Homeowners: Book Your Chimney Inspection NOW to Have It Ready by Fall!

July 23, 2019

Every year at Nexus Chimney, we face the same situation: the first crisp day of November dawns, and our phones blow up with people who want to light a warm, cozy fire—but can’t, because their chimney is dirty, broken, or uninspected.

Even though we aim to serve every customer who calls us as quickly as possible, during the busy season, our services are in such high demand that we cannot offer same-week service. Unfortunately, many callers must wait a few weeks or even a few months before they can enjoy their fireplace.

That’s why, this year, we’d like to alert local homeowners early: if you want to enjoy chestnuts roasting by an open fire, it’s crucial to schedule your chimney inspection NOW so that we can fit you in. Even though it might seem a little crazy to book a chimney inspection during the summer, it’s actually quite smart. During our “slow” season, we are better able to accommodate your needs. We can also take more time to chat with you—something we’d love to be able to do with every single customer, but unfortunately just isn’t possible during the busy season.

Do I Really NEED a Chimney Inspection?

You might think that a few weeks is quite a long time to wait for a chimney inspection, and that instead of waiting, you might as well go ahead and skip it. However, using a dirty or damaged chimney can be very dangerous for a number of reasons, as outlined below.

  1. The creosote build-up could have reached dangerous levels.

If you burned wood in your fireplace all last winter, and never had it cleaned, then it could now be coated in a layer of creosote, a dense, tar-like substance that is both a fire and health hazard. Only 1/8″ of creosote is enough to cause a house fire, and breathing it in can cause severe respiratory issues, so it is important to have it cleaned out every year.

  1. Birds and animals may have built nests in the chimney.

If a squirrel or raccoon is stuck in your chimney, you will know pretty quickly by the noise (or, if you have been away on vacation for a few weeks, by the dead-animal smell). Therefore, it is unlikely that a chimney cleaning would uncover an animal you didn’t know about. However, the concern is that animals may have built a nest in the chimney during spring, and then left after the breeding season was over. Twigs, leaves, and other materials would then fall into the hole through which the animal entered, forming, along with the nest, a highly-combustible hazard.

  1. Your chimney cap could have shifted.

Heavy summer storms can be enough to dislodge a chimney cap. Or animals, mistaking the chimney for a hollow tree, will chew holes in the chimney cap in order to get in. A broken chimney cap is a big issue, because it will allow moisture to enter the chimney, which will then cause the masonry and mortar to crack and disintegrate. Since a chimney repair of this magnitude will be very expensive, it is important to have a chimney inspection to make sure that everything is working properly.

Schedule Your Chimney Inspection Early with Our Apex Chimney Company

When you skip your chimney inspection, you are putting your life, your family’s lives, and your property in danger—so this is not a home maintenance job on which to cut corners! If you are in need of chimney inspections, repairs, or maintenance in Apex NC or the surrounding areas, call Nexus Chimney Services today. When you schedule with us early, you can beat the fall rush and enjoy a nice, crackling fire as soon as the weather turns cold.