Posted on June 23, 2008 in Chimney, Home & Garden by adminNo Comments »

Most chimney cleaning equipment does essentially what it is supposed to. Whether you use brushes, rods or scrapers, you will find that anything with adequate friction can help remove residue from the walls of your column. Whether you are doing additional damage to the building materials themselves with your chimney cleaning equipment is another matter entirely.

We ask a great deal of our chimneys. Because we typically build fires on the coldest nights, our chimneys generally go from one extreme temperature to another in just a few short minutes. Needless to say, this rapid change puts extraordinary stress on the brick or stone inside that column, and the result can be perforations, cracks and fissures.

The Right Kind of Chimney Cleaning Equipment
Without a good chimney cap, rainwater can get inside your chimney, where it mixes with the soot to create sulfuric acid. When such acid weakens the walls of your chimney, you are in very real danger of letting toxic gases into the walls of your home every time you make a fire in the hearth. Further abrade these surfaces with poorly designed tools and you will only exacerbate an acute problem.

Get the facts about chimney cleaning equipment and see why smart homeowners only buy the tools the experts endorse. If you want to keep your home safe from contaminants, fire and gases, you will need to keep that column scrubbed and spotless. The right tools can go a long way toward safeguarding your home well into the future.

Posted on June 22, 2008 in Chimney, Home & Garden by adminNo Comments »

If youre in the market for chimney cleaning brushes, you should know that not all such products are created equal. Use materials that are too abrasive and you could do more harm than good. Too soft, and you might as well let that residue accumulate for another year unchecked.

There is a middle ground for chimney cleaning brushes, and if you are to have any hope of keeping the column of your chimney safe from cracking, perforations and gaps, you will need to perform regular maintenance. Regularly placed clean-out doors can help you gain access to the interior column so that you can do maintenance whenever you see fit. Leave the problem too long and you could have a substantial problem on your hand.

Chimney Cleaning Brushes Work
Without chimney caps, many chimneys collect rainwater, animal droppings and other debris. This creates occlusion where before there was good airflow, and the result can be backflow that seeps dangerous gases into the walls of your home. If you think a chimney fire is the principal danger of poor maintenance, you should be aware that carbon monoxide poisoning is growing more common.

Do yourself a favor and see why chimney flue liners and good chimney cleaning brushes are considered standard equipment on so many new homes. If you want to protect your house and health in one fell swoop, ask an expert to perform a simple evaluation on the ventilation of your flue. Without some preventive steps, you could end up having to replace a lot more than the chimney itself down the line.

Posted on June 21, 2008 in Chimney, Home & Garden by adminNo Comments »

Multi flue chimney caps make sense for homes with more than one fireplace feeding into the same system. Typically made of copper, masonry or ceramic, chimney caps that cover more than one flue are recommended as the easiest way to protect every hearth from the same problems. Without the proper equipment, you could have problems of airflow and obstruction down the line.

What multi flue chimney caps do that ordinary chimney tops cannot is protect the entire system at once with an unbroken barrier. That means the space between flues cannot be a welcome home for animals and debris. More to the point, they offer exhaustive protection to every fireplace in your home, substantially reducing the chance that occlusion in one could lead to ventilation problems in another.

Multi Flue Chimney Caps Make Sense
Your chimney is a dynamic, versatile piece of construction. Besides existing uncovered to the elements year-round, these columns must withstand outlandish swings in temperature in a short amount of time. Allow rainwater to seep in as well and you have a recipe for cracking, corrosion and worse throughout the system.

Get the facts about multi flue chimney caps and see why most builders recommend topping your home off with this respected safeguard. If you dont want gases backing up and absorbing into the walls of your home, you will need to provide a higher standard of protection. With good equipment, regular maintenance and a vigilant eye, there is no reason you cannot expect that chimney to last the lifetime of your home.

Posted on June 20, 2008 in Chimney, Home & Garden by adminNo Comments »

Adjustable chimney caps offer something ordinary chimney caps do not–the chance to change the aperture on that column to suit your needs. Needless to say, the airflow in your chimney is considerably different in summer than in winter, and the best way to maintain safe updrafts and the right kind of airflow is with an opening of the proper size. Why go with a static product when you can find adjustable chimney caps to suit every season?

There was a time when most homes had no chimney tops at all. Many such households left their chimneys open to rainwater, animals and debris, not to mention unreal extremes of heat and cold. The result was typically a series of cracks and perforations throughout the column.

Why Adjustable Chimney Caps?
If you know anything about combustion, chances are you have heard that the byproducts of this simple chemical reaction can have devastating effects. From carcinogens to toxins, the gases that come from your fireplace can be dangerous for your health and the foundation of your home. Few factors contribute so directly to problems of backflow and leaking than using the wrong chimney cap for the season.

Adjustable chimney caps are generally considered a necessity for any safe household. If you want to keep those gases venting into the open sky, you will need to make sure you modify the column as suits the environment. Do some research, ask hard questions and do not settle until youve found a product that is simple, intuitive and 100 percent safe.

Posted on June 19, 2008 in Chimney, Home & Garden by adminNo Comments »

There was a time when motorized dampers would have been considered something of an extravagance in many homes. That was before the medical establishment began noticing how many people throw out their back by craning around the upper edges of their fireplaces to open or close the device. Nowadays motorized dampers are standard equipment for anyone prone to back or neck injuries.

It makes sense when you think about it. Fires are supposed to represent traditional indulgence, a quiet evening with a little natural entertainment courtesy of physics. The last thing you want is for a poorly designed fireplace and flue to force you into hazardous positions which can leave you injured, covered with soot and debris, and worse.

Motorized Dampers Make Sense
The simple solution is to let electricity do the heavy lifting while you focus on the task of building a proper fire. Why put yourself through such dangerous contortions when you can open your flue to the night air with the touch of a button? If you own a home with a working fireplace, put it to work already!

Do yourself a favor and check out the full suite of essential chimney accessories, from chimney caps to chimney flue liners. If you want your home to stay safe, cool and free of airborne contaminants, you will need a strong updraft and a clean column. Add any one of a good selection of motorized dampers and see how much easier it can be to get that fire roaring in the evenings.