Santa's Friend Chimney Service

Santa's Friend Chimney Service Blog

Avoiding A Chimney Fire This Winter

Most people try to avoid going to the dentist – even if you don’t have any cavities, it just isn’t that much fun, either. Does anyone try to get in a car accident? Of course not – that’s something to be avoided at all costs. Something else that you want to avoid at all costs? A chimney fire! Of course, this is nothing that anyone wants to happen – and there are definitely things that you can do which will help you avoid this type of devastating occurrence.

Causes of Chimney Fires

The biggest cause of a chimney fire is creosote build up. Creosote is the sticky or shiny, black or brown, nasty substance that builds up on the inside of your chimney – especially near the top. It’s formed when the chemical particles and water vapors that are released as smoke hit the cooler surface of the chimney and condense onto the bricks and mortar. This substance is incredibly flammable, and that means that any spark that flies up could cause a chimney fire.

Another thing that can cause a chimney fire is having something in your chimney that doesn’t belong there – anything from trash and dried leaves and twigs to a dried bird’s nest or animal’s nest. Your chimney is an ideal place for an animal to start a family – dark, warm, out of the way of wind or predators. Unfortunately, dried nests or garbage in your chimney can easily catch a spark or ember and cause a chimney fire.

Both of these problems are easily solved. All it takes is a good inspection and cleaning by a CSIA certified chimney sweep found at Santa’s Friend Chimney Service. They know how much creosote is too much, and also how to remove any obstruction that could be a fire starter.

Tips to Prevent Chimney Fire

Although calling in the experts from Santa’s Friend is the first step in preventing chimney fires, there are some things you can do on your own that will help, as well. One big step? Pick the right firewood! Make sure that the firewood you pick is dry. This will make it burn hotter, which helps prevent creosote build up. Another wood tip? Make sure you burn the hardest wood possible, as this also will burn hotter and help keep the creosote levels down. Anything you can do to keep the fires burning hot prevents the build-up of this highly flammable substance.

Prevention is the Best Solution

It is always better to avoid a difficult situation rather than deal with it after it happens. Avoiding a chimney fire is a way better solution than rebuilding your chimney or cleaning up after the fact. The best way to avoid a chimney fire? Call Santa’s Friend Chimney Service today and schedule your annual inspection and cleaning. They’ll make avoiding a chimney fire an easy thing to do!

By Justin Perkins on September 22nd, 2017 | Tagged with: Tags: , , | Leave a Comment

The Dangers Of Creosote

Think about your fireplace. Your mind probably goes to thoughts of cozy family get-togethers, gathered around a crackling fireplace. Who can resist the smell and sounds of a great wood fire? However, one word that no fireplace owner likes to think about is creosote! Although you may not like to spend a lot of time thinking about this unpleasant substance, it is something that needs to be taken care of. Fortunately, there are great companies like Santa’s Friend Chimney Service  that can take care of your creosote problems.

Creosote Buildup

Do you know what the smoke that rises from your fire is made up of? Included in that smoke is water vapor, benzene, carbon monoxide, acetic acid, formic acid, sulfur dioxide. Have you heard enough? The good news is that most of that smoke is guided right out of your chimney and into the outside air. The bad news is that some of it doesn’t! Smoke from your fire can climb and reach the relatively cooler surface near the top of your chimney. This causes it to condense and form a layer of what is known as creosote.

The more often you burn a fire in your fireplace, the thicker the layer of creosote will build. Creosote can appear as a black, oily substance or a hard, brown substance. It doesn’t really matter what it looks like. The big issue with creosote is that it is extremely flammable. Creosote can become too thick and catch a spark from your fireplace. Consequently, you might be faced with just what you don’t want – a roaring chimney fire!

One More Thing…

Another issue that creosote can cause is odor build up. You might notice this more often in the damp spring and summertime. The warm, damp air that works its way down your chimney mixes with the creosote on the interior of your chimney. This creates an odor that is, to say the least, unpleasant! You can use some do-it-yourself ideas to try to get rid of the odor. Unfortunately, though, many times these are just temporary fixes at best. Although this isn’t as devastating a problem as the flammability factor, you still want to get rid of this problem.

Problem Solved!

The best approach to getting rid of this dangerous and smelly problem is to hire professionals to come in and clean your chimney for you. Although you could probably get to some of the creosote on your own and scrub it off the interior of your chimney, to have a thorough job of getting rid of the problem, special brushes are used. If a severe creosote problem exists, video inspection can be used to find the root of the problem. Santa’s Friend Chimney Service uses all the latest tools and procedures to make sure your creosote problem is cleaned up! Schedule your annual inspection and cleaning today so you’re ready for the start of fireplace season.

