Our Company Blog

Oil Furnace Flue Cleaning

With the start of the New Year have come bitterly cold temperatures, especially in the Long Island area. Most have rightfully taken shelter indoors, huddling under blankets with the furnace running on high. In order to keep that furnace functioning at its best, it requires some regular maintenance. Experts recommend having a technician service it yearly, but these service calls do not always include cleaning the flue for oil furnaces. If a flue cleaning is not performed, it is important to have it done anyway, even if that means a separate appointment.

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When the furnace runs, the burned oil produces a variety of substances, not the least of which is soot. This soot is black and messy, and it is meant to be expelled out of the furnace through the flue. However, as the soot travels through the flue, it often clings to the interior of the flue. Over time, it builds up and can even close off the air flow through the flue. In turn, the toxic flue gases produced by burning oil are forced back into the unit and sometimes into the house. Breathing in these poisons can lead to long term effects like cancer from soot or short term issues like an irritated respiratory tract from carbon monoxide.

Another issue that arises from soot in the flue is the degradation of the flue lining. The carbon and sulfur mixture in the soot mixes with water vapor produced by the fire to form a highly acidic compound. If the flue lining is exposed to this compound for an extended period, it can cause damage. Ceramic flue tiles show damage by splitting, cracking or spalling, and stainless steel flue lining becomes riddled with holes after being eaten away by the acid. Damaged flue lining, no matter the material, can lead to flue gases leaking into the house or even structural damage to the flue. Fortunately, any issues related to soot in the flue can be avoided by having regular cleanings performed.

Not all of the soot vents from the furnace or clings to the flue lining. What does not ends up falling back into the furnace, sitting on vent. As soot is allowed to build up on the vent, the furnace must work harder to force air through the vent. In general, a clogged vent will cost the homeowner more money. It lowers the efficiency of the furnace, costing more in fuel consumption, and it shortens the life of the appliance, which has a significant replacement cost.

If your oil furnace flue has not been cleaned within the past year, or if it appears to need some extra servicing, contact a flue expert to schedule an appointment. For service in the Suffolk County area, contact Chief Chimney Services, Inc..

How Winter Weather Affects Your Chimney

Weather experts have forecasted a winter just as frigid as last year’s, which has everyone thinking about ways to stay warm. For some, that means turning on the heat in the house or lighting a toasty fire in the fireplace. To help the fireplace and chimney continue keeping us warm, they need regular care themselves, particularly before the winter weather sets in. In fact, winter weather does more damage to the chimney than any other season.

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Many people believe chimneys are built to endure the winter elements and only need the occasional sweep to function properly. Chimneys do hold up remarkably well to the weather, considering they experience it 24 hours a day, but they cannot survive indefinitely without a little help. The main concern for chimneys in the winter actually comes from water damage, which often surprises people.

Masonry chimneys, in particular, can suffer extensive and costly damage as a result of water exposure in the winter. Materials such as brick, concrete, and mortar are used to build a masonry chimney and they all have a porous texture. This means these materials readily absorb any water that settles on its surface. Although water alone does relatively little damage, when winter weather drags temperatures below freezing, the trouble starts. In sub-freezing temperatures, water undergoes a freeze and thaw cycle in which it continuously contracts and expands. The water inside the masonry materials also goes through this cycle and expands the bricks and concrete right along with it. Water can cause severe and costly damage to a chimney, particularly during to masonry chimneys. After several seasons of this constant motion, the materials start to degrade and lose strength. The damage can even extend to cracking or collapse.

If water has a chance to seep inside the chimney, it will happily cause damage there, as well. A metal flue lining can rust after repeated water exposure, and this leads to cracks and holes in the lining. Damaged flue lining does not effectively protect the house from the heat of the fire and the water leaking into the chimney. Eventually, this can lead to an unintentional house fire or to further water damage in the house. Water damage may come in the form of a rusted damper, which inhibits the proper ventilation of the smoke, or may even appear as ugly water stains on the walls or ceiling around the fireplace.

Fortunately, some simple and cost effective fixes can prevent all of this expensive damage. At the next chimney sweep and inspection, ask the chimney specialist about the application of a special sealant to the outside of the chimney. A chimney cap or chimney crown repair or replacement can help keep water out of the chimney and house, too. The chimney specialist can provide and install these fixtures for you upon request. With winter closing in, the roof is going to start icing up, soon making it too dangerous for the chimney specialist to access the chimney, cap and crown. Therefore, you should call now to schedule an appointment to have your chimney protected this winter. If you live in the area of Suffolk County on Long Island, contact Chief Chimney Services, Inc. for a professional consultation.

