. Once the nest is left abandoned, you can use metal rods to break it down. However, you must take extreme care and follow the safety protocols necessary. You will need to cover your eyes with safety goggles and keep a safe distance. When you will poke the nest, debris and dust will begin to fall, so beware of the bacteria and fungus present in the debris. Once you have removed the nest, you will still need to clean your chimney. You will need to take your time and make sure that the nesting material is completely clean.   While removing a bird’s nest is always possible, we recommend that you take the necessary precautions and install a chimney cap. A chimney cap will stop birds and other animals from making nests in your chimneys and improve ventilation.  If you have found a bird’s nest in your chimney, do not worry, Brushers Chimneys can assist you in removing it. You can call us at (346) 258-3497.

A Short Guide To Chimney Restoration And Repairs-Part 2

A Short Guide To Chimney Restoration And Repairs-Part 2 Continuing our discussion on chimney restoration; here we will discuss how you can repair and replace any cracked bricks and the benefits of repairing your chimney. If cracks have begun to appear within an individual brick, you will first need to clean the insides of the crack using a putty knife before cleaning the outside with a wire brush. Afterward, you will need to simply apply some high heat mortar to the crack. However, if the crack within the brick is small or hairline cracks have begun to appear, you will be unable to use high-heat mortar. Hence you will need to use a brush to apply a masonry sealer to seal the crack. If your roof and chimney are suffering from a water leak, we recommend a step flash to stop the water from flowing down and direct it towards its correct course. If the damage to the bricks is extreme, it would be best to remove the brick altogether. While removing and replacing a single brick is possible, it is difficult. Make sure there is no effect on the adjacent bricks.  The first step will be to remove the brick. You will need a masonry chisel to tear through the mortar between the bricks. Remember to take your time and ensure that other bricks do not get damaged during the procedure. Once the mortar between the bricks is chipped away, you feel that the brick has loosened. If so, try to pull the brick slowly, but do not act in haste. Now it’s time to replace the brick you just pulled out. First, you will need to butter the replacement brick with mortar using a small trowel. Next, you will need to push the brick in place and remove any excess mortar that you can find. Now that you know the steps to restore and repair your chimney; let us discuss the benefits of repairing your chimney: As we discussed in the earlier blog; a clogged chimney disrupts the airflow within your home, releasing harmful gases that can cause severe harm to you and your family into your home. Hence, repairing your chimney is beneficial to your mental and physical health and your family’s. Due to a clogged chimney, smoke and ash can cause massive damage to your furniture, clothing, and rugs. Spending a little time and money on repairs can help you save a lot of money buying new furniture and carpets. An unrepaired chimney can cause damage to your roof; and water leaking through the outer brick and the flue can have a disastrous impact on roof systems and interior ceilings. If you do not opt to repair your chimney, there is a chance that this could damage the insulation and the floor. In the previous blog, we discussed what creosote is and how it may affect your home and cause chimney fires if it isn’t regularly cleaned. During the chimney repairs, you will also get an opportunity to evaluate the creosote buildup. If you need help with your chimney restoration, Brushers Chimneys is happy to assist you. You can call us at (346)258-3497.

A Short Guide To Chimney Restoration And Repairs

If you are experiencing cracks in your chimney; you will need to repair them before such cracks cause your home any damage. Here is a guide to chimney restoration, where we will discuss how you can restore your chimney and patch it up. As there is a lot of information for you, we have divided this blog into two parts hence keep an out for the continuation.  The first step will be to repoint the mortar that holds the bricks of your chimney together. You will need a joint raker to scrape the weak mortar out. Once you’re done, you will need to spray some water on the bricks with your garden hose. Now, you will need to prepare some new mortar and press it into the open joints using a pointing trowel.  The joint between the flue and the concrete cap at the top of the chimney, usually called the crown, is crucial. Slowly cracks begin to form in this joint, and water flows down the flue through the cracks. First, you will need to remove the moss and weakened mortar using a wire brush. Next, you have to fill the gap using a caulk gun and some high-heat mortar.  However, there is still a lot of work left at the crown. The top of the crown is sloped, and exposure to rainwater and snow can often cause the sloped part to experience large cracks. The crack may be an inch or longer, and hence you will need to inject the mixture into the gap with a squeeze bottle.  Sometimes the cracks may be tiny; such cracks are called hairline cracks. However, you will not be able to use mortar to patch up such small cracks, and hence you will require a masonry sealer. You will need a brush to apply the sealer.   Why Should You Repair Your Chimney? While repairing your chimney, you will find a thick, black film on the insides of the chimney. This is a byproduct of fire and is called creosote. Creosote is highly flammable, and hence you must regularly clean your chimney. However, chimney fires are often caused because people do not know that there is a creosote buildup within their chimneys. Repairing your chimney will allow you to inspect your chimney and evaluate its cleanliness. If you have cracks within your chimney, the wood burner will be unable to ignite proper fires. Hence, the wood burner will produce weak fires. These fires will emit very little heat and a lot of smoke.  Unrepaired, your chimney may become clogged. As such, carbon monoxide and other harmful gases may find a way into your home, causing various mental and physical diseases, such as memory loss, loss of concentration, hearing loss, and vision loss.   What’s Next For You? Now that we have discussed the risks associated with unrepaired chimneys, in our second part of the blog, we will talk about how to repair and replace any cracked bricks and the benefits of repairing your chimney. Chimney restoration is a tedious process. If you require any assistance, you can contact Brushers Chimneys at (346) 258-3497. We are happy to assist you in repairing your chimney.