By Justin Perkins on July 21st, 2017 | Tagged with: Tags: , , , | Leave a Comment

Don’t Let Santa Go Down A Dirty Chimney!

Listen … Can you hear it? Can you hear the jingling of sleigh bells and the tap, tap, tap of tiny reindeer feet? Everybody is looking forward to seeing that jolly old man pull up in his shining sleigh. His sleek looking reindeer ringing their sparkling sleigh bells. Plus, Mrs. Claus has her hubby looking his holiday best in his bright red suit. One thing is sure. You don’t want your chimney to be the one to leave nasty soot stains on Santa’s pretty outfit!

Don't Let Santa Go Down a Dirty Chimney - Jackson MS- Santa's Friend Chimney Service

Why Does My Chimney Need Cleaning?

You spend time cleaning, baking ,and making sure that everything is just right. This is especially true for your family and friends. Everything needs to be just right before they arrive. This is so that you can have a relaxing time, reminiscing and making new memories. In all the fuss and hurry, you might be tempted to forego cleaning something that no one will ever really see – the inside of your chimney. But skipping this can be a costly mistake!

One reason it is so important to have your chimney cleaned? Fire burning is a dirty business! According to the GuideOne Insurance website: When the water vapor, unburned wood particles, tar fog, and other minerals that are released while a fire is burning make their way up your chimney, it causes a build-up of gunk that is called creosote. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) website states that, if this creosote build-up equals or exceeds ¼ inch, it needs to be removed by a CSIA certified professional. Cleaning this creosote makes your fire burning more efficient. In addition, it will decrease the risk of a chimney fire, since creosote is highly flammable.

Another good reason to have your chimney cleaned? Make sure it’s clear of any blockages. After all, Santa needs plenty of room to get down your chimney! In the summer and fall, your chimney can accumulate dead leaves and twigs. Also, even bird, squirrel, or other animal nests are not uncommon finds. These blockages can force the air that is supposed to be escaping through your chimney back down into your house. Also, chimney fires can start from sparks catching on any blockages that are left in your chimney.

A Job for the Experts

You may be tempted to do this job yourself. However, this is a job that you should leave for the professionals. To really do the job right, you need special equipment and protective gear. This is to protect you and to keep your house from getting too dirty.

When looking for expert cleaning technicians, make sure that your chimney sweeps are CSIA certified. Santa’s Friend Chimney sweep professionals are CSIA certified and certified by several other chimney safety organizations. This ensures that you will be getting top rated technicians trained in the latest chimney inspecting and cleaning techniques.

Don’t let old Kris Kringle down by making him slide down a dirty chimney. Give Santa’s Friend Chimney Service a call today and know that your chimney will be ready for all your fireplace needs!

By Jim Robinson on December 1st, 2016 | Tagged with: Tags: , , | Leave a Comment

Don’t Forget the Vents!

With things like carpools, soccer practices, and other family-related activities with which to contend, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that some things, often through no fault of our own, take a back seat to everything else that’s going on.  One thing that is commonly overlooked by homeowners is the proper maintenance and cleaning of dryer vents.  People may think that cleaning these vents isn’t all that important.  This couldn’t be further from the truth!

Dryer Lint Buildup is Dangerous!

If your dryer seems to not be working at its peak efficiency, you likely need your vents cleaned. Don't wait, as this can impact both performance and safety.

If your dryer seems to not be working at its peak efficiency, you likely need your vents cleaned. Don’t wait, as this can impact both performance and safety.

There are thousands of fires caused by dryer lint buildup that happen every year.  One of the ways to decrease the chances of fire is to clean your dryer vent after every laundry load you use it for.  In fact, studies prove that effective cleaning maintenance of dryer vents can reduce the chances of fire by 90%.  Not only does vent cleaning help prevent house fires, it also will make sure our clothes are dry and smelling nice after each use.

Dryer Lint Buildup Causes Increased Energy Consumption

Aside from the dangers of fire, buildup of dirt and lint in the dryer vent can also significantly increase your energy consumption.  This is due in large part to the fact that a clogged vent makes your dryer take more time to dry your clothes.  There are numerous warning signs that you can watch for that will indicate that you have a dirty dryer vent.  Possible signs that the vent may be clogged is if the dryer no longer dries the clothes in one cycle, the clothes carry a musty smell after a drying cycle, the dryer seems to run hotter than normal, a visible amount of lint is noticed around the lint filter, and debris is noticed within the outside dryer vent opening.

