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How Often Should I Have My Chimney Inspected?

When owning a home with a chimney and fireplace system, it is the responsibility of the homeowners to have it professionally swept and inspected at least once a year. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and other national non-profit fire safety organizations recommend having you chimney professionally swept and inspected annually. This is one of the most important home maintenance as it is related to the safety of your family. For over 25 years, Atlas Chimney has provided quality professional chimney maintenance, which includes repairs and installation services to residents across the Austin area. You can trust our CSIA-certified chimney technicians to ensure your chimney is in top working condition and will remain safe and efficient throughout the year. Chimney inspection is vital, and we would like to tell you more about what you’ll expect from our professionals.

Why do I need to have my chimney professionally inspected?

The national chimney experts recommend every homeowner to schedule this particular professional maintenance service at least once a year to ensure there are no flue blockages or any other type of damages, which could lead to dangerous fire hazards or other problems. With Atlas Chimney, we include a basic Level 1 inspection with your annual chimney sweeping appointment. However, if you are buying or selling a home or if you have made any changes to your fireplace since your previous chimney inspection, then you will need a Level 2 inspection. Our Level 2 inspection includes the attic, basement, and crawl spaces around the chimney. This will also be the inspection required after an earthquake, tornado, lightning strike, chimney fire or other events that may have damaged the chimney. If you suspect any problems that need more extensive investigation, a Level 3 inspection would be recommended. This level requires the removal of components such as a wall of the chimney – in order to determine the source of the problem that could lead to a devastating house fire – if neglected.

What can I expect from a chimney inspection from Atlas Chimney?

When sweeping your chimney, our CSIA-certified professionals will be doing a courtesy check to ensure nothing is blocking the inner flue. We will also keep an eye out for any damages to the liner. Both of these issues could lead to a potential carbon monoxide leak into your home. After sweeping your chimney, we will inspect the condition of the bricks and mortar joints on the exterior of your chimney. If we do find any damaged or missing masonry, we will provide photographs of the damages in our inspection report along with an honest estimate of the repairs that will be needed to get your chimney back to working safely.

Take advantage of our less busy off-season right now! Contact us today to schedule your professional chimney inspection.

Why You Should Schedule Your Chimney Inspection in the Spring

National fire safety organizations like the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommend having your fireplace and chimney professionally swept and inspected annually to be sure the system works safely and efficiently. Many homeowners wait to have these chimney maintenance services done in the fall, but Atlas Chimney recommends that you take care of these tasks in the spring. We would like to tell you more about why you should schedule your chimney inspection in the spring.

Why you should schedule your chimney inspection for the spring - Austin TX - Atlas Chimney

You can easily get the appointment you need.

When you wait until the fall to have your chimney maintenance tasks performed, you could have a hard time scheduling your appointment on the date and time you need. In the fall, the CSIA-certified chimney sweeps at Atlas Chimney are extremely busy sweeping and inspecting chimneys all across the Austin area. In fact, fall is our busiest season. Since someone needs to be at your home when we sweep and inspect your chimney, it can be difficult to find the best time to schedule this appointment. You will have a much easier time getting the appointment you need in the spring since we will not have such a packed calendar.

You can have winter-related damage repaired in a timely manner.

One of the reasons the CSIA claims that water is the greatest enemy of masonry chimneys has to do with spalling damage. Since masonry materials naturally absorb water, there can be moisture trapped within the bricks and mortar. Whenever the temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, that trapped water will freeze and expand inside the masonry materials. This water will thaw as the weather warms up, and its force can cause the bricks and mortar joints to crack and even break apart. The longer you wait to have this damage repaired, more water leaks can occur and lead to even more deterioration. Having your chimney professionally inspected in the spring allows you to have this damage repaired in a timely manner, which can prevent serious water leaks from appearing.

You will not have to worry about chimney odors during the summer.

Before Atlas Chimney inspects your chimney, we will professionally sweep it to remove all of the creosote that has accumulated inside your chimney. Not only is creosote dangerously flammable, but it can produce a strong, unpleasant odor, especially during hot and humid summer weather. When you have your chimney maintenance services done in the spring, you will not have to worry about dealing with stinky smells coming from your chimney.

Don’t wait until the fall to schedule your chimney maintenance tasks. Contact us at Atlas Chimney to have your chimney inspected this spring.

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