Our Company Blog

Common Chimney Parts Replacement

Is your chimney not working the way it should? Perhaps a part or two needs to be replaced. Get an inspection now.

It may look simple from the outside, but your masonry chimney system is a lot more than a tall stack of bricks. And your prefabricated chimney system is a lot more than a long pipe.

Inside and out, a chimney system is a complex collection of parts designed to hold in combustion byproducts, encourage draft, protect against heat, protect against water intrusion or some combination of several of those. And like any complex collection of parts — from a car engine to a kitchen appliance — from time to time, a part will need replacing. That’s where Chief Chimney Services comes in.

Our CSIA-certified technicians have been serving homeowners in Suffolk County for decades — there isn’t a chimney repair we haven’t tackled a dozen times over, and we take pride providing our clients with the kind of top-notch care that comes with extensive training and extensive experience.

Whatever needs replacing in your system, we’re here to help. But if you’re curious about some of the more common chimney part replacement jobs we perform, here’s a quick rundown:

Chimney Caps

Chimney caps need to be made out of strong and durable material (stainless steel and copper are exceptional choices), and they need to be properly sized and installed to do their important job effectively. That job is multi-pronged: First, chimney caps help to keep moisture out of the chimney by closing off the top of the flue. Second, a strong, properly sized cap helps keep animals, including birds and many mammals, from moving into your chimney to nest, causing damage and a host of annoying problems. Beyond that, some specialized caps can help with performance issues, like downdrafts. If you have a damaged galvanized cap, or you’ve lost a chimney cap in a bad storm, our technicians can help you find the perfect replacement, and install it to last.

Chimney Flashing

Chimney flashing plays a hugely important role in your system, and its installation is meticulous work, custom-designed and -fitted for every individual chimney. It needs to be custom-installed to be effective — flashing is tightly fitted, in layers, around your chimney where it meets the roofline, to keep water from making its way into that seam. So the installation needs to be free of gaps and snug to be watertight and durable. Sometimes serious windstorms can tear pieces of flashing off, which makes replacement necessary. And when flashing is improperly installed to start off with, leaks and the need for replacement flashing generally follow.

Energy Top Chimney Dampers

Many older chimneys have what’s called a throat damper installed deep in the chimney, and it closes off the flue down above the firebox when you’re not having a fire. These use a metal plate to cover up the flue opening, and that doesn’t provide a particularly effective seal to start off with. Over time, those dampers can also corrode, crack, get stuck or the plate can get dislodged from the track that it sits on. Throat dampers can sometimes be repaired, but replacing that damper with an energy top damper– installed up at the top of the flue — can make a much better choice. These completely close off the flue with a silicone gasket, keeping air transference to a minimum and helping you save money and fuel by increasing your system’s energy efficiency.

Those are just a few of the more common replacement parts we install. Chief Chimney techs can handle any and all chimney repair or replacement jobs that you might need — just give us a call!

Holy Smoke! My Fireplace is Smoking!

It’s one of those nice cool evenings when you just want to sit back and enjoy the warmth of your fireplace. You gather up the wood and get the fire started, but just as you’re getting comfortable a waft of smoke floats by your nose, and then more and more smoke is building up in your home. That definitely is not a good sign. Something is preventing your draft from working properly and smoke is escaping your fireplace.

If you notice smoke thickening in your fireplace and slowly spreading throughout your home, that’s not normal! Have it inspected to know what’s causing it.

Of course smoke should go up the chimney, not into the living area. That’s the very purpose of the chimney, to allow the harmful gases from combustion to exit the house not dwell in it. As you might have already figured out, your smoky fireplace might be an indication of an underlying problem.

Possible Causes

Moist Wood

The first thing that you can do by yourself is to check the kind of wood you are burning. Certain types of wood just naturally produce more smoke – the more moisture the wood contains, the more smoke (and production of creosote). That is why a drying process is necessary before using any kind of wood to burn in your fireplace.

Chimney Problems

Other more critical issues that could cause a smoking fireplace are chimney related, particularly pointing to the airflow, or the lack of it. When proper airflow is impaired smoke easily flows back into the house causing a lot of problems for homeowners, ranging from discolored furniture to severe health risks. That’s why you always want to make sure your fireplace and chimney are well-kept by having them inspected annually.

The most common impediment to proper chimney function is the presence of obstructions within the flue. These can come in the form of creosote buildup, dead leaves, and unusually, small animals. Creosote buildup is an inevitable occurrence with chimneys that are frequently used. Creosote is a normal byproduct of burning wood and over time it mounts up on the walls of the flue, narrowing the passageway of smoke as it tries to get out. This is the very reason why a regular chimney sweeping should be done because creosote is also very flammable and might even cause an unnecessary chimney fire. As for leaves and animals, having a chimney cap or crown installed will help you solve your troubles as it provides a barrier against these unwanted visitors inside your chimney. These accessories also hit two birds with one stone by complimenting the waterproofing of your chimney as well.

If you have a chimney damper installed, also make sure that it is still functioning properly. Otherwise, replace it because if it is always closed or will not open anymore, it defeats its purpose of controlling the amount of air flowing down to the fireplace. Instead it will be a trap for the rising smoke, which will have nowhere else to go but back down into the fireplace.

Whatever the reason for your fireplace and chimney woes, Chief Chimney Services, Inc. is ready to serve you. Contact us today for an inspection so we can help you determine the root of the problem. After which our licensed experts will do what they do best until your fireplace and chimney seem almost brand new. Soon you’ll be back having relaxing nights by your fireplace.

