Our Company Blog

Have Your Dryer Vents Cleaned with Chief Chimney Services

Did you know your clothes dryer may be the most dangerous thing in your house? Most homeowners don’t give the clothes dryer a second thought after the purchase, delivery, and installation. The dryer should be serviced annually in order to work properly and to run without threatening a fire. Many homeowners don’t even realize that the dryer should also be professionally installed in order to comply with municipal safety codes and to vent properly. Improper ventilation can cause your dryer to work harder and need to be replaced and serviced more often. The best thing you can do is to have it professionally installed, and have it cleaned at the first sign of a problem.

Signs of a Dirty Dryer Vent
Your dryer will give you signs of a problem before you experience a fire or other malfunction. The most noticeable sign, and possibly the most overlooked, is the dryer that requires more than one cycle to complete the job. Many homeowners chock up the multiple cycles to a worn out unit, but manufacturers say this problem in a dryer that is less than five years old has a clog.
Other signs include:
-The dryer is too hot to the touch
-Moisture and lint fills your laundry room and covers surfaces
-Very little lint is left on the lint trap
-There is no lint or air moving out of the outlet

If you see signs of a dirty dryer vent, it’s important to have it taken care of quickly. The clean and efficient dryer vent will begin saving you money immediately. When you run two to three cycles to dry one load of clothes, you use two to three times more electricity AND shorten the life of your unit by two to three times! These costs add up quickly, but can be stopped in their tracks.

Call Chief Chimney Services
At Chief Chimney Services we strive for excellence and safety with all of our services and all of our calls. That’s why we continue to offer dryer vent services when many homeowners view this task as a DIY weekend job. In our 30 years serving the Suffolk County area, we’ve cleaned countless clothes dryer vents because we know the most important thing–the safest clothes dryers are those that are professionally installed and professionally serviced. We know that in order to be safe, your dryer vent must have the following:
Ducts less than 4” in diameter
Total length of ductwork less than 25 feet
Independent of all other systems
A termination hood that prevents backdrafts
Transitional ducts and flexible ducts

Did you know that your dryer can cause your home to be outside of code compliance? Did you know that you can schedule a dryer vent installation with a Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician (C-DET) from Chief Chimney Services, and your dryer will work properly and efficiently from the get-go.

Call Chief Chimney Services for your dryer vent cleaning and we’ll bring to your home all of the professionalism and expertise we’ve gained over more than three decades of work in our community.

Contact us online [https://chiefchimney.com/contact-us/] or call 631-863-2460.

Checking Your Heating & Venting System Before the Cold Season

Summer is coming to an end, and fall is just around the corner. With the start of a new school year and new season, people can find themselves staying fairly busy. Fall is busy season for our chimney professionals too. It’s important to schedule heating and venting services now to avoid the fall rush, as our chimney professionals are busy with installations, repairs, and emergency calls.

Routine Maintenance

Routine maintenance is preventative maintenance. Having your heating and venting system inspected and cleaned regularly prevents damage, waste, and health risk. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) agree that routine chimney sweeps and annual inspections keep your chimney system working safely and efficiently.

You should get your chimney serviced regularly to prolongs its life. A clean and properly-functioning chimney is easier to light, the flame is easier to control, and less heat is wasted. A clean chimney does not stink of soot and creosote when the fireplace isn’t in use. Keeping your chimney regularly cleaned and inspected also means less drafting issues, leaks, and other hazards! Hiring a chimney professional for your comprehensive chimney care ensure the optimal health of your chimney.

Chief Chimney is here for you!

It’s our goal at Chief Chimney Services to ensure all of our customers and friends in the Suffolk County area are safe and comfortable this winter season. As members of CSIA, the National Chimney Sweep Guild, and the New York State Chimney Sweep Guild, our goal is to decrease the occurrence of residential chimney fires.

