Our Company Blog

Is My Chimney Healthy?

To be at its healthiest state, your chimney needs regular maintenance. Dangerous hazards can lurk within neglected chimneys without you even realizing it, which is why national fire safety organizations like the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommend that homeowners have their chimneys professionally swept and inspected at least once a year. For over 25 years, Atlas Chimney has been working on the chimneys of the residents of the Austin area, and we know the signs of an unhealthy chimney. We would like to share with you these signs to help you know more about the health status of your chimney.

CREOSOTE BUILDUP

When you have a wood-burning fireplace or stove, creosote is a fact of life. Formed naturally during the combustion process of burning wood, creosote sticks to the inner walls of a chimney and can accumulate into large deposits over the winter. The biggest problem with creosote is that it is highly flammable. The CSIA names creosote as a leading cause of chimney fires. The only way to remove creosote buildup is a professional chimney sweeping. The CSIA-certified chimney sweeps from Atlas Chimney will be sure to get rid of all of the creosote deposits to reduce your risk of a chimney fire.

CRACKED OR MISSING BRICKS AND MORTAR JOINTS

Have you noticed loose or missing bricks from the exterior of your chimney? Masonry materials are naturally porous and suffer from erosion damage over the years. The holes and gaps left from deteriorated bricks and mortar joints allow water to easily enter your chimney to create even more damage. Ignoring cracked, loose, and missing bricks and mortar joints can lead to serious structural problems. Atlas Chimney can replace damaged bricks and mortar to restore the health of your chimney.

FLUE BLOCKAGES

As Atlas Chimney inspects your chimney, we look for damage and other potential problems, such as flue blockages. Debris like broken bricks, leaves, sticks, animal nests, and soot can block the exit of your chimney to create a dangerous hazard. The toxic gases of combustion will not be able to escape and will be forced back into your home, and this could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Our CSIA-certified chimney sweeps will remove the blockage, which will make your chimney healthy again.

Be sure your chimney is healthy before fall. Contact us at Atlas Chimney to schedule an appointment for your annual chimney sweeping and inspection today.

Why Does My Chimney Stink?

As we head into another hot and humid Austin summer, you may start to notice stinky smells coming into your home through the fireplace from the chimney. At Atlas Chimney, we get calls every summer from customers asking why their chimneys stink so badly, and we are here to help the Austin area with keeping their homes smelling fresh and sweet during the hottest months of the year. We have been dealing with stinky chimneys for over 25 years, and we know what the most common chimney odor sources are. Although the unpleasant chimney odors are entering your home because of draft issues (which we can take care of for you, too), the source of these smells can be several things inside your chimney. We would like to tell you a bit more about why your chimney stinks and how we can help solve this smelly problem.

Do you smell bad barbecue or asphalt?

If the odor smells like a grilling disaster or a road crew paving, the source of your chimney odor is soot and creosote. These byproducts of combustion can accumulate into large deposits over the winter when you use a wood-burning fireplace, stove, or insert. As the weather gets warmer, the scent of creosote and soot gets stronger. Not only is creosote stinky, the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) names it as the main cause of chimney fires. The best way to get creosote and soot out of your chimney is to have a professional chimney sweeping. Atlas Chimney agrees with the CSIA that every chimney needs to be swept and inspected annually. Scheduling an appointment with our CSIA-certified chimney sweeps in the spring or summer will not only reduce your risk of a chimney fire, but you will also be protected from smelling creosote and soot in your home.

Is the odor a rotting, decomposing smell?

When you do not have a chimney cap professionally installed on top of your chimney, you have an open hole that allows water, leaves, sticks, and other debris to fall easily down into your chimney. If you are noticing a musty, dirty, and decomposing smell, the odor source, is a mixture of standing water on the smoke shelf, which is mixed with leaves, dirt, and other debris. Unfortunately, birds, bats, squirrels, raccoons, and other wild animals can also easily get into uncapped chimneys, and these critters can become trapped and die inside the flue. If you have noticed chirping, scratching, and other animal sounds a the smell is a strong rotting and decomposing odor, the source is probably a dead bird or animal in your chimney. To keep everything out of your chimney and protect your home from invasions of water, birds, and other wild animals, Atlas Chimney offers our professional chimney cap and animal covers, sales and installation services. Even if you already have a chimney cap on your chimney, it could be damaged if it has been there for years, so our CSIA-certified chimney experts can check out its condition during the annual inspection and sweeping to see if it needs replacing to keep your chimney and home safe.

Summer is the best time to schedule your annual chimney sweeping and inspection with Atlas Chimney! Contact us today to easily arrange a visit from our CSIA-certified chimney sweeps on the date that is the most convenient for you with no waiting