Chimney Safety in Lee's Summit
Although the average chimney system is built to last a lifetime and longer, the fireplace and chimney at your home or business in Lee's Summit will not endure forever and require regular professional maintenance from a certified chimney sweep to ensure the safety of your property. Neglecting to inspect, repair and maintain fuel burning heating systems will not only eventually lead to costly repair requirements, but can threaten the safety of a property and the people in it.
Preventing Chimney Problems
Roofline Restoration & Exteriors experts explain the most serious hazards that result from chimney and fireplaces that are not properly maintained.
Chimney Fires
While your fire burns in the fireplace and smoke rises up through the chimney, the interior chimney flue eventually becomes coated with creosote – a hardened, black, tar-like substance that accumulates over time. Creosote buildup is highly flammable and turns into fuel for a fire that can result in a serious chimney fire that could have been avoided with a fireplace inspection and regular cleaning from a certified chimney sweep in Lee's Summit. Even if a chimney fire is small and quickly controlled, chimney damage can remain unnoticed. If the fire has produced cracks and a loosening of mortar joints, the potential for serious damage increases if another fire starts and quickly makes its way up to roof timbers and other flammable structural components.
I Don’t Use my Fireplace Enough to Worry About a Chimney Fire
Some home and business owners think that if they rarely use their fireplace they don’t have to worry about creosote or chimney fires at all. While this might seem logical, cracks may still form in the masonry and chimney liner due to water penetration and other factors that may lead to structural problems. In addition, many chimney fires have occurred when property owners build a fire after many years of little or no use of their fireplace. Preventing chimney fires is as simple as scheduling a licensed inspection with a professional chimney sweep. Roofline Restoration & Exteriors provides evaluations according to the standards outlined by local fire prevention organizations and provides a full range of chimney repair and cleaning to remove creosote and other hazards.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning is the cause of thousands of deaths per year across North America and the reason for a variety of health issues from chronic headaches to dizziness and nausea for individuals exposed to lower levels of the toxic gas due to a faulty chimney system. Fireplaces and gas and oil furnaces all generate carbon monoxide but contain carefully designed air-flow and ventilation systems that should ensure it flows safely out and away from the fireplace or furnace. The chimney and fireplace at your home or business in Lee's Summit should be regularly checked for proper exhaust functioning from a certified professional. The licensed and insured technicians at Roofline Restoration & Exteriors are trained and experienced with carrying out chimney and fireplace inspection and skilled chimney repair and maintenance to ensure you and your family and employees are safe as well as warm.
Staying safe is always better than being sorry, so contact a Roofline Restoration & Exteriors chimney professional today for a licensed chimney inspection.