By continuously educating ourselves on new techniques and technologies to improve chimney function, we strive to serve you with the best chimney tips and care. The best way to prevent chimney malfunctions and hazards is to schedule preventive maintenance. If you haven’t had a chimney inspection in the last 12 months, then it’s time to schedule one now. Call Chief Chimney Services today at 631-863-2460.

The Benefits of Energy Saving Dampers

Your chimney worked for you all winter, but it may be working against you this summer. As temperatures rise and air conditioners are switched on, there may be a draft that’s stealing your conditioned air right out of your chimney! This occurrence is more common than many homeowners think, and it’s completely preventable. By making one small change to your chimney system, you can have an efficient, money-saving chimney in no time.

The Top-Sealing Damper

Top-sealing dampers double as chimney caps, and save homeowners money upon installation. This damper, also called the energy saving damper, is fairly easy to install, protects your chimney from the top down, and closes it completely during the offseason. Some benefits include:

Airtight Seal – Energy saving dampers close with a rubber gasket seal that prevents any water or moisture from getting in. It’s tamper-proof, so animals cannot open it, and it will not open until you disengage it. Throat dampers usually close loosely and can allow drafts and animals into the home.

Easy Use – The cord which engages and disengages the top-sealing damper runs down to the hearth, so you’ll be able to use it from the comfort of your living room, just as you would a regular throat damper.

Multi-Purpose – The top-sealing damper works as a damper when it’s closed, and a chimney cap when it’s open. It keeps animals and weather out of the flue and prevents hot embers from escaping. It even looks like a chimney cap, so you can choose a design that suits your liking.

When to Make the Switch

You don’t have to do all of your chimney work during the winter. In fact, we do chimney work year-round, and if you schedule during the summer, you won’t have to stop using the fireplace prior to the service appointment. Schedule now, and we can discuss chimney services that will enhance your experience and make your chimney work better as well! If we find that you need a new damper or cap, we suggest a top-sealing damper right away. It saves you money right away. Protecting your chimney from the top down is important. It keeps humidity from mingling with soot and creosote in the flue, which creates unwelcome odors and corrosive chemicals. A top-sealing damper prevents wind gusts and drafts throughout the off-season, saving you money, and will prevent debris from falling in and creating blockages, saving you in services.

When it comes to chimney dampers and caps, you can’t go wrong with an energy-saving one. All of the models we carry at Chief Chimney Services will enhance the look of your chimney and improve the way it works–guaranteed.

When you’re ready for a chimney sweep or inspection call on Chief Chimney Services. We can install your new energy saving damper now, so schedule an appointment today!

How Your Chimney Cap Should Function

The cap may be the most important part of the chimney system-especially in springtime. It essentially protects the chimney flue from the top-down. Chimney caps come in varying styles depending on the climate, wind, and more. They also may double as a damper (top-sealing damper) and may even allow bird habitation. Your cap is the hat that protects the flue opening, and it seems, the cap itself wears many “hats”. 

The Cap Keeps the Weather Out

No matter what kind of chimney cap you have on your chimney, it should keep the weather out. The primary job of the chimney cap is to prevent precipitation from going into the flue. Most caps are designed to let the water run directly off the cap, and onto the crown where it runs off and onto the flashing and roof. These parts of the chimney system work together to prevent water damage that can devastate a chimney.
If you live in an area with high winds such as in a hurricane area, or near the Great Lakes you may find that most chimney caps have wind deflectors. These not only keep water out, but also wind that may carry water, may affect the draft, and more.

The Cap Keeps Animals Out

If a critter can climb onto your roof, you can bet it can also get into your chimney flue if it isn’t capped. Your chimney cap should prevent animal intrusion, including small types of birds, chipmunks, and even larger ones like raccoons. Chimney caps keep even the smallest animals from sheltering in your chimney, bringing their nesting materials, and leaving behind flammable debris and droppings. If you have an animal in your flue, you may need to call a professional for a humane removal. Even if the animal gets out of the flue on its own, it likely left behind claw marks, droppings, feathers, fur, and other materials that do not belong. You’ll need a chimney sweep to clean this material away-and you’ll need a chimney cap installed!

