Choosing The Right Chimney Cap For Your Home

Chimney Caps are a small amount to pay for the immense amount of work they do for you. A Chimney Cap does several different things. It keeps animals, birds, leaves, debris and snakes from entering your Chimney. It will also stop some "down-drafts" of air that would normally rush down the Chimney causing smoke to enter your home. Most of all, a Chimney Cap keeps rain from entering your Chimney, preventing a small "lake" inside the firebox area and deteriorating the firebox floor.

When rain enters the Chimney, it causes the fireplace to smell like an old, damp cellar filled with smoke. If you are allergic to mold spores, this is one area you may want to check if you cannot find the source of your allergy. Rain, when mixed with soot, creates a caustic acid that starts to deteriorate the mortar between the joints of the bricks. Mortar between the bricks has a life expectancy of around seventy years, but, the rain can rapidly speed up the process.

If you have Gas Logs, you definitely need a Chimney Cap. A Chimney Cap keeps the rain off the expensive gas log burner unit. If it has a remote control system, the rain will cause it to fail, costing you several hundred dollars in repairs. And, if you are burning the gas logs while it is raining, the rain hitting the ceramic logs can cause them to crack or break under the extreme heat change.

Animals can be a nightmare in a fireplace; not only for the homeowner, but for the poor ol' Chimney Sweep that has to get them out! I have taken out squirrels, birds, ducks and even released an Owl which had been trapped for several days within the Chimney. Worst of all, I once opened a damper and had a live black snake fall into my lap while sitting in the firebox! If you want to see land-speed records set...let a snake fall into my lap; I can promise you, you have never seen a six-foot, one-inch, 235-pound, former Marine, squeal like a little girl and outrun any deer in your county. So, do yourself--and the Chimney Sweep--a favor and put a Cap on it!

Chimney Caps come in three types of metals. Galvanized caps are cheap and do the job, but will also require continual maintenance of paint to prevent rust. The cap's rust will run down onto the crown and the chimney, deteriorating the mortar and the brick and will stain the roof, paint and/or siding of your home; Galvanized is also not recommended with gas logs due to caustic exhaust. Stainless Steel is durable, never has to be painted and comes with a limited lifetime warranty. Copper, very pretty, will not rust, but will later turn a nice green patina (like an old penny), leaving streaks on your roof shingles, brick and Chimney. Copper is usually the most expensive, followed by Stainless Steel and Galvanized. Do keep in mind that caps which simply slide into the flue (instead of being installed with tap screws) will fly off during heavy winds and can cause serious damage to your neighbor's home and/or vehicle. Talk with your local Chimney Sweep to see what best suits your home.

...And remember, it is "Good Luck to shake hands with a Chimney Sweep."

Joe Honea is a Chimney Sweep in South Carolina. He is married to an Italian girl and together have three sons; two are in the Military and one works in automotive collision repair. They share their home with their two German Shepherd pups and have just recently opened an online Chimney Supply store.

http://www.Fireplaceandchimneysupplies.com

http://www.garagedoordr.blogspot.com

http://chimneysweep-joe.blogspot.com

Firewood and Chimney Safety

Burn Only Seasoned Wood

Seasoned wood usually contains 20 - 25% moisture content, while unseasoned wood can have up to 45% water content. Seasoned firewood is easier to start and produces more heat. In order to make sure that you are purchasing seasoned wood, buy it in the summer 6 months before you plan to use it. Green wood or unseasoned wood must dry out before it will burn properly. Burning green wood can cause smoking problems, odor problems, creosote buildup and possibly dangerous chimney fires.

How to recognize seasoned wood when you see it

With a bit of practice you can learn to recognize seasoned wood when you see it. One sign is that the bark has loosened its hold, or has already been knocked off with handling. Also, the log ends have darkened, dried out and started to crack.

