Have Your Fireplace Inspected Before Using It

A fireplace is a great addition to any room. It adds appeal, makes a wonderful spot for family and friends to gather around when playing games or chatting, and offers warmth on those cold winter days and nights. As beautiful and beneficial as a fireplace is, however, not taking care of it properly means that you are putting yourself at risk of a fire.

Most everyone who has a fireplace in the home are aware of the dangers a fireplace poses. Therefore, a screen is placed and the area in front of the fireplace is cleared of any objects that can set off a fire. One thing that will help minimize the chances of a fire is having the chimney cleaned and inspected. You can do this yourself to save money, or you can hire a professional chimney sweep to save you time. What you can do on a regular basis, and especially after you use the fireplace, clean the interior of the box with a broom and a dustpan. Of course, make sure that the fireplace is cold and has not been used for at least a couple to a few hours so that you don't end up burning yourself.

Cleaning out the chimney should be done once per year before you start using it again. If your chimney causes smoke odors during the months when it is not in use, then you can have it cleaned out after you know you will not be using it for a while. Either way, the chimney still needs to be cleaned before you start using it again during the cold winter months.

A professional chimney sweep will not only clean out the chimney of any debris, such as branches, tree leaves, dirt, and bird's nests, that might have accumulated over the months, but they will also inspect the whole chimney to make sure it is in good working order. When the flue is not working properly or has been damaged somehow, it might not allow all of the smoke to travel outside of the home. Instead, the smoke will stay indoors where it can damage your belongings, your walls, and your furnishings. This soot can cause permanent damage if it is allowed to set and permeate your materials, costing you lots of money to replace your belongings in the long run.

In the area where the chimney meets the roof, shingles can become loose over time and can cause water to seep in. Water that is left to sit there will definitely cause mold damage to your home's interior, and you might start to smell a musty odor. Creosote build up present in your fireplace and chimney will cause a fire, and should there be any cracks or damaged areas in your chimney, then the fire could reach other areas of your house and cause fire damage there.

Getting your fireplace inspected and cleaned out before you use it again gives you peace of mind and keeps you and your family and friends safe from any unexpected fires.