The fireplace is one of the centers of interior and architectural features of the house. It provides the warmth of a fire blazing in the hearth and making the house cozy and comfortable. On the flip side, having a masonry fireplace can add to your heating and cooling bills year-round. Masonry fireplaces allow air to move in and out of your home more freely, which is much like poorly sealed windows or bad insulation that commonly found in houses. When it is not in use you might have noticed cold winter air or hot summer air flowing out of your fireplace. This forces your heating and cooling system to work eventually to keep the house at a comfortable temperature.
In regards to this issue, how to maintain fireplace and keep the cost affordable? Cleaning and improving fireplace with the help of a chimney sweep can remedy this situation and cut down the energy costs. Here are 6 ways how this can be done, and it can be done by you and a chimney professional.
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Ways a Chimney Sweep
- Cleaning Ashes Out of the Hearth
Regularly sweeping out the ashes from the firebox will help your fire to burn hotter the next time you use your fireplace. Even as little as one-tenth of an inch of soot, it can decrease the heat output of a fire by 50% according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Not only that, it can also help you breathe better and provide better air quality around the area.
- Removing Creosote Buildup & Debris
A tar-like substance called creosote is produced by burning wood. This extremely combustible substance builds up along the flue walls in the chimney. The more it builds up, the more it hinders the air flow in the chimney that is needed to help fuel the fire. When creosote is removed, the fire will receive more oxygen which will help it burn hotter. In addition to that, another advantage of removing creosote will protect the house from a potential chimney fire. Removing other debris that might be obstructing the chimney will also improve the fireplace’s efficiency.
It’s smart and advisable to rely on certified chimney sweeps, like us, to clean out your chimney instead of tackling it as a DIY project because the professionals have the training and equipment to effectively remove creosote and other debris without damaging the fragile lining of the chimney.
- Filling Cracks & Crevices
Cracks and crevices in the lining of the flue can allow outside air, and carbon monoxide, to seep into your home. Professional chimney sweeps are trained to notice these fissures in the flue lining. In addition to that, they will fill them for you. This will make the house has extra protection against the intrusion of carbon monoxide and more energy efficient.
- Adding a Top Seal Damper or Repairing a Warped Damper
The professional, might notice that damper is warped, the whole a chimney sweep is removing creosote and sealing existing cracks. The damper is utilized to regulate air flow in a chimney. When it is closed, air from outside is blocked from entering the home. When it is open, air is able to flow up and down the chimney. If it is warped, the heated or air-conditioned air in the house will without difficulty be able to escapeA tar-likeand drafts will be able to come down the chimney.
Repairing it will resolve this problem. A top seal damper that sits at the top of the chimney instead of being in the mouth of the chimney like a traditional damper is far more effective. To make the house more securely sealed, choosing to have a top seal damper installed is one of the best ways.
- Installing a Metal Flue Liner
Masonry is very porous which makes it a downside to brick and mortar fireplaces. This also means that air can seep in and out of it without difficulty, as it is more vulnerable to moisture. Metal flue liners were intended to assist in reducing the amount of air that can move in and out through the masonry itself. Having a metal flue liner installed will reduce the problem of unwanted temperatures from the outside radiating on the inside through the masonry. It will also assist the fires you kindle to burn more efficiently producing fewer emissions and creosote and more heat. A knowledgeable chimney sweep will inform the suitable size of the metal flue liner needed as well as install it in the house.
- Choosing a Fireplace Insert or Fireplace Doors
Having a fireplace insert or fireplace doors installed is the best way to cut down on your heating and cooling costs. Drafts of air may still find their way into the house through the mouth of the fireplace, even with a metal flue liner and top sealing damper. In addition to that, heated or cooled air from the house may still escape up the chimney when the damper is open.
To completely prevent this, glass fireplace doors or the glass doors of a fireplace insert will do the job. They can decrease heating and cooling costs by up to 30%. Along with making the house better sealed, they also create a complete combustion system that helps wood to burn more thoroughly. The end result is longer burning, hotter fires that require less fuel. Make sure that in this process you also consult the professional chimney sweep or a certified chimney technician. He/she should be able to give recommendations so that you can find the right solution.
