Fireplaces can be the center of a home. Whether it’s a wood-burning fireplace or one that runs off electric or gas, the warmth and the ambiance simply can’t be replicated.
Many people gather around fireplaces, making them the focal point of living rooms, dens and other rooms where family and friends often congregate. In addition to bringing homeowners a lot of joy, they also can increase the value of a home.
Since fireplaces include a burning fuel source, they come with inherent dangers. However, if you stay on top of regular maintenance and inspections, you can keep your fireplace safe and prevent problems from happening.
Below, we’ll discuss some basic fireplace and chimney safety tips as well as the role that the Chimney Safety Institute of American (CSIA) plays.
Understanding Chimney Safety and Prevention
A main component of wood-burning and gas fireplace systems is the chimney. Not only does a properly-working chimney ensure that harmful chemicals and smoke escape out of the home, but it also helps with the quality of the burn in the case of a wood-burning fireplace.
By conducting regular chimney inspections, and having your chimney maintained consistently, you can help prevent chimney fires. In doing so, you’ll be ensuring that you have an efficient chimney system that is also very safe.
Chimneys can be quite difficult for homeowners to inspect and maintain on their own. Without the proper tools and training, it would be almost impossible for a typical homeowner to do themselves.
When searching for a professional who can help, it’s important to choose one who is certified by CSIA. These professionals are specifically trained to inspect and maintain chimney systems, and can provide recommendations for ongoing maintenance and repairs if necessary.
CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps are able to identify the common signs of chimney fires — or the potential risk of one happening — by looking for a buildup of creosote, damage to the chimney and more.
They can also educate you on the risks of chimney fires, and what preventative measures you should be taking to protect your family and your home.
The Importance of CSIA Certification
A common question homeowners have is why is it important to hire a CSIA certified professional? Certification by the institute serves as a gold-seal mark that the business is professionally managed and that all workers are up-to-date and knowledgeable about the leading standards of chimney safety.
Having the certification reassures homeowners that the control system integrator is a professional services firm that is established and has proven successful in the field. It’s a third-party validation that a company meets the highest standards of management and business.
CSIA Certification is very similar to ISO — or the International Organization for Standardization — but it focuses specifically on human resources, project management capabilities, financial management, business management and more.
CSIA members are able to apply their specific expertise in the industry to every clients’ objectives. While they may approach a job with a certain vision, they are experienced and knowledgeable enough to be able to make adjustments to meet their clients’ needs, especially in a market that is constantly changing.
Causes and Consequences of Chimney Fires
It’s important for homeowners to understand what the common causes and consequences of chimney fires are. This will help to emphasize just how important being proactive in preventing fires is, as well as what some of the steps you should take are.
One of the most common causes of chimney fires is creosote buildup. This happens over time as you burn more fires, as it is a byproduct of what’s being burned.
Some of the conditions that can actually encourage creosote to build up include burning wood that’s not seasoned properly, overloading your firebox with too much wood and having a restricted air supply to the fireplace via the chimney.
Every year, thousands of homes have chimney fires. Most of these are because of improper chimney maintenance, or no maintenance at all, and creosote building is often the primary cause of the fire.
Luckily, you can prevent the buildup of creosote becoming too bad through regular chimney inspections and ongoing maintenance. They are especially important if it’s been a while since your chimney has been serviced or if you’ve never had it serviced before.
A CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep will come to your house and clean your chimney and fireplace system fully. This removes any creosote or other buildup, and ensures that the air is flowing properly both inside and outside of your home.
They’ll also do an inspection on your fireplace and chimney, looking for the common signs of damage, and to see if any specific repairs are needed. If they believe that your fireplace and/or chimney needs attention, they will have the specialized expertise to not only recommend what needs to be done, but will be able to actually do it, too.
Chimney fires are extremely dangerous and can happen at any time if you’re not careful. In fact, they can even happen without anyone being aware of it, making them even more dangerous.
Get Your Chimney Cleaned and Inspected by All Brick
Fireplaces can be an amazing feature in any home, serving as a focal point where people can gather and create lifelong memories. If you aren’t conducting regular inspections and maintenance of your chimney system, though, they can also be quite dangerous.
It’s very important to have your chimney inspected and cleaned on an annual basis, and it’s a great idea to hire a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep to do so. You can trust companies that have CSIA certification because they must adhere to the highest standards in the industry and in business management in general.
At All Brick, we have been mastering the art of masonry for the last 10 years. We are CSIA certified and can handle any fireplace-related job you have — including ongoing inspections and maintenance.For more information, or to get a free quote, please contact us today.
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