Your fireplace is built to deliver years of warmth and memories. To ensure it continues to brighten your evenings with family safely, make sure to look after its most crucial component—the chimney. The guide below offers advice for keeping it in solid condition and knowing when chimney repair is needed.

A Chimney Maintenance Guide

1. Check Your Chimney From Outside

At the start of each fire-burning season, look at your chimney from outside your house to make sure it appears to be undamaged. Pay special attention to the mortar between bricks. If it’s cracked or showing gaps, explore professional chimney repair.

2. Clean Out Ash

One of the simplest ways to keep your chimney functioning safely is to keep the fireplace clean. Visually inspect it for tar-like creosote that builds up and causes blockages. Scrub any sign of creosote out before it thickens. Also, ash layers should be kept to a 2-inch maximum.

3. Check & Clean the Damper

The damper is a hinged metal flap seated just above the fireplace that controls airflow. Once a month during winter, remove any rust or debris from the damper using a metal brush. Then check the mechanism to make sure it opens and closes easily. If there’s any obstruction, consult a specialist qualified for chimney repair.  

4. Burn Seasoned Dry Wood Only

Wood exposed to the elements gives off great volumes of dirty smoke due to moisture. Seasoned wood is dried to burn more cleanly and controllably.

5. Have a Professional Inspection

The chimney cap prevents intrusion by animals, leaves, and dirt that can clog your stack at the top, creating serious fire and health hazards. Hire someone annual to ensure your chimney has a well-seated cap that’s undamaged and free of debris. They should also check the flashing where the chimney meets the shingles. The seal should be free of cracks to keep it watertight.

To make sure your chimney functioning properly, have it inspected annually by qualified specialists. The chimney repair experts at Stutzman Sealants & Sons in Lincoln, NE, have more than 30 years’ experience ensuring safe, clean chimney operation. Call them at (402) 467-4144 to schedule your appointment or visit them online to learn more about their maintenance and restoration services.