Fireplace cleaning and chimney sweeping in Cliffwood, NJ are two services that go hand in hand; both are concerned with the maintenance of your home and the safety of your family. Fireplace cleaning is important because a dirty or malfunctioning fireplace can cause dangerous fires or fumes in your Monmouth home. Here is everything you need to know about having a clean, safe fireplace that you can enjoy. When you are done reading through this information, consider calling the experienced professionals at Apex Air Duct Cleaning and Chimney Services so we can help you achieve exactly that.
DIY or Hire a Pro?
The first question you may ask is, “Could I just do this myself?” If you’re trying to save money this might seem like the perfect solution, but you must do your research first. You can make your own cleaning solution and remove all the logs and stones from your fireplace and just start scrubbing, and you might get the results you want. However, you should consider the possible drawbacks. Some people are born for DIY, and some people would be better off having others do it for them. Cleaning a fireplace is a task that requires a lot of elbow grease, and you want the job done well to prevent unwanted fires in your Monmouth home. If you do not think you are up to it, just give us a call at Apex Air Duct Cleaning and Chimney Services.
Is it Time to Have Your Fireplace Cleaned?
There are several things that can tell you it is time to have your fireplace cleaned or that you need to have some components repaired or replaced. As a baseline, the Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that you clean your fireplace or have someone else clean it at least once a year. The CSIA also says that fireplaces should be cleaned when there is 1/8” of sooty buildup present to prevent fumes that can damage your chimney and spread to the rest of your home. Furthermore, a dirty fireplace can cause the buildup of a substance called creosote in your chimney flue which can cause a chimney fire. There are ways to check for creosote buildup but be sure to research how to do it safely or hire a professional to come to your house for an inspection. The CSIA has many other recommendations about fireplace cleaning, such as which solutions will work the best, that you can read about on their website. They have also certified many businesses, such as Apex Air Duct Cleaning and Chimney Services, to let you know which professionals they recommend you reach out to. There are resources present on the CSIA website to help you find a local, certified chimney sweep.
There are other things concerning fireplaces that you may need to seek out the help of a professional in Cliffwood, NJ for; namely, the maintenance and replacement of certain parts. One of the most important elements of a fireplace that may need to be replaced occasionally are the panels on the inside of the hearth. The main sign that the panels or bricks need to be replaced is the appearance of cracks. According to the CSIA, it is time to replace the panels of your fireplace if you can fit a dime into the cracks. Furthermore, you should consider installing refractory panels, which are resistant to heat and designed to reflect warmth back into your home. This can be a wonderful feature to have during the colder months in Monmouth.
How to Prevent Your Fireplace from Getting Dirty
Your fireplace is going to get dirty eventually; burning coal or wood creates smoke and ash, which makes a mess. There is simply no way around this fact. However, there are some things you can do to prevent the buildup of creosote in the chimney flue and keep any odors coming from your fireplace to a minimum. You can carefully select the type of wood you burn in your fireplace; new wood carries a lot of moisture with it, and wood with more moisture will produce more smoke which will produce more creosote. You should look for wood that has dried for six to twelve months. You should also never burn artificial wood, which can cause a lot of unnecessary combustion. Making sure your fireplace has proper airflow will also help, but one of the easiest things you can do is use a creosote destroyer powder. Just sprinkling a few tablespoons of this on your fire can help reduce creosote buildup. Furthermore, if there are some unpleasant odors coming from your fireplace, there are some simple solutions you can make and spray in your fireplace to help ameliorate the problem.
Learning More from the Professionals
Hopefully you have gotten some useful information from this piece that will help you maintain your fireplace in your home in Cliffwood, NJ. But if you still feel like there is more to learn, don’t hesitate to reach out! At Apex Air Duct Cleaning and Chimney Services, we are happy to share our trade secrets with you. We will come to your home for an inspection, a cleaning, or a replacement, and we will help you learn more about how to maintain the safety and comfort of your home.