Santa's Friend Chimney Service Blog

Understanding Your Gas Fireplace

Fireplaces have long been a desired feature for homeowners. Sitting at home on a cold winter night, a fireplace will not only keep you warm, but also add to the ambiance of home. Today, homeowners can add a fireplace to their home, even if they do not have a chimney in place. This has made gas fireplaces an extremely popular choice for homeowners.

A gas fireplace operates in much the same way as a gas stove. There is a pilot light that ignites the main fire source. Instead of having wood logs, however, the fireplace contains imitation logs, which are available in a variety of materials. When lit, most have a hard time distinguishing gas fireplaces from wood fireplaces.

An advantage in having a gas fireplace is that gas burns clean, compared to a wood fireplace that creates smoke and can cause a creosote buildup in the flue of the chimney. In addition, modern gas fireplaces are more energy efficient, as there are ventless fireplaces that can be used. Instead of a significant portion of the heat escaping through the chimney, it remains in the room, making the fireplace a more effective source of heat.

If a homeowner does not have a chimney in place, installing a gas fireplace makes much more sense. A wood-burning fireplace would require extensive remodeling to have a chimney installed. Because gas fireplaces can be installed without vents, the homeowner avoids the added costs and can add the fireplace with minimal remodeling costs.

While there is much less maintenance and cleanup required, the homeowner needs to be aware that some maintenance is required. The fireplace will still have to be cleaned on occasion to remove buildup from dust, carbon, and soot. In addition, if this is being installed in a previous wood burning fireplace with chimney, the homeowner should still have an annual chimney inspection.

Things to Know Before You Buy Firewood This Season

You just moved into a new home and have a beautiful fireplace that you cannot wait to use. Before you strike that first match, though, do you know what type of firewood to use? Do you know how to find a reliable and trustworthy dealer? Do you know how much firewood you should buy?

Yes, there are dealers out there looking to scam buyers or doing things illegally to turn a quick profit. Firewood dealers are required to have a license from the local forestry service. This lets the buyer know they are farming their wood from approved areas and not doing anything illegal for their stock.

In addition to being licensed, they should also be able to furnish you with a list of references (for home delivery service). Experience will tell you that any dealer not willing to provide references more than likely has a long string of unhappy customers. It is an early warning sign to find someone else.

Dealers are generally required to sell wood by the cord. This is important because it will dictate the size of your order. Every cord equals 128 cu ft. To give you a visual, picture a stack of wood eight feet long, four feet tall, and four feet wide.

Certain woods will last longer and split easier. For instance, locust is very difficult to get started burning and is quite difficult to split. On the other hand, pine splits easily and ignites quickly, but it will also burn quicker. Woods like hickory and maple offer an ideal combination of being fairly easy to ignite and split, but also offer a better coaling quality, meaning they burn longer. In addition, these woods produce little smoke when burning.

Finally, you want to make sure the wood has been dried properly if you are buying it. Obviously, moist wood does not ignite quickly or burn well. Signs of properly dried wood are graying color, splitting, and bark that falls off easily.

Chimney Fire Facts

We always hear about the romantic features of a chimney as well as the heating benefits when buying a home. What the real estate agents or existing homeowners do not tell you is about the dangers of fires. Now, this is not to scare you away from buying a home with a chimney or in having one installed; you just need to be aware of these dangers and how to prevent a fire from happening out of sheer ignorance.

Creosote buildup is one of the leading causes of chimney fires. Wood burning fireplaces can generate significant creosote buildup within the lining of the chimney. It only takes one eighth of an inch to be considered dangerous. This is a highly combustible material, and it is one of the main reasons we recommend an annual chimney inspection and cleaning.

When purchasing a home, there are several signs for which you can look to see if there was previously a chimney fire. You, or a professional, should look for these signs prior to purchase, as they could result in costly repairs in order to operate the fireplace safely again.

1. Honey-combed creosote buildup
2. Cracked flue tiles or tiles that have large chunks missing
3. A discolored chimney cap
4. If the TV antenna or satellite dish is located close to the chimney, check for discoloration
5. Creosote flakes found inside of fireplace or in surrounding area outside of home (they may have been discharged from the chimney and carried by the wind)
6. Warped metal damper
7. Discolored or cracked masonry work on exterior of chimney

If you see any of these signs, call a certified chimney sweep immediately to have the chimney professionally inspected. There are multiple levels of inspections related to potential problems. In this case, you may have the upper tier of inspections to outline and problems as well as a plan of action to have the chimney repaired.

That Roof Leak Could Possibly Be a Chimney Leak

Many homeowners see water dripping from their attics or upper story ceilings and immediately assume that the roof is leaking. In some cases, the chimney may actually be the source of the problem. The chimney sits atop the home, where it vents hot air and smoke from the fireplace. It is often neglected until it stops doing its job, which can prevent many homeowners from realizing that there is a problem in the area.

Chimneys may look simple but they feature intricate construction and perform complex tasks. A masonry chimney can suffer at the hands of weather conditions, resulting in loose masonry, an obstructed flue, or a damaged liner. The brick, concrete, mortar, stone, cast iron, steel, and flue tile present in many chimneys are adversely affected when they come in contact with or are penetrated by water.

After prolonged contact with water, most materials that form a masonry chimney will deteriorate. Freezing and thawing can cause masonry materials to erode rapidly because the expanding and freezing process causes undue stress on the materials. Water can also rust cast iron, steel, and other metals used in the chimney, weakening or destroying these components.

When water penetrates the chimney, it can deteriorate the masonry or metal firebox and rot wood adjacent to the fireplace. The chimney exterior and walls and ceilings within the home may develop water stains. Mortar on the chimney exterior can decay and the chimney flue liner may deteriorate or crack. Even the support for the hearth can be affected, resulting in collapse.

Homeowners who suspect a roof leak should contact a professional to ensure that it is not really a chimney leak. Chimney crown, flashing, or mortar joint repair or replacement may solve the problem. Installing a chimney cap can prevent future water penetration and has the added benefit of deterring animals from nesting in the chimney.