In some cases, like when a chimney swift is allowed into your chimney, there isn’t a thing you can do to remove them. Chimney swifts are federally protected, and they nest in chimneys (the next best thing to hollow trees, which is their natural habitat). These tiny birds will nest in an uncapped chimney and cannot be removed or harmed until they leave on their own, which can take up to 90 days! It’s best to prevent them from arriving in the first place.

The Cap Keeps the Fire In

Finally, your chimney cap will prevent stray sparks from escaping the flue and igniting other materials. Most roofs have dried leaves and branches, and shrubs and grasses are dry from a long winter and may be flammable. The chimney cap sends these sparks right back down to the fire, preventing a possible devastating fire.

Does your chimney have a cap? You’d be surprised how many new homeowners find their chimney without a cap. Others may not have noticed the cap blown off or damaged during winter. Make sure your chimney is capped by looking it over regularly.

Call Chief Chimney Services for more information about repairs and installations of caps and more.

The Importance of a Clean Fireplace for Valentine’s Day

We are halfway through the cold season, and there is light at the end of the tunnel. It’s still important to maintain the chimney properly, however—even if you’re using it less, and even if it is working fine. If your chimney system is broken or damaged, you may not notice it until it’s too late, and serious damage has occurred. Besides the obvious safety perks of a clean chimney, you may also find that a clean chimney is just what you need to make your Valentine’s Day warm, comfortable, and romantic.

Why Sweep Your Chimney

In order to keep your family and property safe, it’s important to keep up with routine maintenance. Both the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommend routine sweeps and annual inspections for the most efficient and safe chimney system possible—year-round. When your chimney is cleaned, there isn’t anything in the flue to obstruct airflow, so the smoke rises out as it should. The alternative is that the air slows, and smoke stalls, depositing soot and creosote on the flue walls and even pushing smoke back into the house. Carbon monoxide is very dangerous. Carbon monoxide poisoning often goes unnoticed. If you have a smoky chimney, and you’re troubleshooting to no avail, contact a chimney professional and schedule a chimney sweep today.

Most chimney sweeps include a level 1 inspection that assesses the readily accessible portions of your chimney system. This inspection will identify any hazards that may put your family and home at risk. A level 1 inspection is recommended annually and may be required by your homeowner’s insurance. Kill two birds with one stone, and have your chimney sweep completed now.

The Danger of an Unclean Chimney

If your chimney continues to work while dirty, there are many things that can occur.

You may experience:

• a smoky fireplace while the fire is lit,
• a drafty or stinky fireplace while it’s not lit,
• or may even have a fire that devastates your household with injuries and loss of property or life.

A dangerous chimney is no laughing matter, but it can also cramp your style for your big Valentine’s date.

Dirty Chimneys Stink

When the chimney is dirty, it can stink—actually smell! If you notice your chimney has an odor, you may have a dirty chimney or a bigger problem. The best solution is to schedule a chimney sweep with a professional. If the chimney isn’t cleaned, you may also have difficulty lighting or keeping a fire burning, reaching the desired temperature, or burning too much wood. All of these issues can be avoided completely with a chimney sweep, and there’s still time.

You can schedule a chimney sweep with Chief Chimney Services now, and we’ll have your system cleaned before Valentine’s Day!

Fireplace Smoking Problems

The last thing you want to experience on a cold winter’s night is a smoky fireplace. A smoky chimney doesn’t have to be wafting clouds of smoke out into your room. It can also smell strongly of smoke, cause respiratory distress, and produce excessive smoke inside the fireplace that hides the flames. A smoky fireplace can take on different forms, but one thing is for certain—it shouldn’t occur at all.

Reasons Your Chimney Smokes

Draft Problems

• Your chimney should vent the smoke from your fireplace, but to do so requires an updraft to carry smoke and gases up and out of the house. The heat from the fireplace should create the push the air needs to rise, but if the chimney system is competing with other draft-producing appliances in the house, it may not vent properly.
• Troubleshoot: Crack a window or door in another part of the house. Do not run large appliances or ceiling fans while the fireplace is going or when fireplace doors are open.

