Santa's Friend Chimney Service Blog

Log vs. Sweep

In our lives, we applaud each other for working late, laugh at those who don’t, and measure our self-worth in time stamps.  Meanwhile, those who take the proverbial “easy way out” are ridiculed, criticized and/or passed over for promotions.  An online search returns pages of blogs explaining how to kick the habit of taking it easy.  By all accounts, taking the easy way out seems harmful and counterproductive.  Why, then, do so many of us seem so drawn to the path of least resistance?  If the hard route leads to more profitable outcomes, why aren’t more people willing to go that route?  Why do we tend to look for the easy way out of a situation?

Chimney Sweeping Logs: The Easy Way Out   It’s easier that way, for one.  Physics says that the path of least resistance is generally the one taken.  The decision on the best method for cleaning your chimney should not be one in which you opt for the easy way.  There are all sorts of advertisements for chimney sweeping logs (CSLs) flooding the marketplace today.  These products claim to do the work of a chimney sweep, all for a price of around $15 per log.  Sounds too good to be true, huh?  If you answered yes, you are correct.

Using a log that claims to rid your chimney of creosote may cause more problems than it promises to solve.

What the CSLs Actually Do   It really isn’t the logs that are supposed to do anything; it is the chemicals and minerals they’re impregnated with that do all of the work.  When a CSL is burned, the chemicals and minerals are carried up the flue by the rising exhaust gases.  After entering the flue, they attach themselves to the creosote in your chimney and, over the course of several subsequent fires, break it down, causing it to crumble away from the chimney walls.

What’s in a Name   The name, CSL, is a bit misleading.  One would expect a product called a chimney sweeping log to actually sweep the chimney, or at least perform an equivalent function.  According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), the use of CSLs alone is not an adequate substitute for mechanical chimney cleaning and inspection because they do not provide for the same level of protection to your chimney system.  The CSIA mandates that all CSL manufacturers include a CSIA Accepted Product logo, including the following message: “When used according to the manufacturer’s instructions, this product is accepted by the Chimney Safety Institute of America.  For improved safety and home heating efficiency, CSIA recommends that all chimney and vented appliances be inspected every year by a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep.”

This CSIA recommendation of regular chimney inspection and cleaning should be proof enough that CSLs aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.  If you want to spend your hard earned money on CSLs, please feel free to do so.  However, keep in mind that nothing can ever replace the services provided by a qualified chimney sweeping professional, including annual inspections and cleaning.

Vent Cleaning Time!

There should be no obstructions in your dryer vents. It should be as clear as this!

Excessive lint build up occurs slowly and gradually. You don’t even realize it’s happening. Your dryer vent is one of those forgotten vents in your home that either runs to the roof or through an outer wall to the outside of your home. You think that by cleaning out the lint filter after each load of laundry you are doing your job and maintaining the dryer. To borrow Al Borland’s catch phrase – “I don’t think so, Tim.” What many homeowners don’t realize is the potential fire hazard they’re creating if they don’t have their dryer vent cleaned annually.

Cleaning Tips

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a safety alert on clothes dryer fires, offering several important tips for preventing dryer fires, including dryer vent and dryer duct cleaning:

• Clean your lint trap before or after drying each load of clothes. If clothing is still damp at the end of a typical drying cycle or drying requires longer times than normal, this may be a sign that the lint trap or the exhaust duct is blocked.
• Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct periodically. Check the outside dryer vent while the dryer is operating to make sure exhaust air is escaping. If it’s not, the vent or the exhaust duct may be blocked.
• Clean behind the dryer, where lint can build up. Have a qualified service person clean the interior of the dryer chassis periodically to minimize the amount of lint accumulation. Keep the area around the dryer clean and free of clutter.
• Replace plastic or foil, accordion-type ducting material with rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct. Most manufacturers specify the use of a rigid or corrugated semi-rigid duct, which provides maximum airflow. The flexible plastic or foil type duct can more easily trap lint and is more susceptible to kinks or crushing, which can greatly reduce the airflow.

Clean for Efficacy

A professional dryer vent cleaning will help to reduce excess household dust and humidity as well as preserve clothing, as the life of many fabrics can be damaged by high temperatures. The cleaning will also allow your dryer to operate more efficiently by using less energy, thereby saving you money.

Clean for Safety

Clogged dryer vents are the cause of almost 16,000 house fires each year. A partially obstructed vent filled with lint can cause increased drying times and waste energy while a blocked vent may result in fire. Schedule your dryer vent cleaning with Santa’s Friend Chimney Service if any of the following apply to you: your clothes are still damp after a full drying cycle, there is excessive heat buildup in your laundry room/area, or you use your dryer often. We wish you a safe and happy holiday season.

