Top Signs You May Need a Cary Chimney Inspection
Top Signs You May Need a Cary Chimney Inspection
If you have a chimney which you use regularly throughout the fall and winter, it’s essential to have your it inspected and cleaned at least once a year. Buildup of soot and debris, as well as other problems, can present a serious threat to your safety and your home’s structural integrity. In today’s post our Cary chimney contractor explains some top signs you are in need of a chimney inspection and repair.
Difficulty Starting Fires
If you struggle to start a fire in your fireplace, or can start it, but cannot keep it burning, it could be due to a problem in the chimney shaft that is preventing proper air flow. You must have good air flow to maintain a fire, and too much or too little will prevent it from burning correctly. If it has become very challenging to start a fire in a fireplace that used to run without issue, contact a chimney sweep for an inspection.
A Bad Smell
If you smell a strong, foul odor in your fireplace the next time you have a fire, there might be an issue that is preventing the updraft system from working properly. You might also have a buildup of creosote, a toxic substance created by smoke, that has become so thick as to become noticeably pungent.
Greasy Black Soot
If you touch the walls inside your fireplace and find a greasy black substance, that is a sign that you should schedule an appointment with a Raleigh chimney repair company immediately. If the grease burns, it can cause a house fire fairly quickly, and will emit chemicals that cause respiratory illnesses.
Smoke Buildup
If your home seems very smoky while your fire is burning, there may be a blockage in the chimney shaft preventing smoke from escaping. Chimney blockages can be caused by leaves, branches, or even animals who have entered the flue due to a shifted or broken chimney cap.
No matter what is causing the blockage, it is important not to burn a fire until it has been safely removed. Leaves and plant debris can ignite and cause a fire, and burning an animal alive, aside from being emotionally upsetting, will leave you with rotting meat inside your chimney—not an easy smell to tolerate or remove.
Having Issues with Your Chimney? Call our Cary Chimney Repair Company
Nexus Chimney Services is a Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) certified chimney company in Cary which provides quality chimney inspections, chimney cleaning services, and chimney repairs. If you are in need of a Cary chimney repair or similar service, please schedule an appointment with us today.