Dryer Lint Buildup Must be Removed Regularly

To avoid this potentially dangerous buildup in your vents, you need to follow a predetermined maintenance schedule.  As a general rule of thumb, the majority of dryer vents need to be cleaned at least once a year; some dryer ducts need more frequent attention.  Some determining factors include:

  • The number of people who are using the same dryer
  • The age and condition of the dryer
  • The length of your dryer vent

The best way to ensure dryer safety is to clean the lint screen after every use and to have your vent and duct cleaned regularly.

Each time you use your dryer, lint builds up in the vent.  Cleaning the lint screen will help you keep the dryer running and working well, but a little lint will remain within the vent.  It’s very important to keep up with dryer vent cleaning, as the built up lint poses a very serious hazard to your house and everyone in it.   If you’re ready to see exactly what’s lurking in your dryer vent, call Santa’s Friend today, and we’ll schedule a convenient time to come out and take care of it for you!

What’s Blocking Your Chimney?

A clogged up chimney flue can mean big trouble. Make sure there's nothing blocking your chimney by having it swept.

A clogged up chimney flue can mean big trouble. Make sure there’s nothing blocking your chimney by having it swept.

A fireplace can be a wonderful addition to any room in the house where the family might gather, providing warmth, light, and a cozy ambiance. However, a fireplace system has to be carefully maintained to make sure that they common problems that affect chimneys don’t impact the safety and beauty of your family’s favorite gathering spot. We as homeowners owe it to ourselves to remain constantly vigilant as far as the condition of any part of our homes are concerned. Like every appliance or piece of furniture we own, a chimney requires just as much attention; one could even argue that it requires more attention.

The Dangers of Creosote Buildup

So what exactly is creosote, and why is it dangerous to allow it to accumulate inside your chimney? Creosote is a sticky chemical residue that forms when wood is burned at low temperatures and is capable of building up to dangerous levels within your chimney. More creosote is formed from burning unseasoned softwoods in your fireplace than properly seasoned hardwoods. The residue begins as unburned oil in the form of gas; as it moves up the chimney, the oils build up into a coating inside the chimney as they begin to cool. This buildup is extremely flammable!

The residue can become quite thick over the course of a single season. Depending on the internal dimensions of your chimney, this can really restrict the flow of air, which can cause smoke to build up in the fireplace as well as in your home. This reduced airflow can also cause cooler burning fires because they’re not able to get the requisite amount of oxygen for increased combustion; all of this results in, you guessed it, more creosote buildup in your chimney. It becomes dangerous when it is allowed to accumulate in your chimney, as it becomes a fuel source for a possible chimney fire. The build up of creosote cannot be avoided completely, however, burning small, hot fires and using dry, seasoned wood can minimize the buildup.

There’s a What Living in my Chimney!?

If you are hearing noises in your chimney it may be one of two situations: a wild animal (such as a raccoon) is using your chimney as a den; or an animal (such as a squirrel or a bird) has fallen down the chimney and cannot get back up. Under absolutely no circumstances should you try to smoke an animal out of your chimney – you will only succeed in burning and/or killing the animal! Wild animals frequently mistake uncapped chimneys for hollow trees, and they have no idea that the “tree” is connected to your home! In contrast to hollow trees, however, the inside of a chimney is quite slippery, and raccoons seem to be the only animals capable of climbing up and down it.

One way to tell the difference between a denning animal (raccoon) and an animal that’s stuck (squirrel or bird) is by listening to the noise that the animal makes. An animal that is stuck is often frantic, and will scratch at the damper or flap its wings repeatedly in an effort to get out. If the damper is not closed, the animal may fall down into the fireplace, and even if he is able to get back up above the damper or onto the smoke shelf, it is important to recognize that this animal is unable to climb the entire length of the chimney. On the other hand, if the animal is using the chimney as a den site you may occasionally hear movement, as well as the sounds of wild animal babies calling out to their mother. The noises follow a more predictable pattern, and often occur only a certain times of the day.

While the firebox of your beloved fireplace can be easily seen and therefore monitored, the chimney itself commonly faces a number of troubles that are often caught only by a chimney professional during the annual chimney system inspection and sweeping. These things will help to ensure the safety and continued functionality of your fireplace and chimney for many years to come. You can always come to Santa’s Friend Chimney Service with any of your questions or needs. Our staff is always here to help.

Fire Safety

There are simple things you can do to lessen the chance that there will be a fire in your home. However, because you cannot be 100% sure, you also need to know your family members know what to do in case of a fire.

Your family is likely the most important thing to you, with your home being close to second. Make sure and take steps to protect what you love.

Your family is likely the most important thing to you, with your home being close to second. Make sure and take steps to protect what you love.