subject: Good Chimney Is Essential For Healthy Home [print this page] The purpose of a good chimney goes beyond channeling the smoke out of your fireplace, but it is actually essential for a healthy home. It is in your interest and that of your family to ensure that your chimney is kept serviceable at all times. The basic function of your chimney is to let the smoke out of your home and secondly it supplies the feed air for the fire to continue burning. This is the creation of a positive draft which is vital for a healthy fire. However, one has to ensure that the walls of the chimney are kept smooth, serviceable, and free from creosote, an inflammable substance that collects on the chimney walls. This substance can create a chimney fire and endanger your loved ones. Sweeping the chimney at regular intervals removes the creosote that can also cause noxious carbon monoxide to back up inside your home. During inspection, you may come to know of pending problems with the chimney that may involve chimney masonry work.
Chimney masonry work can be required repairs to the firebox, in addition to tuck pointing, cracked or crumbling crowns, spalling bricks and defective caps or dampers that may need replacement. In serious cases, you may need to rebuild the chimney. This may be a part of the chimney that needs repair or possibly the entire chimney depending upon the extent of the damage. Waterproofing is usually carried out following chimney repair. In Chicago, chimney repair is carried out by one of the companies servicing Chicagos North Shore and Northern Suburban area. The masonry repair crew specializes in tuck pointing and chimney rebuilding besides firebox repairs and construction. These crew members are all nationally-certified for both chimney cleaning and repairs by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA).
Proper chimney restoration work will involve waterproofing and sealing the chimney. Essentially, this protects your chimney from expensive rebuilds and repairs. Since chimneys project above the roof line, they are vulnerable to all the elements such as rain and snow and ice. Once the moisture mixes with the residue in the flue, it may turn caustic. This may be the right recipe for disaster to come. You can prevent this from happening by keeping the moisture out of your chimney. This is ensured by chimney waterproofing before the winter. Since even small cracks in the crown of the chimney can be a source of the problem of moisture entrapment, you can seal the chimney crown in order to prevent the entrapment from occurring.