When is it time to clean my Dryer Vent?

When is it time to clean my Dryer Vent? If your dryer doesn’t always perfectly dry your clothes each and every time. If you’re finding yourself with particularly damp clothes even after a full drying cycle, or you’ve noticed that the outside of the dryer becomes very hot while doing its job, it may be time to clean out your dryer vent ducts. Cleaning these ducts isn’t just important for your clothes and time. Over months and years, lint can accumulate in these ducts and mix with hot air and ignite, creating a fire hazard. Every year, dryer duct fires cause $35 million in damages, hundreds of injuries and even deaths. If you ever notice a burning stench in your laundry room, this is another indication you should get cleaning sooner rather than later. Experts recommend you clean out your dryer ducts twice a year. Contact Brushers Chimneys, Houston’s #1 Dryer Vent, Air Duct, and Chimney company.

Is it important to clean my chimney?

Is it important to clean my chimney? 6 Common Chimney Maintenance Tips Nothing beats enjoying your fireplace on a cold winter night. It’ll keep you warm and looks stunningly beautiful. However, if you don’t follow a few chimney maintenance tips, it might not be safe to use your fireplace.Maintaining your fireplace and chimney is crucial to keeping your home safe when using your fireplace. Without proper attention and cleaning, you’re susceptible to fires and water damage. Plus, you can save money on your energy bills.These 6 chimney maintenance tips will help ensure that your fireplace and chimney are well taken care of and working properly. Don’t worry about anything because Brushers Chimneys is here to help! 1. Have a Functioning Fireplace Damper Your fireplace damper makes a huge difference in your home’s energy efficiency. When you’re not using your fireplace, the dampers should be closed to keep outside drafts from getting into your home through the chimney. If your damper isn’t closing, it’s going to reflect on your energy bills. It’ll be much harder for your furnace or air conditioner to achieve your desired temperature because they’ll constantly be in battle with the drafts. They’ll end up using more power to heat or cool your home and the price of your electric and heating bills will skyrocket. When you use your fireplace, the dampers need to be open. If your dampers are broken and can’t open, you can’t use your fireplace. The damper will trap the smoke in your home causing you to breathe in carbon monoxide which is very bad for your health.Having your dampers fixed or replaced when they’re not working properly is crucial. When getting a replacement fireplace damper, make sure it fits properly – it must be snug and not have any gaps. 2. Make Sure your Chimney is Waterproof Moisture and the elements can be major problems for your chimney. They can weaken the structural integrity of your chimney, cause mold and even damage the walls and floor around your fireplace. You’ll need to make sure your chimney waterproofing, chase cover, crown and flashing are all functioning properly. Start by waterproofing your chimney. Adding a water sealant to the outside of your chimney will prevent moisture from breaking down the bricks and mortar and sneaking into you home. There’s a large hole at the top of your chimney which allows smoke to escape. You don’t want to seal that hole but you also don’t want rain and snow from getting into your home. What can you do? For prefabricated chimneys, chase covers also knowns as chimney caps are a must have for chimney and fire place owners. It covers the top while still allowing smoke to escape through a small pipe. Most prefabricated chimneys come with galvanized steel chase covers which tend to rust. Replace then with a stainless steel, copper or aluminum chase cover so you don’t have to worry about rust again. For masonry chimneys, you’ll need to get a crown. It’s a concrete cover that prevents anything from getting into your home. Like chase covers, the smoke escapes through a pipe coming from the crown. The flashing is where the chimney meets the roof. Without a sealant going around the meeting point, moisture can seep into your home. Make sure your flashing is in good condition. 3. Know When to Have Your Chimney Swept No matter what type of fireplace you have, you’ll need your chimney swept in order to keep your home safe. The question is, how often do you need a chimney sweeping? While there’s no specific amount of time to get your chimney cleaned, there are a few things to consider. The amount you use your fireplace will determine how often you have your chimney swept. Once the chimney liner has 1/8″ of soot, it needs to be cleaned.If you’re not sure how to measure soot, there’s an easy metric you can use – your chimney should be cleaned every 50 burns. This differs from the type of fireplace you have. For instance, a gas log fireplace needs to be swept less often than a wood burning fireplace. About 50 burns is a good place to start. 4. Gas Log Fireplaces Are Better for Your Chimney Than Wood Burning Ones This is one of the more unique chimney maintenance tips. Replacing a wood burning fireplace with a gas log fireplace could be safer for your home. Gas logs burn much greener than real logs – they produce a less harmful smoke and are extremely energy efficient. In fact, they have a 92%-99% efficiency rating vs the typical 60%-80%.Not only is that safer for the efficiency, but it’s safe for you. Since the gas log fireplace is burning up to 99% of the gas used, there’s less soot in your chimney. That means you can go longer between chimney sweeps and you’re less at risk of fires. 5. Make Sure Your Mortar Joints and Bricks Aren’t Crumbling The bricks and mortar joints of your chimney play a crucial role in avoiding water damage inside of your home. However, they begin to crack and crumble over time and give moisture an entrance into your home.Chimney tuckpointing is the act of repairing mortar. If you notice that your mortar is crumbling and the bricks are starting to become loose, then you’re in need of chimney tuckpointing.Make sure you get a waterproofing sealant for your chimney stack. This will help keep the mortar and bricks protected from moisture. 6. Have Your Chimney Inspected Once Per Year Just looking at your chimney isn’t enough to spot problems – some are underlying and need a professional to find them. Having a chimney inspection once per year is crucial to ensure your chimney’s safety.These Chimney Maintenance Tips Will Save You Money and Keep Your Home SafeThere are many different chimneys and home maintenance tips but these are our 6 favorites. They cover everything from chimney inspections to completely changing how you use your fireplace. Brushers Chimneys offers everything