Your Chimney Liner’s Job

Your Chimney Liner Is An MVP

A chimney liner’s name doesn’t necessarily accurately convey the heavy lifting it does, or its supremely important role in your chimney system. We usually think of liners as add-ons — the shelf liners in our cabinets make things look a little cleaner, our jacket liners make things a little more comfortable, but it is different with chimney liners. If the chimney industry was going to be a little more clear about the importance of the chimney liner, we might call them chimney suits of armor for their protective properties, or chimney foremen for how they make the system work well.

The Chimney liner defends the exterior of your chimney wall from too much heat.

Overall, from the vantage point here at Santa’s Friend Chimney Service, a clean, strong chimney liner is definitely an MVP.

What Your Chimney Liner Does

If we were to boil it down, the chimney liner was developed to solve three key problems with chimney systems: the heavy wear-and-tear of heat and moisture on masonry; the susceptibility of building materials behind that masonry to heat and moisture; and the impeded draft that comes with inconsistencies in damaged flues.

First, your chimney liner provides protection. Whether your liner is made of terra cotta clay or stainless steel, it stands up to heat from your fire and potential moisture intrusion, allowing the masonry that makes up your chimney itself to stand stronger, longer. It also provides a needed extra layer of protection between the flammable beams and building materials in your walls behind the chimney, lessening the chances of a fire hazard.

Protection is just part of the chimney liner’s role, though. The liner also contributes immensely to performance, and draft. Air needs to flow smoothly up and out of your flue for the chimney to properly vent. If you think of your flue kind of like a straw, you’ll get a sense of why “smoothly” is so key. If you try to use a cracked straw, the pressure necessary to draw up becomes near impossible to create. The same kind of thing happens when cracks or gaps are present in your flue. A smooth, properly sized and intact flue liner creates a surface that encourages draft, and makes your chimney work more efficiently. (That’s part of why it’s so important to maintain your flue liner too, and to have damaged flue liners repaired or replaced as soon as possible.

A Flue Liner’s Size Is Important

A damaged clay tile liner is often the reason why Santa’s Friend Chimney Service technicians end up relining a chimney. But damage isn’t the only thing we look for when we’re inspecting a chimney system. A chimney needs to have a clean and intact liner in order to function correctly, but that liner also needs to be the right size. A flue that’s too big or too small for the appliance it’s venting will result in poor draft, increased byproducts and other issues.

To resize an incorrectly sized flue, we’ll install a stainless steel liner. These are great products that will last through years and years of use (when installed by a professional, most carry lifetime warranties).

If you have any questions about what a flue liner does, or what the process of relining or liner repair is like, Santa’s Friend is always willing to help. Give us a call with any questions, or to book an appointment with our experienced technicians!

Getting the Gunk Out

Watch Out for Creosote

There’s just something about fireplaces and chimneys during the winter season that draw you in, again and again. The chill in your bones dissolves into the blissful crackle and pop of a roaring fire. But, if you built that fire with green or wet wood, you’d also have a smoky fire and a rapid buildup of creosote. It is a natural by-product of burning, but when the creosote isn’t regularly removed, it becomes a real concern.

Creosote or a substance commonly known as soot is formed through the condensation of gases and incomplete combustion of wood particles. It is found in your chimney flues and areas in the stone masonry and the four walls of your chimney. It is identified as silky black or dark brown dust.  This is formed by the specific element in creosote which is carbon (doubles the flammability level of creosote) and is also composed of ash which is non-combustible.

We are experienced in identifying and removing creosote from your chimney. Have you had your annual inspection?

Thick formation of creosote is otherwise known as glaze. This is ten times more flammable than typical low-level creosote. This can accumulate a great amount of fuel to burn and is more difficult to remove compared to subtle amounts of creosote.

There are a few reasons why this exists; it might be that enough supplemental heat has already been provided and too much smoke is occupying your room rather than going up the chimney flues. When there is too much soot build-up in the chimneys, this might trigger blazing fires to erupt and destroy your homes in a matter of seconds. The formation of carbon monoxide is not far from the picture and can poison the people in your home and cause unfortunate accidents as well.

Sure enough, you wouldn’t want this dangerous chimney deposit to ruin your home. So it’s best to have your chimney and fireplace checked annually.  This is to control and remove the build-up of creosote and to prepare your chimney for heavy duty work during the winter season. The best and only option for the people of Mississippi is Santa’s Friend Chimney Service. After over twenty-four years of service, we are glad to offer you professional service and peace of mind.

Put Your Damper On Top

Dampen Your Chimney Problems for a Merrier Christmas

Now that we’ve put away our Halloween costumes and emptied our pantries of all those candies we’ve prepared, it only means one thing – Christmas is coming. The universally loved and awaited holiday not only by kids but by adults as well. Christmas carols are in the air, malls filled with glittering decors of green and red with that joyous glint of silver and gold. Households are busying up to get ready for the holiday festivities. So that means; food, presents, decorations, and possibly an intimate get together with family and close friends. But aside from the standard things we have on our Christmas to-do list, we shouldn’t forget about one important thing – get the chimney ready.