Airflow Problems

• It may be that you have an obstruction in your flue. Your chimney may have a creosote buildup that has become a dangerous obstruction. It may be filled with debris, or the damper may be stuck in an engaged position, closing off the flue opening and preventing airflow.
• Troubleshoot: Look into your chimney with a mirror to check for obvious obstructions. If the flue is closed to airflow, DO NOT ATTEMPT A FIRE until it has been assessed by a certified chimney sweep.

Incorrect Fuel

• Burning the wrong type of fuel in your fireplace can cause smoke problems. You should only burn properly seasoned wood in your fireplace. It should be cut and dried so that it burns cleanly. Green/fresh wood will smoke more, as well as leaves, pine cones, pine needles, clothes, and trash.
• Troubleshoot: Plan ahead and cut or buy wood with adequate time for it to season. Check the wood’s dryness by inspecting it visually before burning.

Cold Chimney

• If your chimney is cold, your fire is battling a great deal of cold air. The cold air in your chimney will fall as the warm air from your fire attempts to rise. The cold air will win, push smoke into your house, and make it difficult to light the fire and keep it lit.

Troubleshoot

• Prime your chimney by lighting a rolled newspaper and burning it completely while holding it at the mouth of the chimney. This small amount of heat slowly warms the air in the chimney. By the time the newspaper is burned completely, your chimney should be ready to vent your fire.

Contact Us

There are other reasons that your chimney may not be venting properly. If you’ve attempted to troubleshoot and still get the same results, it’s a good idea to stop using your fireplace until a professional can assess it. There may be unseen problems with your chimney system that can put your family and home at risk if not addressed. Schedule a chimney inspection with Chief Chimney Services, and you won’t be waiting long. Chief Chimney Services offers the best services in the Suffolk County Area—and in a timely manner. Call us today at 631-863-2460 or schedule an appointment online now.

Keep a Clean Chimney for Santa

Your fireplace may be the most popular aspect of your home this season. The adults can relax by the fire after the kids go to bed, use it as a backdrop for countless festivities and photographs, and even save on utility costs by lighting a fire for zone heating. The real moment for the fireplace to shine is Christmas morning, though. Stocking stuffers, gift exchanges, and family photos are just the beginning. The Jolly Elf himself makes his entrance by way of the fireplace! If you have a fireplace, you are one step ahead of everyone else, but it’s more important than ever to make the experience great for everyone (including Santa Clause), by keeping the chimney clean.

Routine Maintenance

You might have your dream fireplace, but the best way for it to work like a dream is to keep it well-maintained. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) both recommend regular chimney sweeps and annual chimney inspections to keep your chimney system working safely and efficiently. Keeping up with this maintenance will make your chimney system work well year after year. The damaged, broken, and forgotten chimney is one that has been neglected. Make sure your fireplace is in tip-top shape for Christmas and all year-round by scheduling your chimney sweep now. Chief Chimney Services offers chimney sweeps and inspections year-round, to best serve our customers in Suffolk County area.

Why Clean Your Chimney

A clean chimney is a chimney that works well. When you schedule a chimney sweep with Chief Chimney Services, a certified technician will come into your home, and clean your chimney from top to bottom, removing all creosote, ash, and soot from the fireplace and flue.
While we’re there, we’ll also:

• Check the flue for cracks or obstructions that can affect airflow and cause a drop in efficiency
• Check the cap and crown for damage that can cause water damage and allow animals into the flue
• Check that the damper is functioning properly so that drafts don’t affect your chimney, waste your central heat, or cause smoke to push into your house
• Check the masonry for water damage, cracks, or gaps that can cause a drop in efficiency, raise the risk of fire, and put your family at risk for carbon monoxide intrusion
• Check the firebox for damage

Besides checking traditional wood-burning masonry fireplaces and appliances, we also specialize in gas and oil-burning appliances.

