Getting Your Home Ready for the Wintertime

A wood burning fireplace can be a valuable asset during the wintertime.  It provides a reliable alternative source of heat that you can use during electrical outages.  It also provides a cleaner source of heat that can keep your utility bills low. 

As important as the fireplace is, it still needs to be kept up in order for it to be used safely.  With regular inspection, cleaning, and chimney repair Washington DC homeowners like you can look forward to using your fireplace safely all winter long.

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Looking for Signs of Damage

As a lay person, you probably will not be able to tell if your chimney or fireplace is damaged and needs to be repaired.  It might look perfectly safe to use when in fact it is laden with dangers that could put you and your loved ones at risk.

In particular, the flue of your chimney needs to be inspected and repaired before you start the first fire of the season in the fireplace.  The flue allows for the smoke and fumes to escape the house while allowing the fire to burn cleaner and more efficiently.  If the flue is not repaired, it could lead to gas leaks in the home that could put your life and the lives of your loved ones at risk.

Further, the chimney itself needs to be cleaned out and repaired especially if there are birds' nests in the column.  Nests and other debris can be a hazard that allows sparks to ignite and spread fire not only up the chimney but also into the home itself.

Repairing damages takes time and talent you may lack.  Rather than forgo using your chimney at all, you can have it repaired quickly by hiring professionals to do the job for you.  They are trained to look for and repair signs of damages on the spot so you can use your chimney safely each winter.

Your chimney needs to be kept in good repair all year long.  You can hire professionals who are trained to look for and fix damages that could cause fires and other risks.