A well seasoned firelog will be lighter in weight than an unseasoned or green piece of the same size and species. When it really is well seasoned, expect to pay more. Cutting trees down, transporting, handling and working up wood is a risky, labor-intensive pursuit. The more times a supplier has to handle it, and the longer he ties up space storing it, the more he will charge.

Storing Firewood

Store wood off the ground in a location away from the house because termites will be looking for it. You can easily make a place to hold the wood by placing two 2x4s or 2x6s parallel to eachother on the ground. Stack wood across these boards, then cover with a tarp to protect it from the elements.

Buying Firewood

Firewood is generally sold by volume, the most common measure being the cord. A standard cord of firewood is 128 cubic feet of wood, measured as a stacked pile of wood 8 feet long by 4 feet tall by 4 feet deep.

Although firewood is usually sold by volume, heat production is dependent on weight. Pound for pound, all wood has approximately the same BTU content, but a cord of seasoned hardwood weighs about twice as much as the same volume of softwood because it is denser. It contains almost twice as much potential heat and this means that you will have to load your fireplace less often if you purchase hardwood, but it is certainly find to use soft woods. Mixed wood (soft & hard wood) by the cord or 1/2 cord is a good buy. Use the softwood to get the fire started and then add the hardwood for a nice long burn.

Never burn any construction scraps of treated or painted wood, especially treated wood from decks or landscaping ties. The chemicals used can release dangerous amounts of arsenic and other toxic compounds into your house. Never burn plastic because it releases toxic chemicals. Never burn large amounts of paper (use your shredder). As for Christmas trees, I know it's tempting but don't do It!

For more information on chimney and fireplace safety, please visit Chimney Sweep & Dryer Vent Cleaning

The Importance Of A Chimney Sweep

For those that use their chimney only on the rare occasion, consider the following facts:

• Regardless if the fireplace has been used, a chimney sweep checks for structural damage due to age and settling of the home as well as damage to brick & mortar due to rain, animals, debris and fire; This is the importance of having your chimney evaluated annually!
• A fire is burned for heat & comfort as well as for ambiance. Sometimes we lose track of the actual amount of fires which have been burned.
• If you are among the "casual burners" who seldom have a fire, it is very necessary as well as important to keep a record of how often a fire is burned and the type of fire; was it a small fire or raging hot?
• The average person burns 1 cord of wood or approximately 15 fires per burning season during a normal winter season.

If the "seldom user" burns only 2 fires in a season, and has not had their chimney cleaned in a 5 year period, this accumulated risk becomes a total of 10 fires burned per week; an estimated full year's burning season.

Please keep a list of fires burned so as not to put your family at risk for a chimney fire and/or structural damage to your chimney. Many a customer will say:

"I clean it myself" or "I had a friend clean it"

"I do not think it's necessary" or "I will call you when I think it's necessary"

"I have only had 3 fires this year, so I do not think it needs to be cleaned!"

Little do they know that there is a LOT more to chimney sweeping than removing ashes.

A chimney sweep is trained to look for stress cracks in the flue liners, the 3 stages of creosote & signs of a chimney fire, broken mortar joints, weakened areas within the brick, footing, smoke chamber, and firebox, water damage and the general overall safety of the chimney itself.

• A chimney sweep is trained in National Gas & Fire Codes, according to NFPA-211 to provide their customers with the best care, safety & prevention methods available.
• A chimney is a heat source in times of power outage; do not be caught without it from neglect!

My husband has owned our Chimney Sweep business in SC for the past 27 years. In this trade we have both seen just about anything & everything you can imagine in the way of builders, troubled and distressed chimneys, the devastation wrought by the horrors of fire and those saved only by the Grace of God. Please do not put your family, your home, and possibly your neighbor's home, in jeopardy by neglecting one of the most important assets in your home; please be sure to have your chimney evaluated and/or cleaned by a certified chimney sweep, annually! Please look for my next article on the topic of the types of fireplace systems.