By John Pilger on November 30th, 2014 | Tagged with: Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on How Winter Weather Affects Your Chimney

Reasons to Reline Your Chimney with Stainless Steel

The seasons have officially changed, and fall has arrived in full swing. Vibrant leaves decorate the ground as they fall from the trees, and the chilly wind has everyone dusting off their light jackets. In addition, the colder temperatures have homeowners looking ahead to heating their homes throughout the upcoming bitter New York winter. Many homeowners utilize heating appliances such as stoves and fireplaces, and because these units have chimneys, they require special care and maintenance. While your chimney sweep is out to clean and inspect the chimney, ask him or her to check for a flue liner in the chimney. If your chimney does not have one or if the current liner is damaged, you may want to consider making the investment before winter.

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A damaged or missing flue liner comes with a wide variety of problems. If water finds a way inside the chimney, a flue liner prevents it from going on further. Without a liner or with a liner full of cracks, the water can cause damage. A masonry chimney interior absorbs the water, and during the freeze and thaw cycle of winter, the structure becomes damaged. Cracks and holes will form, and eventually, the structure may collapse.

Additionally, the gases from the fire that are meant to flow out of the home through the chimney may actually seep through the unlined chimney back into the house. Dangerous chemicals like carbon monoxide and creosote create numerous health hazards, so keeping them out of the house is crucial.

You may also be losing money on fuel by leaving your chimney unlined or with a damaged liner. Newer heating appliances have a higher efficiency than older appliances, meaning they burn at lower temperatures. Due to the physics of hot air, these highly efficient units need a narrower flue to function properly. If the chimney is too wide, the heat will dissipate too quickly, causing more fuel to be burned and even resulting in some toxic gases settling back into the home. You can save costs on fuel and keep your home safer by having a chimney sweep install a stainless steel flue liner with a size that fits the efficiency of your particular unit.

Another frightening issue associated with unlined chimneys is unintentional house fires. A study done by the National Bureau of Standards showed that when a fire was burned under an unlined chimney, the adjacent woodwork took just 3 ½ hours to catch fire itself. In just one evening with a lit fire, your home could burn to the ground.

If you live in the Suffolk County area of New York and you need your chimney relined with a high quality stainless steel flue liner, contact Chief Chimney Services, Inc. for a professional consultation. The experts at Chief Chimney Services, Inc. can help save you money and keep your home and family safe.

By John Pilger on October 15th, 2014 | Tagged with: Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Reasons to Reline Your Chimney with Stainless Steel

Changing Temperatures Can Seriously Damage Your Chimney

If any part of your home can withstand the notoriously harsh New York winters, it would be the chimney. Made of tough brick or stone, it has most likely seen decades or even centuries of unforgiving temperatures. While the chimney is particular strong and durable, it does have weaknesses and that includes dramatic changes in weather.

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Chimney damage due to temperature changes starts with the presence of moisture in the structure. Aside from stone, all materials used to create a masonry chimney are porous and sensitive to contact with water. Even stone chimneys need mortar to bond the stones together, so they do not escape the dangers of water. When water hits materials like mortar or brick, the porous materials absorb the water like a sponge. While this does not have immediate repercussions, it will eventually cause damage.

During the bitterly cold winters on Long Island, every outside structure is subject to the freeze and thaw cycle. This includes your chimney. Now that the porous materials on the chimney contain water, the freeze and thaw cycle can damage the structure. The water inside the brick or mortar expands and contracts in freezing cold temperatures and this continuous movement weakens the brick and mortar.

Signs of damage due to changing temperature include cracks in the mortar, loose bricks or stones, missing bricks or stones or a listing structure. Without the proper attention and maintenance, a water and temperature damaged masonry chimney could collapse, which means serious costs.

You can protect your chimney from this type of deterioration in a couple different ways. One way to do this is to have a chimney service apply water repellent to the outside of the chimney. Using a water repellent instead of a sealant is crucial, because the repellent allows water vapor trapped in the masonry to escape, while it discourages water entry. A sealant will keep any moisture trapped and the damage will happen anyway.

Another way to protect your chimney is to have a chimney cap installed. A chimney cap is a small, simple contraption that covers the top of your chimney. Usually made of copper or stainless steel, chimney caps prevent water from freely entering the inside of the chimney. This can help prevent water damage to your masonry and water damage to other areas such as the flue, damper, and the inside of your home. In addition to keeping water out of the chimney, chimney caps also prevent animals from nesting in the flue and keeps live embers from escaping to create a fire hazard.

Both the application of a water repellent and the installation of a chimney cap should be performed by a licensed professional. Chimney caps sold by big box hardware stores are generally low quality and a chimney service can provide you with a properly fitting, high quality chimney cap that will last years longer. Also, both services pose serious danger to your safety, so consider leaving them to the experts. If you live in the Suffolk County area of Long Island, New York, contact Chief Chimney Services, Inc. for a professional consultation.

By John Pilger on August 25th, 2014 | Tagged with: Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Changing Temperatures Can Seriously Damage Your Chimney