Contact Us

It’s not that Santa needs the cleanest chimneys possible. It’s that he, like Chief Chimney Services, wants every boy and girl and family to be safe and warm this holiday season. When you hire a professional to clean your chimney system, you will be your safest. You will have less issues with your fireplace, and you will need less services in general. Give yourself a Christmas gift this year, and hire Chief Chimney Services to clean your chimney.

Call 631-863-2460 or schedule online.

The Function of a Chimney Damper

There’s debate about the most important part of the chimney. What keeps it the safest? What makes it work efficiently? What can be improved? The fact is that every single part of the chimney is necessary for safe and efficient function. From top to bottom, the chimney system is designed exactly so that it vents the chimney in the most efficient way possible, changing with industrial and technological advancements. One of these advancements is to the damper. No more are homeowners stuck with an old throat damper. There is a better option, safer, more efficient, and affordable.

The Damper

The damper is a necessity. It closes or opens the flue to allow smoke to escape and air to flow. Your fire needs oxygen to burn, and also needs to vent smoke. When the damper becomes worn out or damaged, it can stop opening or closing, putting your family at risk when smoke cannot escape. It can also make it difficult to light a fire or keep one burning. If you have been troubleshooting to figure out why your fireplace is smoky, and cannot figure out the issue, you may have a damper problem and should call a professional.

Damper Replacement

Chief Chimney Services recommends top sealing dampers, which do the job of the chimney cap and the damper. They are affordable and have a tight-sealing close that closes firmly, keeping water, air, and wildlife out. Most of all, these dampers are functional. They do everything the throat damper did, but better. They should be open while the fire is burning and closed when it is out, allowing airflow when needed, and closing easily when necessary. The top sealing damper is installed at the top of the chimney opening but is engaged by a cord that reaches to the hearth, so you can open and close it with an easy tug.

Save Money

The top sealing damper is also called the energy saving damper, or energy top damper because it saves you money year-round. The traditional throat dampers do not have a tight seal, so they still continue to let air out of the chimney when closed. During the summer, you can lose conditioned air through the chimney. During the winter you may experience cold drafts when the fire isn’t lit. This costs you money! Save money year-round by sealing the chimney from the top to bottom.
Top energy dampers also prevent water damage by keeping water out of the flue completely, in addition to animals, insects, and debris.

This damper will start protecting your chimney as soon as it’s installed, and save you money just as fast! Make sure when you’re discussing your damper or cap with your trusted chimney sweep, you ask about energy saving tips as well! Chief Chimney Services is Long Island’s choice for comprehensive chimney maintenance. We keep our customers safe, and we want to save you money this year. Call Chief Chimney today and ask about a new damper for your chimney top.

The Function Of A Chimney Cap

Did summer storms dislodge your cap? Maybe you’re not convinced it was installed correctly in the first place, or you’re unimpressed with it’s design and function. If you had a chimney cap installed, but your fire is affected by wind gusts, wildlife, or it’s allowing rainwater into your chimney, you need a new cap!

Protection from the Top-Down

The chimney cap is often overlooked, especially by older generations, but it has never been more important. Chimneys are constructed to withstand time and chemical abuse, but they can be destroyed on the inside, from outside influences.

Chimney Caps Keep Water Out

Rain, sleet, snow, and wind can affect your chimney. Without a cap, precipitation falls directly into the flue, and begins affecting the chimney system right away. Water penetration is the worst thing that can happen to your masonry chimney. Masonry is constructed of many different materials, and all of them are adversely affected by water. Water in the chimney can cause:

• Rust of doors, hinges, attachments, damper assemblies and firebox assemblies
• Deterioration of masonry, flue lining system, and building materials.
• Ruined floors, walls, ceilings, wall coverings, carpeting, and duct systems.
• Spalling, shifting, and settlement of masonry.

(Note: The affect of water on your masonry is far-reaching. It can even cause a leak in another part of your home, due to water running unseen through walls and ceilings. Chimney leaks can also lead to mold and mildew which leads to chronic respiratory illness.)