Pamela Honea is a mother of two, a sweep's apprentice and the wife of a chimney sweep. Among her many creative abilities of woodworking, she and her husband Joe enjoy writing articles and creating websites about their business http://www.Fireplaceandchimneysupplies.com and http://www.garagedoordr.blogspot.com and videos and blogs about their German Shepherd Dogs Mia and Bella http://www.germanshepherddogsdig-pamela.blogspot.com

How to Clean Your Chimney

Springtime chimney cleaning is very important. A through cleaning is recommended
after a long winter of burning fires. The initial cost of purchasing a brush and
the rods for cleaning your chimney can be in the $100 - $150 range depending on
the size of your flue and the height of your chimney. Many times a chimney sweep
can charge up to $100 to clean your chimney depending on the height and how dirty
it is. Once you’ve purchased the brush and rods the rest of your chimney sweeping
only requires some elbow grease instead of paying for a cleaning. If you want to
share the cost see if a neighbor might want to split it with you. Cleaning your
chimney isn’t difficult; the hardest part of the job is getting out the ladder.
Once you’ve dug the ladder out of the garage you’re well on your way. Don’t forget
to take a tape measure, pen and paper up there with you, (there’s nothing worse
than getting back on the ground and forgetting what the dimensions were). Now that
you’re on the roof if you have a chimney cap remove it. Some chimney caps can easily
be removed by loosening 4 thumb screws at the base. Some chimney caps are permanently
mounted and the screws are on the lid.

Next measure the inside of your flue tiles and write it down. Take a good look
at your chimney while you’re up there. Creosote will tend to be the heaviest at
the top of the chimney were it starts to cool during the burning process. If there
appears to be little or no creosote buildup just black soot a wire brush will work
fine. If the creosote is really thick you may want to consider a flat wire brush
that will give you more surface contact.

Always use the bush that is the same size and the flue tiles. If the brush is
too small you won’t make surface contact or if too large you will jam the brush
and bend the bristles. Next determine the total height of your chimney, from smoke
chamber to the top. If it is a one story home the chimney would average 15’, two
story around 25’. Chimney brush rods are available in 3’ 4’ 5’ and 6’ sections that
screw together. Chimney brush rods are made of fiberglass and are very flexible;
they can bend 90 degrees or more. This allows for cleaning any bends in your chimney.

When selecting a chimney brush you will be amazed at the differences and cost.
The double spiral brush contains more bristles which will give you more surface
contact. This is great for moderately cleaning the soot. A single spiral brush with
fewer wires is great for the quick sweep when there is just a light dusting of soot.
The flat wire brush is best for the heavy jobs. If you have a metal chimney or your
chimney has been relined a poly brush is recommended for cleaning. A poly brush
will not scratch the inside or your pipe.

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How to Measure For a Chimney Cap

I have always said the hardest part of installing a chimney cap is getting out the ladder and you have to do it twice. Once you get the energy to get the ladder out and get up on the roof the rest is simple. The first climb on the roof is to measure for the chimney cap. Remember to take a tape measure, paper and pencil with you! There's nothing like getting down and forgetting if it was the big line or little line you were looking at on the tape measure. Write it down while you're up there, then measure it again. Measure twice buy once! Below is a list of chimney caps and the measurements needed for them.

Single flue chimney with the clay tile raised from the crown is the most common. The best chimney cap will be an outside fit with 4 simple pressure screws. Measure the INSIDE of the flue tile length and width. Chimney caps are available in black galvanized, stainless steel and copper. Black Galvanized Stock sizes

Multi-Flue chimney cap is designed to cover several flues at one time. If the flue tiles are more than 6 inches apart you can use single flue chimney caps for each one. Using a multi-flue chimney cap tends to give your chimney a cleaner look with only one cap covering all the flues. Measuring for multiple flue chimney caps can be a little more difficult especially if the flue tiles are offset. Using the diagram below you will need to measure the widest point for all 4 sides, sometimes the flues are not set square to each other.

Continue Article Measure for Chimney Cap