Chimney Safety in San Marcos
Protect your home and business in San Marcos from the possibility of a chimney fire by having your fireplace and chimney inspected each year by a certified professional. The licensed and insured technicians at No Limit Roofing provide a range of professional chimney services and offer the following safety tips to protect your property and derive the utmost in efficiency and enjoyment from your chimney system.
Essential Chimney Safety Tips
- Open the chimney damper completely before lighting a fire.
- Only burn clean untreated firewood in a fireplace, never burn garbage or painted wood.
- Keep fires from moving to the forefront of your fireplace.
- Your fireplace system should always be sued with a spark screen or glass door.
- Adhere to manufacturer’s instructions when burning artificial logs.
- Ensure that your home or business in San Marcos is equipped with working smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers that can save lives and your property.
- A fireplace fire should ideally, burn brightly. Avoid letting wood smolder for an indefinite period of time.
Cut Down on Creosote Buildup
Creosote is a chemical mass of carbon that is formed whenever wood, tar or fossil fuels are burned. Creosote will typically accumulate in all masonry chimneys and fireplaces and if not regularly cleaned and removed, it will not only compromise the efficiency of your fireplace, but can become the actual fuel for a serious chimney fire. It is important to have your chimney cleaned and inspected annually to ensure that creosote buildup has not exceeded industry standards and that your fireplace is functioning properly. To avoid excessive creosote buildup in between inspection and cleaning visits No Limit Roofing chimney sweeps recommend that you only burn wood that has been dried for six months to a year and that you use the freshest cut wood possible with a higher moisture content than seasoned wood for maximum chimney safety. Burning pine wood actually increases creosote buildup, while hardwoods that include eucalyptus for example, burn at a slower rate and with a steadier flame decreasing buildup. Certified No Limit Roofing chimney sweeps are experienced and fully equipped with high powered vacuums and specialty bristle brushes that are designed to thoroughly remove all accumulated creosote soot, dirt and debris from any residential or commercial chimney in San Marcos.
Tips for Preventing a Chimney Fire
Do not allow ashes to pile up in the fireplace and never place left over ashes in a paper bag when cleaning out the fireplace. Safely dispose of ashes in a metal container with a tight fitting lid and be sure to store the container a good distance from any other flammable materials before getting rid of them entirely. The frequency required for cleaning your chimney depends on how much your fireplace is used, but an annual inspection from a certified San Marcos chimney sweep is essential even if you do not use your fireplace at all. Even an unused fireplace can become a potential fire hazard and should be assessed for any potential problems each year.
Call the licensed technicians at No Limit Roofing for more information about protecting your home from a chimney fire and to schedule a licensed inspection.