Chimney Caps Keep Wind Out

During the summer, gusts of wind can lead to drafts in your house, raising the cost of cooling. During the winter, wind in the flue can lead to difficulty lighting or controlling a fire, as well as leading to drafts when the fire isn’t in use. Chimney caps come with wind deflectors.

Chimney Caps Keep Wildlife Out

Any small critter that can get onto your roof can also get into your chimney. Small animals such as squirrels and chipmunks as well as larger raccoons and opossums have been known to climb into chimneys. When they do, they bring debris, bedding, droppings, and fur that can decompose or ignite. If they get out again, they likely damage the lining with claw marks or holes. If they don’t escape, they can suffocate and die, causing a dangerous obstruction. Chief Chimney Services often sees animal intrusion and specializes in humane animal removal as well as chimney sweep services to return the chimney back to safe function.

Chimney Caps Suppress Unruly Sparks

Many chimney caps are equipped with spark suppressors that extinguish sparks that might have escaped the flue. This function prevents sparks from leaving the chimney and igniting debris on the roof or below, in the yard or landscaping.

All functions of the chimney cap are essential to the proper function of your chimney system. If you’re looking to replace your chimney cap, consider a top-sealing damper. The top-sealing damper, often called the energy-saving damper, attaches to the top of the chimney flue, working as a cap AND damper, saving you money, and providing more protection for the chimney from top to bottom, year-round. Discuss top-sealing dampers and chimney caps with a chimney expert now. Call 631-863-2460.

Chimney Damper Installation

Your chimney is made up of many parts. These parts need to function properly in order for the chimney to do its job correctly. What happens when the chimney doesn’t work properly? The efficiency drops, fuel and energy go to waste, and fire risk goes up. In addition, it will also require more maintenance than usual. One of these indispensable parts is the damper.

The Chimney Damper

During the cold months when a fire is burning in your fireplace, stove, or insert – the damper is very important! With it you can control the intensity of the flame and prevent smoke from filling your home. You should never close your damper completely when a fire is burning. This is because it closes the vent, letting hazardous gases into your home. It is also helpful during the off-season, keeping hot air from falling from the chimney into the house, or letting conditioned air leave through the chimney. A damper closed securely can save you in energy costs.

Common Damper Problems

Like every part of the chimney, even a good damper can go bad over time. There are many factors that can affect the damper. These include water leaks, soot, and creosote buildup. Also, natural occurrences like tornadoes, earthquakes, and fires can affect it too. Some older homes may have an outdated damper that is less efficient or worn out. Maybe your damper isn’t worn out, but it doesn’t fit securely enough to prevent a draft. What’s the only thing worse than burning too much electricity running an air conditioner? Running an air conditioner and still feeling a warm draft! You can prevent this occurrence by having a new damper installed.

Top-Sealing Dampers

Energy-top, or top-sealing dampers, take all of the benefits of a traditional damper, and improves upon them. This damper is installed at the top of the chimney, instead of the interior throat of the chimney, and functions as a cap as well as a damper. When the fire is burning, the damper stays open to vent the fire properly. The damper also keeps animals, debris, and weather out year-round. This is just like a cap, except the tight seal closes it completely when the fire is out. That means that you save on heating/cooling costs when your fireplace isn’t in use. You don’t have to buy a complicated chimney sealing kit or climb on the roof with a tarp. You simply pull the chain located next to your fireplace, and it closes securely.

What better way to protect your chimney than from the top down? With the energy-top dampers, you don’t have to worry about critters crawling into your flue. It also prevents humidity mingling with your chimney soot that can make it stink!

Homeowners love the benefits and the savings so much, that more and more are having their throat dampers replaced with these energy-top dampers. If you’re interested in one, now is the time to make the change. You can still save on energy this summer if you schedule your appointment now. Contact Chief Chimney Services and let’s talk chimney dampers. Call 631-863-2460 or make an appointment online!