Let’s Keep That Chimney Clear!

Make sure your chimney flue looks like this. There should be no blockages of any sort.

For your chimney to function at its highest levels of efficiency and performance — sending heat and byproducts up and into the outside air — there needs to be a clean, unobstructed and uncompromised flue. Cracks and gaps will harm your draft, keeping the air from flowing the way it should. And blockages will, as that word implies, block the air from flowing, partially or completely, trapping heat and dangerous byproducts, and likely sending smoke and harmful gases billowing into your home.

A blocked flue is dangerous on several fronts — it can adversely affect the air inside your home, even lead to chimney fires. If you see smoke in your living area, notice a musty or smoky smell around your fireplace or find that dark stains are showing up around your appliance or chimney, you may have some flue blockage. It might be that you’re just overdue for a chimney sweeping appointment, or there might be other issues at work.

If you notice a problem, give Chief Chimney Services a call — our experienced technicians can find, remove and repair any issues related to chimney blockage. In the meantime, here are a few common contributors to a blocked chimney:

Creosote

When you use your wood-burning fireplace or stove, creosote is a natural result — it’s a deposit that builds up over time, as particulates and hot gases rise in your flue, hit the cooler flue walls and condense. Chimney professionals recommend regular chimney sweeping appointments because creosote deposits lead to a number of different problems and worries. If deposits are thick enough, they can block your flue, impeding the draft and letting toxic carbon monoxide get into the air you’re breathing. Since creosote is highly flammable, heavy creosote deposits can also become a serious fire hazard. And if creosote develops into third stage “glazed creosote” (often due to repeatedly burning wood with a higher moisture content), you’ll end up with higher chances of a chimney fire and a really difficult removal process.

Following proper burning practices (keeping your flue wide open during fires, using only seasoned cordwood, having your chimney regularly swept) can minimize creosote, and keep your chimney air flowing freely.

Animal And Plant Debris

If your flue isn’t topped with a chimney cap, you have a couple of big worries: things falling into your flue, and things climbing into your flue. An open flue makes it easier for branches, leaves and twigs to fall into your chimney, creating piles of highly flammable debris that impacts your draft and can become a fire hazard. But haphazard debris definitely isn’t your biggest issue — animals are drawn to the warm, confined safety of a chimney, so without a cap, you’re inviting anything from birds to squirrels and raccoons to move right in. Those new roommates bring in debris and create nests that can block your flue. They also tow in sounds, smells and bugs that you don’t want in your chimney, either. The best way to avoid all that: Make sure you have a correctly sized, correctly installed chimney cap on your system.

Broken Flue Tile Or Masonry Pieces

Many older chimneys were built and installed with terra cotta clay tile flue liners. And while those liners can hold up well with diligent maintenance, it’s not uncommon for tiles to crack or break, and for pieces to then fall into the flue. That leaves your chimney less protected, less efficient and potentially blocked up, too. Pieces of brick and mortar can crack and fall into the flue, too, bringing similar issues.

If damaged masonry pieces are blocking your flue, Chief Chimney can make the necessary repairs to clear out the flue and make the chimney whole again.

Regardless of what’s doing the blocking, a blocked flue makes for a much less efficient, much less effective and much less safe chimney. If you have any questions about blockages — or want to have our experienced technicians take a look at your system — just give Chief Chimney Services a call. We’re always here to help!

I Hear Noises in My Chimney!

No, your chimney hasn’t developed a social media life. All that tweeting might mean you have a case of chimney swifts. And they aren’t the only things that like to call your chimney home. If you’ve been hearing noises or smelling odors that are less than pleasing lately, you just might be hosting animals or birds—keep reading to see just who might be taking up residence inside your chimney.

A right sized chimney cap should keep critters from setting up a home inside your chimney.

Raccoons aren’t an animal you want hanging around your house, much less in it. They carry many diseases, including rabies, and are especially good at finding their way through the chimney—some can even make it into or past the damper. Bats are another disease-ridden animal that like to take shelter in chimneys. While these animals are a nuisance to homeowners throughout the country, we deal with a high percentage of animals infected with rabies in New York State—raccoons and bats topping the statistics. This moves critters into the hazard zone for New York State homeowners with chimneys.

Probably the most audibly annoying chimney residents are the chimney swift. They earned their name because they love to build their nests along the inside of the flue by using their saliva to attach small twigs. When their young hatch, you’ll be dealing with about 2 weeks of chirping before the young are off and on their own. If your chimney has developed a case of chirping, you’ll have to wait until the swifts have moved out to have your chimney cleaned. You have to get a permit to remove chimney swifts, since they are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. So, if you aren’t into hosting wildlife, you’ll need to take some proactive measures to keep your chimney tweet-free.

Installing a chimney cap is the best way to keep any kind of critter out, and will also provide you with other benefits. Chimney caps keep all kinds of things out—debris, rain and other moisture from weather. If you have a metal flue, it’s very important to have a chimney cap, since animals have nothing to grip on to escape. This creates an unpleasant smell and harder mess to clean up.

If you suspect that you have animals or birds in your chimney, don’t hesitate to call us to provide you with solutions. Keeping your chimney clean each year will ensure that debris from animals is removed so it doesn’t catch fire.  You can reach us at 631-863-2460 or schedule your appointment online.