While it’s true that the recent rains have brought a few chilly-ish nights, from a general standpoint, fireplace season has wound down. That means it’s time for Middle Tennessee chimney homeowners to close down the fireplace and chimney for the year. This is an important home maintenance habit to observe each year. Never shut down your chimney before? At All Year Chimney Sweeps, we are here to help! Here are a 4 quick steps that should be taken to close your chimney down until the brisk chill of fall returns to the air.
1. Clean the fireplace
Prior to closing the fireplace for the year entirely, all soot or ash deposits must be cleaned up from the base of the unit. Also, remember that the chimney needs to be swept annually by a certified Nashville chimney sweep to remove any soot and creosote in the body of the chimney. Most sweeps, including All Year Chimney Sweeps, feel that Spring is the best time to hire a sweep to get your chimney cleaned and inspected. When the weather gets significantly damp during the spring months, any leftover gunk in these areas will moisten and give off unpleasant odors inside your home. As an added guard against odors, various deodorants designed for chimneys can be put inside of the firebox.
2. Have the chimney & fireplace inspected
While you have a Nashville chimney sweep there to do the cleaning, you might as well have an overall inspection completed too. In addition to looking for residue build up, a sweep can check the condition of various components, inspecting them for cracks and leaks. Two key components that may prove troublesome in the spring are the flashing system and rain cap. Each of these items works to protect the chimney from water leakage, which is more likely during the spring rainy season. A chimney sweep will ensure that these parts are intact and undamaged, keeping your home safe from flooding. The inspector will check all other key items, including chimney piping, which could have become corroded from prolonged heat exposure, and replace it if needed. To further guard your home, the chimney damper/cap should be securely closed too, which will keep out pesky animals that like to invade your chimney, like chimney swifts or raccoons.
While you have a Nashville chimney sweep there to do the cleaning, you might as well have an overall inspection completed too. In addition to looking for residue build up, a sweep can check the condition of various components, inspecting them for cracks and leaks. Two key components that may prove troublesome in the spring are the flashing system and rain cap. Each of these items works to protect the chimney from water leakage, which is more likely during the spring rainy season. A chimney sweep will ensure that these parts are intact and undamaged, keeping your home safe from flooding. The inspector will check all other key items, including chimney piping, which could have become corroded from prolonged heat exposure, and replace it if needed. To further guard your home, the chimney damper/cap should be securely closed too, which will keep out pesky animals that like to invade your chimney, like chimney swifts or raccoons.
3. Shut the Damper
When your fireplace goes unused for a length of time, the damper should be closed. Why? Because it’s just one more way that air and odors come in and out of the house. So, at the end of this fireplace season, be sure to shut the fireplace damper near the firebox. Even better, if air is escaping from your home and into the fireplace unit, glass doors can be installed and work together with the closed damper, creating a tighter seal. Please note, however, that this is only for wood-burning units, as gas fireplaces should always have an open damper.
When your fireplace goes unused for a length of time, the damper should be closed. Why? Because it’s just one more way that air and odors come in and out of the house. So, at the end of this fireplace season, be sure to shut the fireplace damper near the firebox. Even better, if air is escaping from your home and into the fireplace unit, glass doors can be installed and work together with the closed damper, creating a tighter seal. Please note, however, that this is only for wood-burning units, as gas fireplaces should always have an open damper.
4. Turn Off the Light
Gas fireplaces are equipped with a pilot light. Essentially, this is a small flame that remains lit at all times while the fireplace unit is connected. What are the odds that you’re going to light a fire in the next several months? The pilot light, while it isn’t very strong, uses up plenty of energy over a period of time, costing you money. So, turn off the pilot light on a gas fireplace in the springtime.
Summary
Taking these steps now will ensure that your fireplace is in tip-top shape for fall and winter - when you really need it! There’s nothing worse than being left in the cold, so oil your fireplace components in order to allow their best possible function. Taking the necessary cleaning and corrective steps and closing and turning off unneeded components will ensure that your chimney and fireplace are in tip-top shape for the fall chill. For more information on your Nashville chimney cleaning and inspection, call All Year Chimney Sweeps & Repair at (615) 292-7411 today!
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