Masonry Maintenance this Winter
Masonry is a beautiful, durable addition to any Indianapolis home. However, harsh winters can be very trying on your masonry. The repetitive freeze-thaw cycles throughout winter can get into the porous material of brick or stone, causing damage. Unfortunately, many masonry repairs can be difficult or ineffective to perform during the frigid winter temperatures. Many people choose to perform any maintenance in the fall or wait until spring to do so. In order to keep your masonry looking and working its best, it is important to understand which masonry maintenance you should perform in the winter.
Fireplace Safety Tips for the Holiday
A warm, cozy fireplace is the ultimate holiday centerpiece. A toasty fire makes the perfect spot for family and friends to gather around this holiday season. In order to enjoy your fireplace during the holidays, it is important to practice safe fireplace use. In this article, we share some important tips to keep everyone safe around your fireplace during the holidays.
How Much Does a Chimney Repair Cost?
Your chimney draws out smoke and steaming hot flue gases from your fire and out of your home. A well-functioning chimney is crucial for you to enjoy your fireplace in your Indiana home. Over time, your chimney may suffer from wear and tear and may need to be repaired. Most chimneys in the United States are made from brick and will need a professional mason to repair.
As a homeowner with a plethora of home maintenance expenses, a chimney repair can be very stressful. With the average chimney repair anywhere between $300 and $4000 you may be wondering exactly how much a chimney repair will cost.
How Can I Weatherproof My Fireplace?
Your fireplace is a great source of warmth and comfort during our chilly Indianapolis winters. However, if your fireplace is not properly weather-proofed, over 90% of the warmth will be distributed efficiently! You may actually be losing most of the heat that is being generated. Luckily there is a solution. Weatherproofing your fireplace will make it much more efficient and durable.
Why You Should Get a New Years Chimney Sweep
The New Year is a time for starting fresh and making those classic resolutions. While people tend to focus on categories like fitness and work, your home is a great place to start with resolutions. The new year is a great opportunity to invest in your home’s masonry with a chimney sweep.
How Does Harsh Weather Affect My Chimney?
A fireplace in your home helps make the bitter Indiana winters a bit more tolerable. While fireplaces will help keep you warm and cozy, the brutal winters can damage your chimney. The winter elements like snow, ice and fluctuating temperatures can damage your chimney or greatly enhance existing damage. It is important to know how harsh weather will impact your chimney so that you can take the proper precautions.
Stacking
Stacking is an issue that can occur during cold winter months. When smoke back-drafts into your home, it is called the stack effect. When the air outside of the chimney is much colder than the air within it, the cold air can shoot down the chimney shaft to interchange with the rising warm air. Keep your damper closed when you are not using your fireplace to prevent back-drafts. Heat the flue up as well to intercept the smoke that is trying to blow back it. To hear the flue, simply hold some lit kindling beneath the open damper before lighting your fire.
Masonry Damage from Spalling
The winter freeze-thaw cycles may also damage the bricks and mortar of your chimney. When moisture enters the porous materials, it will expand when it freezes. This expanding water will make any cracks or holes much worse. The cycle of expanding and contracting may also cause the front of the bricks to pop or break off, which is known as spalling. Spalling can result in a lot of damage and deterioration to your chimney, even in just one winter. Repair any existing damage before winter, and consider tuckpointing to replace any damaged mortar while keeping your chimney intact.
Animal Invasions
Many critters are looking for a warm escape from the Indiana winters, and they may nuzzle up in your chimney. Animals in your chimney pose and obvious risk for the wildlife as well as your chimney, fireplace, and home. If you suspect there are animals making their way into your chimney, hire someone to remove them. Follow up by getting a professional chimney sweep to clear out debris and assess any repairs that will help keep the animals out.
Keep Your Chimney Safe this Winter
While harsh weather poses some risks for your chimney, there are ways to protect it all winter long. Consult an experienced professional like Brick + Ember Outfitters to set your chimney up for success. With our chimney and masonry services, we can repair any existing issues before winter hits, and help you prepare your chimney for winter. Start with a comprehensive chimney sweep today by calling us at 317-434-1960 or contacting us on our website.
How do I Know If My Chimney Needs Restored?
Having a fireplace in your Indiana home is a huge benefit during the chilly falls and blistering winters. You can receive direct warmth and a cozy ambiance that a furnace or boiler just cannot match.
However, your chimney is just as important for the functioning of your fireplace as your actual fireplace. A damaged chimney is a huge hazard for your home and family. As a form of masonry, chimneys are very durable and designed to withstand harsh weather. Time, extreme weather and lack of maintenance may cause your chimney damage. Eventually, chimneys require restoration to return to their original glory. Here are some signs it is time to consult the Brick + Ember Outfitters of Indianapolis to restore your chimney.
Spalling
Spalling is when bricks or stone flake or peel off. You can spot spalling when pieces of masonry fall off of your chimney. Spalling is caused by water entering the brick and expanding when it freezes to damage the brick. Left untreated, spalling can ruin the appearance and structure of your chimney.
Tilting Chimney
A leaning chimney is a huge red flag. When your chimney begins to lean, it puts immense stress on your home and can tear the lining. This allows fire and exhaust into the upper levels of your home, which is hazardous for your family. Do not wait to call an expert if you notice your chimney is tilted.