Here Is A Step by Step Guide On How To Clean A Chimney

Here Is A Step by Step Guide On How To Clean A Chimney Maintaining a chimney isn’t easy, and if you are going to clean it on your own, you will need to take a few precautions. Here we will talk about how to clean a chimney on your own, what equipment and tools you will require, and what precautions you should take. First, you are going to need a metal bristle brush for a clay flue liner and a second brush that has plastic bristles for a metal liner.  You will also need a bendable noodle brush and a long-handled brush. You will use the noodle brush to clean the smoke shelf and the long-handled brush to clean the sides of the firebox. Now that you have all the necessary equipment, it’s time to begin. First, you will place a canvas tarp over the hearth and tape poly sheeting over the fireplace. Once you are done, seal the poly sheeting with some duct tape. Make sure to close all the windows and doors of your home. The soot mustn’t find a way back into your home.  Now it’s time to begin cleaning the flue. You will need to ram your brush multiple times on the vent to get the soot out. Once you have completed the task, it’s time to move on to fireplace cleaning, right at the top of the chimney. You will need to add multiple rods and allow the hose to move down the chimney. Afterward, come back into your home and begin cleaning the firebox.  There are two steps to cleaning a firebox. First, you will need to use the noodle brush to clean the smoke shelf, and later you will need the long-handled brush to clean the sides. Lastly, you will need to clean the poly sheeting and canvas tarp that you previously placed. If you find a heavy creosote buildup while cleaning your chimney, you will need to stop cleaning and call in experienced cleaners.  There are multiple reasons why you need to clean your chimney regularly:   A buildup of creosote within the chimney can be hazardous for your home, and it may lead to chimney fires that could cause massive amounts of damage to your house. If the chimney remains dirty, toxic gases such as carbon monoxide may enter your home. Carbon monoxide can cause memory loss, vision loss, and hearing loss. Hence, it is essential that you regularly clean your chimney.  Your chimney is directly connected to your roof. If cracks begin to appear within the chimney, rainwater and snow can find a way to enter your home. Cleaning your chimney will also allow you to inspect your roof. If you find that cracks have begun to appear within your chimney, you will need to act swiftly.   Keeping your chimney clean is difficult, especially in cases of huge creosote buildup. Brushers Chimneys can help you clean your chimney or instruct you on how to clean it yourself. If you want to know how to clean a chimney or need any assistance, feel free to call us at (346)258-3497.