You need a fireplace contractor if your chimney is dirty. A chimney can get dirty when you burn fuel in your fireplace. The type of fuel you burn will determine the different ways your chimney will get dirty. For example, softwood tends to burn less completely than hardwood; it has more oxygen in it so it burns a lot hotter. The sap and incomplete combustion of softwood usually results in the creation of creosote. The creosote is an acidic byproduct that builds up on the inside walls of your chimney. When it heats up, that acid will eat away at the mortar between the bricks. A fireplace contractor can clean your chimney and even install a liner.
Chimney Liners
Chimney liners are commonly installed by a fireplace contractor in Smithtown, NY. The liner is made out of a material that is nonreactive with creosote and other types of incomplete combustion. If you burn natural gas in your fireplace, you probably won’t need a chimney liner since natural gas burns very cleanly.
If you haven’t had your chimney cleaned in a long time, you should consider chimney liners. You can contact us to make sure your chimney is a good candidate for a liner.
Chimney Repairs
Some people who haven’t used their fireplace in a long time will need a fireplace contractor to make sure their fireplace can even be used at all. It needs to be cleaned, but beyond cleaning, it might need structural repairs. A chimney needs a pot on top of the chimney to keep rain and debris out of the fireplace. It then needs a screen of some kind to keep pests from getting into the chimney.
The contractor will also make sure that your chimney does not have any holes or leaks. That’s important for the proper operation of the fireplace and the chimney effect that pulls smoke up and out of the house.