Missing Stones or Bricks
Mortar holds the bricks or stones of your chimney together. If you notice bricks or stones missing, it is a sign that your mortar is wearing down. Every single brick that is missing threatens the structure of the chimney and weakens it. Seek restoration services as soon as possible if you notice missing bricks and stones.
Constant Small Repairs
If you are always needing small repairs on your chimney, it may be time to tackle some bigger underlying problems and seek restoration. Each chimney requires slightly different processes for restoration, but it oftentimes requires changing the liner, strengthening the structure, and replacing damaged parts. Chimney restoration will save you from those constant smaller repairs.
The experts at Brick + Ember Outfitters are ready to help you restore your chimney. We make sure to blend your restoration with the existing masonry for a seamless repair. Delaying a necessary chimney restoration can result in disaster. Don’t wait any longer, schedule an appointment for your chimney today by contacting Brick + Ember Outfitters at 317-500-1250 or through our website.
Burning Trash and Paper in Your Fireplace: Is it Safe?
Fireplaces add a comfortable and fashionable touch to any Indianapolis home. Your fireplace is the centerpiece for family gatherings and cozy nights, and will help keep your home toasty warm throughout the winter. Safe fireplace operation is critical for the health of your fireplace, home, and family.
It may be incredibly tempting to simply toss trash or paper into your fireplace for easy disposal, but it is not recommended to do so. In this post, we explain why is not safe to burn trash or paper in your fireplace.
How to Treat and Prevent Weeds on Your Masonry Patio
A masonry patio offers a great outdoor space to take advantage of Indianapolis’s gorgeous summers. Stone or brick masonry creates a beautiful patio space that is durable, fire-resistant, and aesthetically pleasing. However, even masonry patios require some upkeep. The most common challenge that you will face with your masonry patio is the stubborn weeds that attempt to take over your space and turn it into a tangled jungle. Weeds distract from the beauty of your masonry patio and can be very frustrating to deal with. Luckily, we have some effective tips for how to treat and prevent weeds from overtaking your patio.
Preventing Weeds
Freshly installed masonry patio or one that is currently free of weeds? It is time to get to work preventing weeds. Here are some of the top methods for preventing weeds:
- Use polymeric sand to fill in the cracks and gaps. This prevents weeds and bugs from making a home between the stones.
- Regularly sweep and brush your paving stones to disrupt weed seeds and prevent them from settling.
- Apply a preventative treatment to repel weeds, like Wet & Forget.
- Ensure your patio is properly installed and has the necessary drainage. Hire an experienced masonry expert to design and install your patio.
Treating Weeds
If you already have weeds on your masonry patio, it is important that you treat them as soon as possible before moving on to the methods for preventing future weeds. To treat the weeds, take the following steps:
- Wait for rainfall and pull as many weeds as possible from damp soil.
- Pressure wash the surface to remove weeds from the cracks while also cleaning the brick or stone of your patio. Use a rotating surface cleaner attachment.
- Apply a weed killer that will penetrate to the leftover roots of any weeds.
- After removing the weeds, follow up with the preventative measures listed above to keep them away for good!
Patio Facelift
Treating and preventing any weeds will transform your masonry patio to its full glory. Along the way, you may notice some other areas of your patio that need repair. The dedicated team at Brick + Ember Outfitters is committed to helping you with all of your masonry needs, including your patio. Learn more about how we can help you with your patio maintenance and repairs by contacting us through our website, calling 317-500-1250, or emailing OFFICE@BRICKANDEMBER.COM.
Wood Ashes In Your Fireplace: How to Remove Them
A wood-burning fireplace makes the bitter Indianapolis a little easier to tolerate. There is nothing quite like snuggling up in front of your fireplace and soaking up a bit of the warmth. However, fireplaces do require cleaning and maintenance to ensure their optimal performance. A by-product of burning wood is wood ashes, and these can accumulate in your fireplace. As long as you properly remove wood ashes, they will not cause you or your fireplace any harm. In this post, we explain the best way to remove wood ashes.
When Should I Remove Wood Ash?
Any time you burn wood, you will get wood ash. The amount of ash generated depends on the type of wood and the temperature you burn it at. You may be tempted to remove the ash after every time you build a fire, but it is actually ideal to maintain a 1-inch layer of ash on the floor of your firebox. This layer of ash nestle the hot coals and add more heat to the fuel, making it easier to build and maintain a fire. Eventually, you will need to remove the ash. If the layer of ash becomes too thick and smells or is in the way of fire building, it is definitely time to remove it. Generally, ash should be removed as often as is necessary to maintain the 1-inch layer, and all ash should be removed at the end of the wood-burning season.
How to Remove Ash
When done properly, removing ash is a safe and simple process. Follow the protocol below to ensure proper ash removal.
- Wait at least 72 hours after your last fire so that the ash is fully cooled.
- Use a fire shovel to scoop up the ashes.
- Place the ashes in a bag and dispose of them in the trash.
- Store and use as a lawn and garden fertilizer, in your compost piles to maintain neutral acidity, or on your icy driveway to provide traction.
- Push the ashes through the metal plate in the floor of the firebox if your fireplace has an ash dump.
Removing ash is a simple, effective way to keep your fireplace healthy. For help with other fireplace and chimney maintenance and repairs, choose Brick + Ember Outfitters of Indianapolis. We are ready to help you with your chimney, masonry or fireplace. Request your appointment today by visiting our website, calling 317-500-1250, or emailing OFFICE@BRICKANDEMBER.COM.