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Carbon Monoxide and Your Fireplace

Summer has officially ended, which means the next frigid New York winter is one season closer. As everyone starts putting away t-shirts and short and pulling out parkas and mittens, homeowners have another task on their minds. Winter is also fireplace season, so everyone is flocking to have their chimneys swept and inspected. Those who neglect to service their fireplaces and chimneys this year are putting the health of their families and homes at risk. While there are a variety of different risks associated with a fireplace in disrepair, none is more insidious than carbon monoxide.

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What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon monoxide is small gaseous molecule that results from all types of combustion. This means that carbon monoxide is present in car exhaust, stoves, lanterns, wood- and charcoal-burning units, and gas ranges. If the fuel burns in an enclosed space, the carbon monoxide product quickly builds up in the air. As the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air increases, so does the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. To make matters worse, you cannot tell if deadly gas is present by smell or taste or sight. Only a specialized carbon monoxide detector can determine its presence.

Poisoning by carbon monoxide can occur within minutes depending on the size of the space and the rate at which it fills up. The carbon monoxide enters the blood stream after inhalation and attaches to the red blood cells before the oxygen has a chance. Thus, carbon monoxide is distributed throughout the body in place of the absolutely vital oxygen, eventually resulting in severe tissue damage and death. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, dizziness, nausea, and confusion. If the victim is not moved to clean air, unconsciousness quickly ensues. The early symptoms mimic much less dangerous illnesses, so many people do not think about moving to an open area.

What Does This Have To Do With My Fireplace?

Carbon monoxide is a product of any type of burning, so if your fireplace burns wood, charcoal, pellets or gas, it produces carbon monoxide. A properly installed fireplace and chimney should safely vent the carbon monoxide out of the home, but a number of issues can arise to hamper that ability.

Any type of chimney obstruction contributes to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. If the path of gases up the flue is blocked, the gases will back up into the home. Different types of obstructions include animals, nests, or a dirty chimney. You can have a mason install a chimney cap to prevent animals from living and building nests inside the flue. To prevent creosote and other fire products from building up and closing off the flue, you should have your chimney swept and inspected at least once per year.

While obstruction is the most common cause for carbon monoxide in the home, you should schedule an inspection with a professional chimney sweep company to determine if your fireplace poses any other types of risks. 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 September 30th, 2014 | Tagged with: Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Carbon Monoxide and Your Fireplace

Dealing with Draft Problems in Your Chimney

Perhaps you were never able to use your fireplace, or you used to, but it started backing up smoke into the house. When the smoke and hot air fails to escape through the flue, your fireplace and chimney are said to be experiencing drafting problems. A wide variety of issues can lead to drafting problems, and oftentimes, they completely baffle and frustrate homeowners.

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One easily resolved cause of smoke back up is a closed damper. The damper assembly acts as a door to allow smoke and hot air to escape through the flue when a fire is burning and to keep the furnace-heated air inside from escaping when the fireplace is not in use. If the damper stays closed during a fire, the smoke has nowhere to go except into the house.

Another common drafting problem is an obstructed flue. Animals like birds, raccoons, or squirrels seek out the warmth and safety of the chimney during cold, winter months. These animals and their nests will partially or completely block off the flow of smoke through the flue. A chimney service can install a chimney cap for an affordable price to prevent animals from nesting in the flue.

An obstructed flue can also be caused by the buildup of creosote, a tarlike compound created by burning wood. A health threat in and of itself, creosote also builds up inside the flue and may eventually seal it completely. To prevent this and the other dangers of creosote, have a mason sweep your chimney at least once every year.

Your chimney can also experience drafting problems when the firebox and flue do not fit together properly. The size of the flue compared to the size of the firebox should follow a 10:1 ratio, meaning that for every 10 square inches of firebox, there should be 1 square inch of flue opening. If the flue size cannot accommodate the volume of smoke produced by the fire, the smoke will back up into the house.

Additionally, the flue should be positioned deep inside the firebox, and the fire should be built as far back as possible. If the fire sits too close to the interior opening of the firebox, it will never have a chance to enter the flue before seeping into the house instead. This could become an issue if the firebox was installed improperly or if it was not manufactured according to fire safety codes. A mason can help you make the right choice in addressing this issue.

If you want to use your fireplace again and keep you and your family safe, get in touch with an expert to help you address any issues. If you live in the Suffolk County area of Long Island, New York, contact Chief Chimney Services, Inc. for a professional consultation. Get your fireplace back today!

By John Pilger on September 15th, 2014 | Tagged with: Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Dealing with Draft Problems in Your Chimney

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