Time to Get Your Chimney Cleaned!

Each season having your chimney cleaned is a must! Why? Because when used, chimneys build up creosote, which can cause chimney fires. Having a Long Island chimney sweep clean your chimney on a yearly basis is ideal. The good news is a professional chimney sweep can make it happen without causing a mess. If they know what they are doing, they will put down cloths and be handy with a dry-vac to minimize any mess. You won't even notice we're there!

Mary Poppins!

My mother always made me watch Mary Poppins with her and because of that when I had my own chimney I was excited to find a chimney sweep in Long Island. I sang the songs every single time he showed up to clean the chimney and I am sure that it annoyed him every time. But I didn’t care, I was in the chimney sweep spirit and he did such a great job!  I knew it was going to be hard work to have a chimney and there was no way that I would know how to clean it properly. Why wouldn’t I relish in the Poppins-esque reference?

There Are Critters in My Chimney!

I got a call the other day from someone who, before even introducing themselves, exclaimed, "There are critters in my chimney!" The caller was a woman with 2 young children so she was pretty panicked at the idea of the "critters" coming down the chimney and terrorizing her family.

Luckily, I was able to quickly assure her that the animals in her chimney would probably not come all the way down and were probably quite happy hanging out where they were. Squirrels and other small animals like the shelter they can get from a chimney, especially in nastier weather. I let her know that all she had to do was call a licensed, professional NYC chimney sweep and they would be able to take care of it for her. They will probably install a new chimney cap as well so this issue does not happen again. She liked that answer!

Why Get A Chimney Sweep?

Although this may be an obvious answer to some, I've been asked it enough to know it is worth discussing here. Additionally, those who think they know the answer may only know one reason and may even learn something from the other reasons. So read on!

The main reasons to get a professional Long Island chimney sweep and sweep are as follows:

1. A proper inspection of your chimney by a licensed professional is essential to making sure it is safe to use. Ensuring that your chimney can be operated safely is the #1 priority of all reputable chimney service companies. If there are blockages in your chimney or excess build up, you could be looking at a very serious fire hazard or you could breathe in fatal amounts of carbon dioxide if not all of the smoke is escaping.
2. Certain animals love chimneys. Especially as temperatures get colder and weather gets wetter, animals are looking for dry warm places to seek shelter. For squirrels, raccoons and other varmints that can clime, a chimney is a nice easy opening to get into to nest. Even if they animals have come and gone, they could have created blockages while they were roosting in your chimney.
3. Cracks need to be repaired. Cracks in the chimney can usually easily be repaired if they are noticed and dealt with before they turn into a bigger problem. Larger chimney issues can cause massive problems and cost a lot more to fix so it is always better to have a trained professional find and deal with problems sooner rather than later.
4. Save on energy and heating costs. A high-functioning chimney (especially those with a wood-burning stove) can produce a lot of heat for a home and can usually be maintained for a fraction of the cost of burning natural gas or using electricity. Properly maintained chimneys will produce bigger, better and safer fires.

Those are the best reasons I give when asked this question. Post a comment if you can think of others!

Welcome!

Welcome to "Chimney Chief"!

This blog is all about chimneys, chimney repair, chimney maintenance, chimney sweeps, chimney cleaning, chimney caps, fat men and how they fit down chimneys, whether it is more practical for elves to go down the chimney instead, and how to fit oversize presents down chimneys.

So get ready - we've got a lot to talk about!