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Services We Provide
Chimney Inspection
Chimney Cleaning
Chimney Relining
Waterproofing
Masonry Repairs
New Construction
An accurate and valuable service for homeowners,
insurance adjustors, and home and/or fire inspectors.
Every homeowner needs accurate information about his or her chimney’s
condition. While viewing the monitor screen from the hearth, homeowners
can see the condition of their fireplace and chimney. In the past, the
examination of the chimney interior involved either an ineffective
flashlight and mirror or the expensive disassembly of part of the
chimney to see problem areas. Now with the Chim-Scan video inspection
service, it is easy to obtain an accurate evaluation of your chimney’s
interior in a non-destructive way.
We will be able to show you these precarious conditions, if they exist:
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Improper New Construction
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Chimney Fire Damage
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Improper Prefab Chimney Connections
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Cracks, Even Hairline Cracks, in Flue Liners
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Broken or Missing Tile Liners and Mortar Joints
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Deterioration of the Smoke Shelf or Damper
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Quick-Fixed” Thimble Holes
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Hidden Breechings
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Nests, Limbs and Other Blockages
Insurance adjustors, home fire inspectors and realtors depend on video
inspections for accurate and documental information.
The National Fire Protection Association recommends that homeowners get their chimney inspected at least annually. Animal nesting (squirrels and birds) can cause fire hazards. Creosote accumulation is another serious fire hazard.
Some of the signs of accumulated creosote in the chimney liner
include:
* An odor of burned wood coming from the fireplace
* Drafting or smoking problems with the chimney
* Creosote covering the damper
You can check this by looking inside the fireplace near the damper. If
you see any creosote, which resembles black mold, then it is most likely
coating the entire smoke chamber and flue liner.
Cleaning means removing the hazard of accumulated and
highly combustible creosote produced by burning wood and wood products.
It means eliminating soot build-up in coal and oil-fired systems. Oil
and gas furnaces have distinct burning characteristics and produce
different combustion by-products. Oil flues need to be swept annually
because deposits of soot may build up on the interior walls of the
chimney liner. It also means getting rid of bird and animal nests,
leaves and other debris that may block the flow of emissions from a home
heating appliance, thereby increasing the risk of chimney fires and
carcinogenic and gaseous buildups. Sweeps are also on-the-job fire
prevention specialists. While sweeping, they are vigilant for signs of
damage to your chimney system and unsafe conditions that may cause home
fires or threaten residents with dangerous or unhealthy indoor air
quality.
Our basic cleaning service includes sweeping flues;
vacuuming firebox, fireplace and smoke shelf; cleaning ash dump.
A flue lining is a clay, ceramic, or metal conduit
installed inside of a chimney. It contains combustion products and
directs them to the outside atmosphere, thus protecting the chimney
walls from heat and corrosion. The most common material used as a
masonry chimney lining in new constructions is terra-cotta clay flue
tiles. Stainless steel may also be used in new constructions. Old
chimneys might not even have a liner.
In time, the flue liners will deteriorate. Bits and pieces of the liners
may flake off, and debris may build up at the bottom of the flue,
blocking venting and drafting. This may interfere with the flow of toxic
gases and particles out of the house, and may also force carbon monoxide
and other toxic fumes into the living space. Thus wood, oil and gas flue
liners should be regularly inspected, and if necessary, professionally
replaced. When we reline a chimney we use a stainless steel chimney
liner that is UL listed, and comes with a lifetime warranty.
Given time, water can destroy anything. All masonry
construction materials, except stone, will suffer accelerated
deterioration as a result of prolonged contact with water. Masonry
materials deteriorate quickly when penetrated by water and exposed to
the freeze/thaw process. Water in the chimney can also cause rust and
corrosion, weakening metal parts, and cause flaking that clogs the
venting system.
We provide professional water proofing, using special products developed
specifically for waterproofing masonry. These formulas are vapor
permeable, allowing the masonry to breathe out, but not in.
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Here is a list of common
repairs:
* Firebox re-pointing and re-building—The
firebox is the brick area where you build your fire.
Loose bricks and degraded mortar need to be repaired.
* Cement
crown repair—The
crown is the concrete like surface at the top of
your chimney that keeps water from entering the
chimney.
A cracked or broken cement crown should be repaired
immediately to avoid serious water damage.
* Damper repair—A
damper closes the flue when you aren’t using the
fireplace so heat doesn’t escape through the
chimney. Rusted damper covers need to be
replaced. Dampers excessively damaged can be
replaced with a damper placed on the top flue of the
fireplace.
* Flue repair
—The flu
is the internal part of the chimney that funnels
exhaust from your fireplace to the outside. If
it cracks, breaks, or is blocked by debris or
creosote build up it is a safety hazard that needs
to be repaired.
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Lead Flashing repair —The lead flashing is installed at the intersection
of the roof and chimney for the purpose of keeping
water from leaking into the house. If water is
leaking through the lead needs to be sealed or
replaced.
* Chimney
or Veneer re-pointing—The mortar joints
become cracked or crumbled which often causes water
damage. Cracked or crumbled joints need to be
ground out and then refilled with mortar.
* Brick
spawling —The brick face becomes separated from the body of
the brick and falls off. Spawled bricks need to be removed and
replaced.
Here is a list of the types of projects
where we specialize:
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Chimneys
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Entranceways
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Veneer
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Walkways
* Steps
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Signs
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Mailboxes
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Patios
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Retaining Walls
Here is a list of the
types of materials used::
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Brick
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Block
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Cultured Stone
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Stone
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Stucco
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Granite
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