Is My Fireplace Safe to Use?

"Is my fireplace safe to use" is sort of a relative question - if you have a fireplace and have never had it inspected or cleaned, you are playing with fire. Also understand that deterioration can occur to the interior of the chimney even when the chimney is not in use (or has never been used) – it’s Indiana folks, the inconsistent weather takes a toll on the masonry, and that's - that. When it comes to burning wood, a natural byproduct called creosote is notorious for building up, lining the flue-system. Creosote is highly flammable. If a fire place burns hot enough and long enough it can reignite the creosote in the flue and start a chimney fire (for example, pouring gas on a fireplace fire to get it to burn, can cause the fire to super-heat, cracking flue-tiles). Chimney fires often burn higher up in the chimney’s flue system and if there are already cracks or holes from missing mortar in the flue system, the fire can spread to the structure of the house – deductive reasoning: fires that are not contained are not friendly fires.

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Indianapolis Chimney Outfitters

What to Expect When Scheduling Your Chimney Sweep With B+E

We understand your time is valuable and so is your home. Brick + Ember Outfitters is interested in building equity, restoring beauty and growing piece of mind.

When you call Brick + Ember Outfitters to schedule a chimney or masonry service, we will want to know what you know and educate you on what you don't yet know. We provide a specific time for your appointment, because we believe that meeting you is important – a time that works with your schedule.

Our Chimney Sweeps are Sweep Certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

Expect:

  • An email confirmation of your appointment date and time, as well as the information of the Outfitter who will be coming out to your home or property
  • A call when we are on the way
  • Clean/Safe chimney sweep and assessment practices (air filter for cleaning out chimney, the laying of tarps or drop cloths, mindfulness of gutters and roofing)
  • A pleasant experience with an explanation of the areas in question, and the options available to best address your chimney or masonry needs
  • A final report with all findings and recommendations, including pricing

Indianapolis Chimney Repair

Know Your Chimney

Believe it or not, water doesn’t need cracks to penetrate your brick chimney. Major chimney damage often starts with just a little soaking. Many chimneys are built with masonry materials which are porous in nature that allows water to soak through the chimney and into the home, usually without any warning signs to the common eye. This soaking primarily starts in the chimney’s crown, which acts as a roof for your chimney. This makes the brick brittle, causing cracks and deterioration that spreads over time. In the winter, this damage is multiplied as the water in your chimney freezes and expands, resulting in major damage to the infrastructure of your chimney.

It often starts small. Even small cracks are a sign there may be significant and unseen internal damage to your chimney. While cracks are dangerous in that they damage the structural integrity of your chimney, they have a hidden threat that results in far more serious complications. Cracks act as an access point for things like water, smoke and even heat traveling through your chimney. This is the perfect cocktail for a variety of problems that, if left untouched, multiply over time.

One of the most damaging results of water and heat traveling through cracks in your chimney is mold. As water soaks through your bricks and crawls through cracks in the chimney, it frequently finds its way into the walls of your home. The combination of water and heat traveling through cracks in your chimney creates an ideal environment for mold to thrive, usually undetected for long periods of time. Mold damage that isn’t detected early often results in expensive and extensive deterioration to the walls that support your chimney and your home. But more damaging is the serious health risk that mold poses by living so close to where you spend so much of your time.

One of the most obvious signs of major damage to the internal parts of your chimney is the lingering smell of smoke after using your fireplace. As smoke travels up the chimney, it is diverted by even the smallest cracks that can extend to the walls of your home. Not only does this carry an odor, but the smoke can carry heat and embers that can catch the internal walls of your home on fire.


Noblesville chimney repair

Do Chimney Sweep Logs Work?

"We use the creosote logs, and those work just as well as a sweep - right?"

No, that’s not what we’d suggest at all. Here’s the break down on creosote and those logs you’d buy, to burn it all up. Those logs are a great step in the right direction, but they are not an end-all alternative for the physical sweeping of your chimney. The creosote logs work like this: begin burning the logs, and the composition of those logs, plus your fire, are to release a chemicals which aide in the break-down and drying up the creosote. However, the reality is, those logs often have labels on them which state that the majority of the creosote is reduced. Okay, great. The realness here is that hazardous material is still left up in your flue. You get the idea. We’re not saying they’re useless; they’re just not a great end-all for properly ensuring the cleanliness of your chimney’s flue.
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noblesville chimney repair

DIY Chimney Inspection

If you are up to the task, inspecting your chimney once or twice a year will go a long way to prevent many serious or potentially hazardous issues. Chimneys serve two primary purposes, exhausting the fireplace and exhausting any HVAC systems. Inspecting your chimney yourself can save some money and keep your home safe. Here’s what to consider if you choose to do your own inspections:

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