A top sealing damper keeps critters and moisture out – luckily Santa has all kinds of secret ways to deliver presents.

Aside from being a place to keep you warm, it is also popularly known as Santa Claus’ mode of entrance during this season. So there is a high chance that your children will be hovering around your fireplace waiting for a fat man in a red suit to pop out. It is therefore important for you to make sure your chimney is safe and secure. Not only to keep your children safe, but also to safeguard your entire household.

There are number of things that could go wrong in that tiny area. If ignored, chimneys could potentially be the cause of a house fire. Also, if you don’t take the necessary precaution, you might end up with a foul smelling house. If left unchecked, you wouldn’t be aware that there are water leaks that are beginning to come down the flue. The water then starts dripping into your fireplace giving off that foul odor.

Aside from fixing the problems, you have to make sure that your chimney is able to do its main function properly; and that is to keep you and your family warm. To achieve this you need make sure that the damper you have installed in your chimney is fully functional and effective. For those who aren’t familiar, the damper is like a door that is opened when burning a fire or smoke, and closed when the fireplace isn’t in use. This keeps the warm air in and the cold out, which is very important during cold seasons. Traditionally, there are two types of dampers; the Throat Damper and the Top Mount Damper.

At Santa’s Friend Chimney Service they make use of Top Mount Dampers. It is the go to guy when the original damper of the chimney has been worn out. It is also the most commonly used during repairs because it is virtually air tight due to its altered seal location. The seal is strategically placed on top of the flue therefore keeping the outside air outside. Aside from that, the Top Mount Damper also seals off the flue entirely when your chimney isn’t used. So it prevents the flue from competing against your AC and heating system therefore lowering your energy costs by a significant fraction. Other than this you can also keep those pesky bugs, insects and small animals from getting inside your house through your chimney. It saves from the worry and hassle of having to clean up annoying animal droppings on your living room. Throat Dampers are also as effective as the Top Mount Damper. The main difference between the two is their location. The Throat Damper is located at the base of the chimney, more towards the fireplace area, while the Top Mount is located at the upper end. The disadvantage of the Throat Damper is that when damaged, it is far more expensive to replace or repair.

You wouldn’t want your holidays to be ruined over a small chimney problem, now would you? That is why it is essential to have a top sealing damper installed. Not only does it keep you and your family warm, but it also saves you from having to spend a lot of money. So you best remember to call a certified chimney company such as the Santa’s Friend Chimney Service before you start getting busy with the festivities. These guys will definitely take care of you and your chimney. So why deprive yourself of having the perfect Christmas? Go ahead and get your chimney checked and have a top sealing damper installed today.

Keep it Safe, Keep it Warm

Helpful Tips in Maintaining a Safe and Efficient Fireplace and Chimney

Experts in chimney maintenance always say that prevention is better than cure. This is very true. You can’t just wait for the actual accident to happen before you start ‘preventing’ it in the first place. As the homeowner, you need to do your part to keep your fireplace and chimney intact, safe and useful all year round and especially during the winter season. There are many aspects to consider. That’s why professionals are still needed in its overall maintenance. If chimneys are taken for granted, they will crash and burn and cause bigger problems that even experts can no longer repair.

At least once a year you need a certified sweep to come and clean your chimney. You will also need an annual inspection.

Chimney damage may threaten your property, health and lifestyle. These are five simple tips in using your fireplace and chimney that can be done to avert any future problems.

1. Make sure that your chimney is checked and inspected on an annual basis by professionals that are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America. There is a rich database in the Internet to look for top of the game companies in this field.
2. Before even thinking of starting a fire, check and double check that the flue in your chimney is open. Also check if there is enough flow of air up in your chimney.
3. When starting the fire, manufactured fire logs are the better choice instead of plain wood. They burn up to 80% cleaner than typical wood fire. Garbage and plastics are prohibited.
4. If there are no fire logs around, wood can be used provided that they are dry and seasoned to up to six months to leave only 20% moisture or less.
5. When the fire dies down after burning, let it cool and remove the ashes to maintain proper airflow for future use. The ashes should be sealed in a metal container and put outside the house. Some tiny pieces of coal may still be able to cause fire if allowed to be in contact with flammable materials.

These are all easy steps you can take in doing your part as a homeowner. However at one point or another in your chimney’s life, there comes a time when you need to call for professional help so you can enjoy your chimney for many more holidays to come.  This is where an outstanding company like Santa’s Friend Chimney Service comes into the picture because they live by the highest standards of Ethics and Business Practices.  For 24 years now at the heart of Mississippi, they have provided the best service for cleaning chimneys. No wonder they are certified by numerous organizations. Yes, they are the ones to call for guaranteed high quality services at low prices.