The Importance of Chimney Cleaning
Regarding multi-family housing and commercial properties, fireplaces offer residents a warm and cozy way to heat their apartments or businesses during the winter. However, fireplaces are rarely used for much more than interior decoration when spring rolls around. While we see more fireplaces fueled by natural gas and turned on and off with a remote, most fireplaces in the Dallas Fort-Worth Metroplex still use wood for fuel. The interior of those chimneys is susceptible to the dangers of creosote build-up and other blockages. Continue reading below to learn why a professional chimney cleaning service is essential for your multi-family complex and/or commercial property.
What happens if a chimney is not cleaned?
The purpose of a chimney is simple: to safely remove any harmful gasses created by a fireplace from the inside of an apartment or building. This sounds straightforward, but over time these harmful gasses can build up on the inside of your chimney, making it more difficult for those gasses to escape properly. The most common type of build-up inside a chimney is called creosote. This carcinogenic chemical forms when hot smoke from burning wood meets cool air, which causes it to stick to the walls.
Creosote build-up can harden to the point where it becomes smooth, hard, and shiny, potentially causing damage to the inside of your chimney and creating blockages. In addition, creosote is a highly combustible material, so it is crucial to have a professional remove the build-up with the proper tools and care to avoid a chimney fire.
How often should a chimney be cleaned?
Whether you have a metal or masonry chimney, chimney cleaning requires a technician’s expertise. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and our team at 1st Choice Chimney recommend that a chimney be cleaned and inspected once a year, depending on usage by a qualified professional. As experts, we believe the best time of year to clean a chimney is towards the end of spring because that is when most people retire their fireplaces for the summer.
How much does it cost to clean a chimney?
The short answer: nowhere near as much as the cost of repairing a chimney fire!
Not only are there significant costs included in fire damage restoration, but there are challenges on the back-end that can quickly pile up. Making an insurance claim is a hassle you will want to avoid at all costs. Plus, the inevitable rise in your rates after a fire occurs will make any business owner wince. Investing in chimney cleaning beforehand is the only way to save that time and money further down the road.
With the help of 1st Choice Chimney Commercial, you won’t have to worry about any fireplace and chimney safety protocols because our team is made up of the most knowledgeable technicians in the region. We hold accountability, integrity, and quality to our core, ensuring our customer’s safety is always put first.
Ready to schedule your chimney cleaning and inspection? We want to help!
